Medtech Talk: Recent Episodes
Healthegy
At this year’s Medtech MVP, a panel of industry experts explored how robotics are changing healthcare beyond the operating room. Robotic technologies are being deployed across inpatient care, rehabilitation, logistics, and remote patient support. Moderated by Virginia L. Giddings of Edwards Lifesciences, the panel includes Amanda Baumann of Stryker; Nir Goldenberg of Mayo Clinic Ventures; […]
At this year’s Medtech MVP, a panel of industry experts explored how robotics are changing healthcare beyond the operating room. Robotic technologies are being deployed across inpatient care, rehabilitation, logistics, and remote patient support. Moderated by Virginia L. Giddings of Edwards Lifesciences, the panel includes Amanda Baumann of Stryker; Nir Goldenberg of Mayo Clinic Ventures; Kate Jackson Hobbs of Intuitive; and Maggie Nixon of Capstan Medical. Together they discuss the workforce, financial, and reimbursement considerations shaping adoption and how AI advancement will affect the future of robotics.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Medtech MVP
Edwards Lifesciences:
Edwards Lifesciences
Stryker:
Stryker
Mayo Clinic:
Mayo Clinic
Intuitive:
Intuitive
Capstan Medical:
Captstan Medical
A discectomy can feel like instant relief until the pain comes back, and the “small” hole in the disc turns into a repeat surgery, degeneration, and lost mobility. Joining the podcast is Greg Lambrecht, founder and executive director of Intrinsic Therapeutics, with host Geoff Pardo to unpack why recurrent lumbar disc herniation is still so common, what surgeons and patients often don’t see downstream, and how his team built Barricaid to address the problem at its source: the annular defect. They also discuss the engineering logic of a bone-anchored barrier and why early “optimal” designs failed inside a body that’s anything but gentle, as well as CMS versus private payer incentives and why trial protocols should be negotiated with reimbursement stakeholders early.
Subscribe and leave a review with your biggest question about getting breakthrough devices adopted.
LINKS:
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Intrinsic Therapeutics Links:
Barricaid
Brian Webster, President and CEO of Kestra Medical Technologies (Nasdaq: KMTS), joins Medtech Talk to discuss his 30-year career in cardiac defibrillation and the road to founding Kestra. With host Swaril Mathur, Webster unpacks learnings from leading through decades of repeated acquisitions, divestitures, and restructurings — and keeping the team motivated through it all. Their conversation explores what it takes to commercialize a rental fleet model with outsourced manufacturing, revenue cycle management, and payer contracts, as well as closing with the decision to IPO and staying steady in volatile markets by focusing on execution fundamentals. Subscribe, share this with a MedTech operator who’s scaling something hard, and leave a rating or review with the leadership lesson that hit you most.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
MicroTransponderLinks:MicroTransponder
Kestra Medical Technologies:Kestra Medical Technologies
How do you approach growing and investing? Quentin Blackford, president and CEO of iRhythm Technologies, joins Medtech Talk host Justin Klein to discuss how he took his company beyond traditional monitoring and expanded into the primary care setting, even though many traditional medical device companies don’t have much success in primary care. Blackford shares advice on how to develop expertise and comfort in approaching and embracing technology investment (particularly with AI), as well as his thoughts on how the medtech ecosystem is currently approaching the learning curve and tech adoption.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Vensana Capital:
Vensana Capital
iRhythm Links:
iRhythm
How do you evaluate investments and risks? Kate Garret, managing partner at Sonder, and Deborah Kilpatrick, partner at Sonder, share their insights and experiences as entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors in this episode of Medtech Talk, hosted by Swaril Mathur. They deep dive into the practical realities of entrepreneurship, including the importance of networking, knowing when to keep pushing or pull out of an investment, making hard decisions, and how to conduct a successful shutdown. Garret and Kilpatrick also discuss their mentorship programs and offer advice for aspiring innovators on how to break into the industry.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
MicroTransponderLinks:
MicroTransponder
Meeting the right people can completely change the trajectory of one’s career. In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Stacy Enxing Seng, independent director and venture partner, about her journey from Harvard Business School to SciMed to ev3 and beyond. She delves into the lessons learned, the challenges, and—most importantly—the people that have impacted her illustrious career. She also shares advice on why soft skills are key to acquisitions and integrations, the importance of transparency, and determining the difference between a CEO who isn’t the right fit versus a CEO who has room to grow.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Corza Medical
Lightstone Ventures
The data gap in women’s health has always been a major issue and challenge. Ridhi Tariyal, CEO and co-founder of NextGen Jane, is on a mission to de-risk the women’s health field and fill in the blanks with critical information and research. Host Swaril Mathur speaks with Tariyal on how NextGen Jane is collecting data through menstrual blood to make diagnoses and treatments easier. Tariyal also shares advice on the pros and cons of going the cash-pay consumer route and pitching the right business proposal to gain investors’ attention, as well as NextGen’s plans and focus points.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
MicroTransponderLinks:
MicroTransponder
NextGen Jane:
NextGen Jane
From consulting to working at large companies to taking a risk with start-ups to becoming Silk Road Medical’s CEO, Chas McKhann has experienced almost everything in his long and illustrious career. In a discussion with Medtech Talk host Geoff Pardo, McKhann shares all the lessons learned from his jump to small private companies, handling a cultural rebirth as a newcomer CEO under the public eye, and taking on his role at Silk Road. He also talks about the “what if’s” of his journey and tips on surviving in the industry, as well as witnessing the market shift from only caring about revenue to wanting to see the path to capital break even.
LINKS:Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Silk Road Medical:
Silk Road Medical
Niche markets and small populations don’t get the attention they need for medtech and healthcare. Medtech Talk host Swaril Mathur speaks with Eric Chehab, founder and former CEO of Novonate and director of business development of Laborie OB/GYN/NICU, and James Wall, pediatric surgeon and founder of Impact1 at Stanford University, about how they’re bringing medtech innovation to small patient populations. They delve into their experiences of founding their own niche market companies and the lessons learned, including how they navigated commercialization and acquisition processes, convinced the right investors, determined capital efficiency, and more. They also share their thoughts on investors who think niche solutions for niche markets are uninteresting.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
MicroTransponderLinks:
MicroTransponder
Stanford University Links:
Stanford Healthcare
Stanford Medicine Children’s Health
Stanford University
Laborie Links:
Laborie
Live from Medtech MVP, Michael Mahoney, chairman and CEO of Boston Scientific Corp, sits down with Medtech Talk podcast host Justin Klein. They discuss Mahoney’s communications strategies to align expectations and convey intentions to shareholders, how to delegate and streamline decision making, and advice on doing better as a partner. Mahoney also shares which second order considerations (such as manufacturing) are important to keep in mind, as well as whether he’s a “war time” or “peace time” CEO and what challenges the industry needs to address today to create a better tomorrow.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Boston Scientific Corp:
Boston Scientific Corp
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo and Eric Wichems, former CEO of Vertos Medical (recently acquired by Stryker), discuss the responsibilities of a CEO, why high accountability and transparency are important aspects of company culture, and how to hire the right person for the position—and how to determine if they can thrive in your company’s culture. Wichems shares his background in engineering and how he found his way to Vertos, as well as his thoughts on the Stryker acquisition and the reasons behind it.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Vertos Medical:
Vertos Medical
Stryker:
Stryker Interventional Spine
In this month’s Medtech Talk, co-host Swaril Mathur, vice president of business development at Axonics, debuts in her first episode with John Woock, former EVP and chief marketing and strategy officer at Axonics. They discuss the early days of their company, including what motivated Woock to join a company that was considered risky at the time, what he learned from supporting and working directly with the field team, and how Axonics handled the early stages of commercial launch during the pandemic. Woock also reflects on how much the company has changed over the years in its culture and leadership, including the decisions that felt good and the ones that were harder to grapple with.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Axonics Links:
Axonics
This month at Medtech Talk, co-host Justin Klein, co-founder and managing partner at Vensana Capital, debuts in his first episode with a discussion with Douglas Kelly, former deputy center director for science and chief scientist at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA. Kelly talks about his time at the FDA and the fundamental changes he implemented to make a helpful impact on patients, including when the pandemic was at its peak. Kelly also shares his thoughts on the value of fostering innovation and the importance of breakthrough designation, as well as how to approach the process of advocacy and get in better alignment with shared priorities with the FDA, CMS, and other stakeholders
In the first Medtech Talk episode of 2025, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Dr. Billy Cohn, MD, PhD (H), Chief Medical Officer of BiVACOR, about entrepreneurship, limitless innovation, and thinking outside the box. Dr. Cohn discusses his experiences as a driving force behind the Center for Device Innovation at the Texas Medical Center, what influenced him to pursue medical devices, and finding resources in everyday objects. He also provides advice for budding entrepreneurs and engineers and why he believes Home Depot is the headquarters of medical device prototyping.
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Michael Jaff, DO, chief medical officer and vice president of Clinical Affairs, Technology, and Innovation at Boston Scientific. Dr. Jaff has a long list of achievements and a robust background as a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, president of Newton-Wellesley Hospital, medical director at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and more. Dr. Jaff shares his thoughts on good leadership, medical device innovation (and how they can help hospitals succeed), and how hospitals and manufacturers can navigate post-COVID-19 financial strains. He also discusses his journey from clinician to hospital CEO to the manufacturing industry, as well as Boston Scientific’s outlook on the future.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Boston Scientific:Boston Scientific
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo and Per Langoe, CEO of GT Medical, discuss Langoe’s extensive career, from his start in sales to eventually making his way to medtech. Langoe gives tips on how to keep investors on board during times of crisis (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) and how he hires the right people for the job, as well as the differences between small companies and big companies and owning your company versus selling it to a larger company. He also shares what attracted him to GT Medical, what the company’s future looks like, and more. Thanks to Silicon Valley Bank for hosting this episode.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
GT Medical:
GT Medical
GammaTile:
GammaTile
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Punit Soni, CEO of Suki, about using AI to build better technology in healthcare, the origins of Suki, and how Soni shifted from Google to healthcare. Soni also delves into the difficulties and challenges of healthcare, including handling the regulatory aspects and encouraging doctors to adapt to new tech. He also discusses managing failure—as an individual and a company leader—and where we are in the evolution of what Suki is doing.
Special thanks to Silicon Valley Bank for sponsoring this episode.
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Dr. Liz Kwo, chief commercial officer at Everly Health, about how she got started in the medtech field, her experience at InfiniteMD, and the lessons learned along the way. They also discuss Dr. Kwo’s new book Digital MD: Revolutionizing the Future of Healthcare, which provides an in-depth look at ROI development, how organizations think, sell, and build partnerships, and more. Dr. Kwo also shares her thoughts on the difference between efficacy and effectiveness, customer profiles, the changing role of the consumer (especially when considering data and AI), and what she anticipates in the next 20 years.
In this special episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo interviews Raymond W. Cohen, CEO of Axonics and winner of the Medtech MVP 2024 Award. The MVP Award recognizes an individual for extraordinary contributions to a medtech company that has successfully advanced an important new product and delivered strong financial returns. This year's award honors Cohen for his visionary leadership and innovative solutions that have propelled Axonics to the forefront of the industry. The pair explore Axonic’s groundbreaking technology, the importance of neuromodulation, and Cohen’s storied career, including focusing on key decisions that led him to become an entrepreneur and ultimately the leader of one of the most successful venture-backed medtech companies of our time.
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Darshana Zaveri, founder & managing partner of Catalyst Health Ventures, about her entry and journey to medtech and venture capital. Zaveri discusses how she approached her first deal, why treating others with kindness and dignity is the key to good networking, and the qualities she looks for in entrepreneurs, particularly in the early stages of a company’s evolution. She also relays her time as CEO of Lantos Technologies, the hard but valuable lessons she learned, and how she applies those experiences to investing.
In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo and Conor Hanley, PhD, CEO of FIRE1, discuss various topics ranging from leadership to entrepreneurship to raising funds. Hanely also talks about lessons learned about raising capital at BiancaMed, how he keeps investors on the same page, how he utilizes his board and partnerships, and how he assimilates other people’s perspectives while taking on a position. He also delves into his viewpoint on patient compliance, what attracted him to healthcare in the first place, and how Ireland transformed from an economic low point to the Celtic Tiger.
Medtech Talk boiler: The Medtech Talk Podcast explores the lives and stories of the people behind some of the greatest advancements in healthcare. Gilde Healthcare General Partner and podcast host, Geoff Pardo invites listeners to see themselves in the journeys of the greatest entrepreneurs, investors, and executives changing the landscape of medtech to save patients and innovate healthcare for future generations.
In this month’s episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Rodney Perkins, M.D., serial medtech inventor and founder of several companies, including Collagen Corporation and Laserscope. Perkins delves into his extensive history as one of the industry’s most prolific and successful entrepreneurs whose inventions have helped shape many medical specialties. Perkins discusses what drew him to medicine and medtech, how to navigate the challenges of starting new companies, and why being aware of your own skillset is important to the growth of a company. He also offers advice on how to handle the stresses of entrepreneurship, including his own “entrepreneur’s survival kit” of self-care and understanding your limits.
Starting a company is an intimidating feat. Starting multiple companies is even scarier. In this month’s episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Amr Salahieh, founder and CEO of Shifamed, about his extensive experiences of entrepreneurship in the medtech ecosystem. As the founder of several companies, including Sadra Medical, Maya Medical, and Apama Medical, Salahieh shares his tips and tactics on finding the right markets, taking care of your investors, and overcoming challenges when a company fails. He also offers his thoughts on the biggest obstacle in the medtech sector today and how Shifamed has remained sustainable compared to other organizations.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Shifamed Links:
Shifamed
Though the stigma around mental illnesses has lessened, there is an ongoing mental health crisis affecting the country—and the rest of the world. In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Nolan Williams, M.D. Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, about how electrical signaling abnormalities in the brain could be behind mental illnesses and the different options used to treat these ailments. Dr. Williams also delves into how his background in psychology and neurology helped him better understand patients in crisis, how Magnus Medical’s methods differ from traditional transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, and the difficult circumstance of the current state of hospitals and inpatient units.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Magnus Medical Links:
Magnus Medical
Stanford University Links:
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University
How does one decide to invest in the right company? In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Justin Klein, MD, JD, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Vensana Capital, about how he uses his legal background to determine the best investment strategy, how he found his way into the medtech industry, and which areas of medicine fascinate him the most. He also talks about his experiences and lessons learned during his time as a partner at NEA, as well as his thoughts on what is working in the industry and what challenges obstruct it from its goals.
How does one navigate the difficult road of entrepreneurship? How do you find the right industry for you? In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with serial founder and med device CEO Keegan Harper, about overcoming the challenges of being your own boss and finding what you’re good at. Harper discusses what inspired him to become an entrepreneur, how he became interested and involved in medtech, and his experiences managing several start-up companies. He also details how he found his knack for choosing technology to invest in and develop, meeting the right people, figuring out the build-to-buy system, and his experiences at multiple companies, including Ablation Frontiers, TheraCardia, Bird Flex, and, now, Bolt Medical.
Ceribell’s rapid seizure triage product for critical care received FDA’s Breakthrough Designation with an exclusive New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP) from CMS. Everything about the ClarityPro product—from the innovative EEG headband to the EEG recorder and physician portal has been engineered to enable quick detection and response to non-convulsive seizure in a critical care or ED setting. In this episode of the Medtech Talk podcast, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Jane Chao, CEO of Ceribell, about the path to develop an innovative new product and her personal journey as well.
Chao’s own story started with a love of numbers, a highly exclusive spot earned in a prestigious chemistry program in Beijing, a Ph.D. in biophysics, and roles at McKinsey, Novartis, and Genentech. For Ceribell’s genesis, Chao took lessons from all of those experiences—business knowledge gained at McKinsey, and a rich, interdisciplinary scientific background—to launch a new medtech business and engineer a new device to meet a critical, unmet medical need.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
How has the bullishness of 2016-2022 impacted public markets and private companies? In this special episode of Medtech Talk, we share Geoff Pardo’s Medtech MVP 2023 panel, featuring Tak G Cheung, Partner at New Enterprise Associates; J.P. Peltier, Managing Director of Global Head, Healthcare Investment Banking at Piper Sandler; Michael Ryan, VP of Venture Capital & Business Development at Boston Scientific Corp; Gwen Watanabe, Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital; and Rob Winklemann, Managing Partner & CEO at Credo 180. The panelists discuss the implications for private companies, particularly those that were financed during the boom times, as well as strategies for keeping private companies financed, and the outlook for liquidity via M&A or IPO.
Doug Godshall, President and CEO of Shockwave Medical, started off selling T-shirts as an engineering student. Today, he leads the most successful high-growth medtech company in the last twenty years. In this episode of Medtech Talk, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Godshall, who discusses his start in medical devices, experiences in a major medtech company, leadership and culture, and what it takes to succeed in the field. Godshall details the strategies behind sales such as understanding your customer’s full needs and why the quality and usefulness of your product is more important than the amount you sell. He also shares his perspective on the type of company culture that creates a comfortable and collaborative environment that paves the way to success.
Medtech Talk Links:Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Shockwave Medical
In his early education Anton Clifford was advised against focusing on both science and economics. But he’s put that education to good use in his entrepreneurial career. With a foundation in engineering, Clifford quickly turned to medical devices. First in his native Ireland and later in the US with Abbott Laboratories, Clifford got firsthand experience with device engineering as well as the challenges of launching new products, divisions, and companies.
On the journey to his current endeavor, Clifford had narrowed his focus to finding an engineering problem with a mechanical component: a massive unmet need with a surgical solution that was under-adopted. As he considered market opportunities, a friend and mentor, Josh Makower, directed him: You’re not trying to make something work; you’re trying to kill ideas.
The last idea standing, so to speak, was an implantable shock absorber, reducing load to the knee joint. After years of development, Moximed has released its FDA study on the most recent product—Misha—with “phenomenal outcomes.” Compared to a surgical alternative, Misha showed superior recovery, pain, function, and no mechanical failures.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Moximed
With a background as a trauma nurse and experience running clinical research programs, Stacey Pugh brought quite a bit of patient-focused experience with her when she shifted to industry. After several roles in the neurovascular space, now she’s leading the charge at Endogenix, which is using pulsed electric fields to treat Type 2 Diabetes. She and host, Geoff Pardo, talk about a medical officer’s first experience doing sales, the challenges in affecting change management in primary care, funding businesses with SPACs, and more.
Medtech Talk Links:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
Endogenex
Derek Herrera, founder and CEO of Bright Uro, grew up in a military family with a curious mind and a skill for building things. After graduating, he entered the Naval Academy, studied systems engineering and robotics, and became a Special Operations Marine Raider. When an injury left him paralyzed from the waist down, he launched a new career to improve the lives of spinal cord injury patients through medical innovation.
Herrera speaks with podcast host Geoff Pardo about his extensive military career and the leadership skills fostered during that time. He also talks about his first entrepreneurial pursuit creating a fully internal and remotely controlled device for chronic urinary retention, a common issue for spinal cord injury patients. Herrera discusses his new business, Bright Uro, which leverages advanced technology to create urological diagnostic devices. He says, “Not only will we offer a superior patient and customer user experience, a more comfortable technology, and improve clinical efficiency, we’re unlocking data that’s never been obtained before because there’s never been the capability to do so.”
Links from this episode:
Gilde Healthcare
Bright Uro
UroDev Medical
Growing up in Austria as the daughter of two physicians, Lisa Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Paragonix Technologies, spent many evenings around the dinner table discussing patient care with her parents. After pursuing advanced studies in biomedical sciences and medical genetics, Anderson ventured back into patient care and launched a donor organ preservation and transport company to dramatically improve the standard of care for many donor recipients.
In this episode, Anderson speaks with host Geoff Pardo about the current issues in organ transport and how their first device—the Paragonix SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System—significantly decreases the number of adverse events less than 24 hours after heart transplant surgery. She also talks about the company’s transition to a service-based business with the development of the Paragonix app, their expansion into transporting lungs, livers, and kidneys, and the strategies used to develop a straightforward and high-performing device. She says, “We wanted to provide a simple device that provides superior chemical outcomes, is easy to use, and has an intuitive user profile when [organ recoveries] occur. We provide [surgical teams] with superior organ preservation.”
Links from this episode:
Gilde Healthcare
Paragonix Technologies
Paragonix SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System
Fred Khosravi, chairman and CEO of Imperative Care, returns to the podcast for another engaging conversation with host Geoff Pardo about his personal and professional experiences in the medtech space. He speaks about the elements of preparedness that help entrepreneurs seize new opportunities, the importance of maintaining intellectual honesty in one’s work, and why a “market-first” mentality leads to industry success. He says, “It’s not a great medical innovation unless it ends up helping a lot of patients. Otherwise, it’s just a great invention.”
Khosravi generously shares three decades worth of entrepreneurial wisdom and recounts stories of the people who profoundly impacted his career. He talks about viewing investors as partners not parents, the attributes that spur venture capitalists to invest in a CEO, the lessons learned from developing the number one intravascular filter in the global market, and his work at Imperative Care—a stand-alone comprehensive stroke and thrombectomy company. He also explains why he believes “freedom and innovation” set the American medtech industry apart and the path forward to make it even better.
Links from this episode:
Gilde Healthcare
Imperative Care
Incept Medical Incubator (Axtria, Ostial, Neurolutions, Instylla, Tulavi Therapeutics)
This month host Geoff Pardo speaks with one of the most prolific entrepreneurs in the medtech industry, Fred Khosravi, chairman and CEO of Imperative Care, about the path that led him to start over 24 healthtech startups. Khosravi recounts leaving Iran at 17 and studying mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech. He talks about his first experiences with medical device manufacturing and how he designed a fully automated process for making cataract lenses. Khosravi also shares his pioneering work in developing cardiac stents, how serendipity is really “opportunity meets preparedness,” and why every entrepreneur needs a board of directors. He clarifies, “Not your company’s board of directors, but your own personal board of directors: people who care about you to be skeptical about you and tell it to you like it is.”
Links from this episode:
Gilde Healthcare
Imperative Care
As a trained neurosurgeon, Dr. Chris Mansi is familiar with the challenges patients face in accessing lifesaving treatments. After earning an MBA from Stanford and enrolling in their Biodesign Medical Innovation track, he learned to develop multifaceted and technology-based solutions to improve healthcare workflows.
In this episode, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Mansi about Viz.ai, a revolutionary application that increases patient access to life-saving treatments in over 1,200 hospitals. Every minute an ischemic stroke patient waits for treatment equates to approximately 2 million neurons lost and a week of disability. Viz.ai abbreviates the sometimes five-hour-long process of securing a specialist to merely minutes, changing the course of patients’ lives. Mansi also discusses how to address naivety in entrepreneurship, the value of an interdisciplinary mindset in improving patient outcomes, and the importance of creating a value-based company with mission-driven employees.
Links from this episode:
Viz.ai
Dr. Josh Makower is one of the few multidisciplinary leaders making a tremendous and broad-reaching impact on the medical device and consumer product industries. As an inventor, professor, CEO, and venture capitalist with experiences in medicine, bioengineering, business, and big pharma, Makower has led the charge in creating some of the most unique and practical designs.
In this episode, host Geoff Pardo speaks with Makower about his interests in science and technology at an early age, his college transition from music to engineering, and what he believes is the future of biodesign. Makower details the mechanics of his inventions for incontinence, chronic sinusitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and women’s health as part of the nine companies he created in the past 25 years. Finally, he speaks about the joy of teaching and offers sage advice to up-and-coming medtech innovators: “My classic piece of advice for anyone getting into any health-related field is you really have to be perseverant. You have to never give up because there are so many reasons to turn away and give up, but if you have a dream and believe in what you’re doing and are willing to listen and adapt, that’s key. I think anyone can win, and it’s just about believing in yourself and your vision.”
Links from this episode:
Stanford University
Stanford University School of Medicine
ExploraMed, a medical device incubator
Coravin
Willow
Before he began his Ph.D. program in biomedical engineering, Andy Doraiswamy bought a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia to explore and “find himself.” He was successful: discovering a love for mountain climbing’s physical and mental challenges and developing a practice of meditation that has proven helpful in both climbing and commerce. Since leaving academia, he’s been involved in startups at Advanced Vision Science, Oculeve, and now Koya Medical. Doraiswamy has a huge bias and love for eye care, he says, particularly intrigued by its complexity. He and host Geoff Pardo discuss how medical devices fare in academia, letting go of promising technology in an acquisition, and the shifts required when transitioning from COO to CEO.
Links from this episode:
Koya Medical
Host Geoff Pardo talks with Adam Berman, CEO of Alleviant Medical, about the groundbreaking device treating heart failure without hardware or permanent implants. The Alleviant device mitigates shortness of breath in patients with diastolic heart failure by leaving behind a shunt cut from interatrial septum tissue. The shunt moves blood from the left atrium to the right, diminishing pressure on the lungs. Berman speaks about his start in biomedical engineering, gaining invaluable experience in the operating room, developing sales tactics and industry knowledge as a medical device field representative, and switching gears to create novel devices for cardiac care.
Links from this episode:
Alleviant Medical
Geoff Pardo and three successful medtech CEOs who exited their companies through a different pathway— M&A, IPO, and SPAC—discuss the pros and cons of each. While market volatility is a given, Bruce Shook, Former President & CEO, Intact Vascular and Vesper Medical; Clint Carnell, Co-Founder & Chairman, OrangeTwist; Former CEO, BeautyHealth; and Leslie Trigg, CEO, Outset Medical agreed that successful CEOs keep their focus on delivering returns for their investors—whether private or public. If your company is solving a really important problem and is creating value for patients, you’ll ultimately succeed, Shook said. From there, Trigg pointed out, exit vehicles are simply different modes of transportation to the same place.
GUESTS:Bruce Shook, Former President & CEO, Intact Vascular and Vesper Medical
Clint Carnell, Co-Founder & Chairman, OrangeTwist; Former CEO, BeautyHealth
Leslie Trigg, CEO, Outset Medical, Inc.
HOST:
Geoff Pardo, General Partner, Gilde Healthcare; Host, Medtech Talk podcast
LINKS:Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Medtech Talk
Gilde Healthcare
OrangeTwist
Outset Medical
Nicole J. Walker brings far more diversity than just her race and gender to her role as managing partner at Arboretum Ventures. Her background was in operations and engineering, and she knows her perspective has given her valuable insight into the businesses she works with. Walker also credits her team with asking hard questions, applying different experiences, and bringing an historical perspective—together keeping each other disciplined and objective. Walker knows that “fullness of diversity” will be equally successful for the healthcare venture space as a whole. “It’s really important that we keep pushing the envelope on the people around the table,” she says, having honest conversations about who are the decision-makers, how we compensate people for their work, and how our pools and pipelines may be influencing our candidate choice.
Dr. Aaron Kaplan has several startups and many years of cardiology practice under his belt, and he is uniquely positioned to give a physician’s perspective on the medical device startup space and how big ideas actually impact the clinic. As a practicing interventional cardiologist and Director of Clinical Research, Heart & Vascular Center, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Kaplan is intimately aware of the challenges facing cardiology today and the needs facing both patients and their care providers. And as an entrepreneur and inventor, he’s learned to maximize his role in the startup arena. “The role of the doc is not to design the device, but to define the problem,” Kaplan told Medtech Talk. Kaplan says he brings ideas to the table “that often violate one if not two of Newton’s laws”, but he has learned to hand them over to creative engineers and others with diverse perspectives. While, as a physician, he alone answers for all the care decisions that were made for a patient, as an entrepreneur, he instead builds multidisciplinary teams with competencies that are divorced from medicine. One of the biggest differences between the two roles, Kaplan says, is that entrepreneurs must learn to accept failure. In speaking with Geoff Pardo, Kaplan employs a physician’s traditional habit of postmortem assessment of one of his previous startups, candidly breaking down the problems in the market approach, the trial strategy, and the leadership structure—valuable lessons for him—and others—to apply to future projects.
Dr. Kaplan is a practicing interventional/structural cardiologist and a medical device entrepreneur. Aaron supervises cardiology fellows and lectures regularly at the Tuck School. In addition, he directs the Clinician-MBA Scholars Program at Dartmouth. Prior to Dartmouth, he was Director of Interventional Cardiology at the Palo Alto VA/Stanford University. Dr. Kaplan has authored >75 peer-reviewed papers and serves on the Editorial Board of Cardiac Catheterization & Intervention and J Soc Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions. Aaron is an active entrepreneur who has been on the founding team of a number of companies including Conformal Medical, Tryton Medical, LocalMed and Perclose (acquired by Abbott). Dr. Kaplan is on the Board of Cairn Surgical and was an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Three Arch Partners. Aaron has authored 60 U.S. Patents and was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (Class of 2015). He received a BS in Engineering Sciences (Cum Laude) from Tufts University, MD from Wake Forest University, medical training at Northwestern University and cardiology training at Stanford University.
Kurt Azarbarzin grew up valuing discipline, hard work and a can-do attitude, and he credits much of his success to continuing to work and live by those principles. Having moved to the United States from Tehran, Iran in late 1970's as a senior in High School, Kurt was fortunate to live with an American family who knew his own family well. He enjoyed math and science, so he studied manufacturing engineering in college and had his first exposure to the medical device industry from a professor who was then consulting at U.S. Surgical. This professor helped Kurt obtain a part-time job there, and although he was not initially interested in medtech, Kurt quickly became fascinated with surgery as he worked with surgeons in the OR. He learned that if he truly aimed to help the surgeons achieve better outcomes, and not just pitch them products, then a mutually beneficial partnership could develop. After 21 years at U.S. Surgical, the company was acquired by Tyco, and Kurt decided to continue his passion for innovation by first becoming a consultant and then an entrepreneur. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Kurt shares how his family values and early learnings at U.S. Surgical helped shape his success as a founder and leader, including starting and exiting SurgiQuest, leading Verb Surgical, and now overseeing ColubrisMX Robotics. Tune in to hear these stories and insights, plus the three most pressing questions you need to be able to answer if you’re considering surgical robotics.
BIO
Kurt Azarbarzin is a 39-year medtech industry veteran, having led the development of over 90 new products representing over $910 million of annual sales at companies including U.S. Surgical, Tyco Healthcare (now Medtronic), Spine Wave, Respimetrix, SurgiQuest, Verb Surgical, and J&J. He has experience in surgical, robotic, cardiovascular, interventional, orthopedic and urological markets. Kurt founded SurgiQuest in 2005 and sold it to Conmed, and the company’s lead technology AirSeal became the standard of care for advanced Lap and Robotic Surgery. He then became CEO of Verb Surgical, a Joint Venture between Google and J&J consisting of over 550 employees, that was acquired by J&J in January 2020. After that, Kurt became and is currently the CEO of ColubrisMX Robotics, which is developing the first endoluminal robotic platform in the world, thus truly enabling scarless surgery through existing lumens. Kurt currently lives in Greenwich, CT and is a funding member of the MIS Revolution.
The pandemic has certainly affected many aspects of life, but what about the medtech industry? Specifically for this audience, did COVID impact medtech investment strategy? As part of the recent Medtech MVP conference, host Geoff Pardo moderated a panel interview with four medtech investors to tackle that question and many more: Carter McNabb, Managing Director, River Cities Capital Funds; Darshana Zaveri, Managing Partner, Catalyst Health Ventures; Justin Klein, MD, JD, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Vensana Capital; and Tara Butler, MD, Managing Director, Ascension Ventures. The panel also discussed aspects of the virtual world that are likely to remain in the entrepreneur/VC ecosystem, the latest drama around coverage and MCIT, the rise of consumerism and patient payment, the funding gap for early-stage companies, and the investment appetite for AI/data-driven diagnostics and devices. Listen now to catch these valuable insights!
Panelists:
Carter McNabb, Managing Director, River Cities Capital Funds
Darshana Zaveri, Managing Partner, Catalyst Health Ventures
Justin Klein, MD, JD, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Vensana Capital
Tara Butler, MD, Managing Director, Ascension Ventures
Bernie Haffey started his career as a high school physics teacher, then decided to go to business school. He remained interested in science and technology though, so he started working in the medtech industry at Hewlett-Packard’s Medical Products Group before transferring to Mentor Corp. After rising in the ranks at Mentor, Bernie then joined Summit Technology, where he was first exposed to the concept of high-performance management systems. He learned about the importance of a clear vision (and vision statement), the value of a mission statement and how it differs from a vision, and the benefit of narrowing a multitude of initiatives down to the vital few that focus on true breakthrough opportunities. After over two decades of experience as a senior leader at Summit, Intralase, NDO Surgical, and Nexis Vision, Bernie decided to return to his roots, found a consulting firm focused on high-performance management systems, and start teaching management science. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Bernie shares many of the critical aspects, decision points, and challenges of high-performance management systems, including how to balance voices of the customer, shareholder, and employee; the importance of a strong operational team who can carry out a new vision; the need for effective systems in addition to brilliant staff; and many of the watchouts when leading change in an organization.
Now a seasoned medtech entrepreneur and leader, Amar Sawhney first became interested in the industry starting in graduate school. He was studying chemical engineering and developing biodegradable polymers for adhesion prevention and hydrogels for light-activated polymerization within the body. He and his advisor were then approached by Mayfield Fund to spin out the technology into the startup Focal. Amar was fortunate to learn a lot from then CEO Mark Levin, including some hard lessons that drove him and Fred Khosravi to found Incept, an IP holding company for creating operating companies based on field of use. As CEO/Founder of Confluent Surgical, AccessClosure, Augmenix, Ocular Therapeutix, and now Instylla, Amar learned how to transition from scientist to executive and is truly a medtech influencer. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Amar shares many of the valuable lessons he’s learned founding and managing various startups, including how to find the right application for a technology, when a platform solution really makes sense, how to effectively lead and build successful teams, the value of a diverse workforce, and tips for overcoming the funding gap for early-stage companies, plus his candid thoughts on the differences in funding/entrepreneurship between the East and West coasts.
Amarpreet (Amar) Sawhney, Ph.D., is the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Instylla. He is also the CEO of Pramand LLC, and Rejoni, Inc. Prior to this Dr. Sawhney served as CEO and Chairman of Augmenix (acquired by Boston Scientific) and Ocular Therapeutix (NASDAQ: OCUL). In addition, he is a general partner of Incept, LLC, an intellectual property holding company. Previously, Dr. Sawhney founded Confluent Surgical and served as its President and CEO prior to its acquisition by Covidien plc. He also was a technology founder of Focal, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company acquired by Genzyme Corporation, and a founder of AccessClosure, Inc., acquired by Cardinal Health. Dr. Sawhney’s innovations are the subject of over 120 issued and pending patents. He holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a B.Tech. in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi India.
Navigating the ever-changing sea of medtech reimbursement is never easy, particularly with the recent swings in policies pertaining to breakthrough devices. As part of the continued Medtech Talk Digital Discussion Series, host Geoff Pardo moderates a panel interview with three medtech reimbursement experts to look at strategies for obtaining reimbursement coding, coverage, and payment: Mary Hailey, CCM, CDMS, Vice President Health Economics and Reimbursement, Relievant Medsystems, Inc.; DeChane Dorsey, JD, Executive Director of AdvaMed Accel, AdvaMed; and David Gregory, Principal, Healthcare & Life Sciences Consulting Leader, Baker Tilly. The panel discusses coding and payment issues that are particularly pertinent to small/mid-sized companies; the impact of recent changes to accommodate breakthrough devices, including MCIT, Add-On payment, NTAP, and TPT; CMS’s approach to handling issues/questions and how to best work with the agency; thinking wholistically about bringing your product to market (more than just FDA approval); and the influence of advocacy efforts by physician specialty societies on coding and payments. Listen now to catch these valuable insights!
Mary Hailey, CCM, CDMS, Vice President Health Economics and Reimbursement, Relievant Medsystems, Inc. DeChane Dorsey, JD, Executive Director of AdvaMed Accel, AdvaMed David Gregory, Principal, Healthcare & Life Sciences Consulting Leader, Baker Tilly
There’s nothing like those pivotal moments of a startup that lead to it becoming wildly successful. The excitement as the company’s first product begins to earn market share and attention from additional investors or acquirers. This month’s podcast guest Joe Mandato has been in that situation with several successful startups turned corporations, including Guidant Corporation, Origin Medical Systems (predecessor of Intuitive Surgical), and Align Technology (maker of InvisAlign), as well as leading Tear Science and iOptics Research. Joe has learned a lot about leadership throughout these endeavors and his doctoral research on the effectiveness of corporate governance. He’s seen firsthand the importance of understanding where leaders can contribute and where they need help; switching from the “wrong” application to the “right” one; having technological innovation at root, but the right business model innovation and culture to achieve to success; and maximizing boards of directors. After many decades in the industry, Joe is truly a medtech mentor. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Joe shares many of the valuable lessons he’s learned working with various startups, how to shift from being an operator to an investor, how to best leverage boards and board meetings, and his suggestions for changes in the healthcare system and opportunities coming out of COVID.
Joe Mandato holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree from Case Western Reserve University, where his research focused on the evolving role of boards in ensuring effective corporate governance. He was a 2011-2012 Fellow of Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative and served as Co-Chair of Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Coalition. He is a Managing Director at DeNovo Ventures, Senior Advisor at Apercen Partners and Sonder Capital and Lecturer at Stanford University. He has served on more than 20 public and private boards of directors focused on technology and the life sciences. He also serves on the boards of Case Western Reserve University, Headstart and Save the Children. He was an investor, board member and advisor to the founders of Align Technologies (Invisalign) and has served as CEO of five life sciences companies, which created significant shareholder value. He was a member of the founding management committee of Guidant Corporation (NYSE) and was an entrepreneur-in-residence at Mayfield Fund, a Silicon Valley venture fund. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles on healthcare and governance and the book The Entrepreneur’s Journey.
Like many entrepreneurs, Christian Gormsen admits he didn’t start his career with a passion for his current field. Instead, he backed into the hearing industry from his work in investment banking and consulting, and eventually wound up working at the world's 4th largest hearing aid company. Christian realized just how stigmatized hearing aids are and became determined to address this. In 2012, he was first connected to Eargo while doing advisory work. Unlike other traditional hearing aids, Eargo’s products are basically invisible, comfortable, rechargeable, removable, and sold directly to consumers rather than via physicians. After being a board member for about 3 years, Christian was asked to lead Eargo as CEO through a challenging time in 2016, and by the end of 2017, he had achieved a four-fold increase in sales and the company has since gone public. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Christian shares his story of entering the hearing industry and then joining Eargo, various unique aspects about the company compared to traditional hearing aid manufacturers that have led to their success, achieving cognitive diversity via cultural diversity, and the effect on the company’s personnel after its recent transition to being public.
After passing out from extremely painful complex ovarian cists at age 13, Surbhi Sarna became all too familiar with the challenges and lack of adequate solutions for women’s health. Benefiting from intelligent and entrepreneurial parents, she became so determined to start a company to tackle women’s health issues someday that she wrote it in her college application personal statement. After graduating from UC Berkely, she went to Abbott Vascular to work on some of their most innovative products before transitioning to BioCardia for more of a startup culture. While at both places, she continued to read papers about women’s health, and after she lost her grandmother to breast cancer, she decided to take her leap of faith and start nVision Medical. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Surbhi shares her story of founding and leading nVision, including securing a very challenging first funding round, transitioning from being an engineer to a woman CEO, negotiating the company’s eventual exit, and staying onboard to support the product’s further development as part of Boston Scientific. Here all this plus Surbhi’s thoughts on the changing landscape of women’s health and what’s next for her.
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a successful year for medtech. The industry reaped the fruits of over a decade of concerted effort to reduce regulatory hurdles, work better with hospitals and diagnostic companies, and increase innovation. As part of the continued Medtech Talk Digital Discussion Series, host Geoff Pardo teams up with Justin Klein to co-moderate a panel interview with three medtech investment experts to recap 2020 and look to strategies for 2021: Scott Whitaker, President and CEO, AdvaMed; Mark Deem, Venture Partner, Lightstone Ventures; Managing Partner, The Foundry, LLC; and Rachel Jonas, Vice President and Investment Analyst, T. Rowe Price. The panel discusses challenges, watchouts, and opportunities for 2021; the continually evolving reimbursement landscape; the need to and how to encourage more early stage investing; public funding and whether the medtech IPO window will persist; where to invest next; and what new administration and policy issues to watch out for. Listen now to catch these valuable insights!
Inari Medical is a 2020 success story. The company was one of the first medtech companies to IPO during the pandemic. As part of the new Medtech Talk Digital Discussion Series, host Geoff Pardo had a chance to conduct a panel interview with four members of the Inari management team: Bill Hoffman, CEO; Drew Hykes, CCO; Thomas Tu, MD, CMO; and Tara Dunn, Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Market Development. The team discussed their unique culture, strong mission, early success, sales strategy and many other topics, including advice from Bill to other entrepreneurs who are considering going public, reflections from Tom on the transition from being a physician to the business world, benchmarking from Drew on how this experience compares to other ventures he has been in, and comparisons from Tara on the difference between working for a big company vs. a smaller company. Tune in now to hear from one of medtech’s most promising companies!
After an ill family member introduced Justin Barad to the world of healthcare, he decided to earn a bioengineering degree, then an MD, and eventually specialized in pediatric orthopaedics. However, Justin later opted to combine his surgical skills with his passion for software and gaming to take on a new challenge: the training of surgeons. He decided to switch from academic medicine and start Osso VR in 2016, and now the company has grown to over 60 employees serving 20 countries with over 70 procedures loaded on the platform. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Justin shares his view on the challenges of surgical training, how Osso VR’s virtual surgical training procedures can be used to both train and assess surgeons remotely, his transition from clinician to CEO, his experience fundraising as a new entrepreneur, and advice for other surgeons considering entrepreneurial endeavors.
After 20+ years as an academic physician, Karen Noblett was presented with a new opportunity: join Axonics as the company’s CMO. Originally, she was concerned about what her peers would think, as she had established a reputation of being ethically involved with industry and did not want to compromise that. Ultimately, she decided this presented a pathway to improving patient treatments and outcomes on a broader scale, so she accepted the position and has enjoyed the experience ever since. From helping the team build the final product to overseeing clinical trials to experiencing an IPO and finally to a successful commercial launch, Karen learned a great deal about the medical device industry. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Karen shares informative background on the physiology of overactive bladder and the various treatments available, including Axonic’s sacral neuromodulation device (a so called “bladder pacemaker”); recounts her transition from academia to industry; and reflects on some of her most influential mentors and how they affected her own leadership style.
Jon Bloom admits that his path to becoming a CEO was anything but linear. Originally a percussionist, Jon then found a calling for medicine and became a board-certified physician before pivoting once more to entrepreneurship. Now holding the reigns at Podimetrics, a company developing an early warning system for diabetic foot ulcers, Jon shares not only his unique career progression, but the story of how a hackathon led to the company’s inception, when to commercialize a new technology, tips for working the VA, and the revolution of telehealth during this current time.
From senior leadership positions at GE Healthcare and Medtronic to board chairman at MDIC and AdvaMed, Nadim is a seasoned medtech executive who is passionate about the industry. Now at the helm of CVRx, a company developing a pioneering technology for treating high blood pressure and heart failure, Nadim shares his experience navigating the FDA’s first Breakthrough Device Designation, working with CMS on reimbursement coding, and building CVRx’s strong leadership team
Katie Szyman is an accomplished global operating executive in the medical device industry with a passion for building high performing teams and helping innovative healthcare companies grow so patients can gain access to better therapies and outcomes. Here she shares how Edwards, critical care, and the medtech industry is adapting to COVID19, her leadership role models, and tips for expanding diversity on leadership teams and executive boards.
Mike Huggins is a leader in the medtech world whose journey from Synthes, USA COO to an indictment and prison sentence has run parallel to his discovery of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation, weaving together these experiences that have developed his passion for ethical leadership, corporate responsibility, prison reform, and the practices that have helped him along the way.
As an English Major at Princeton, Liz Rockett could not have imagined how her VC career would take off and the places it would take her. She shares her candid career journey, from taking risks, asking questions, and using her voice to empower gender equality in the field.
Butterfly Network CEO Laurent Faracci shares his experience leading a company through the Coronavirus outbreak, while producing lifesaving technology to battle the crisis. Laurent joined Butterfly as the Coronavirus spread to a global pandemic level, but he isn’t slowing down. Under his leadership, Butterfly continues to grow as their cutting-edge ultrasound technology proves itself a leading advancement in the fight against the Coronavirus in a time where leadership and innovation are essential to the future of healthcare.
Joe Army’s career journey through the medtech industry has been anything but easy, but he does not back down from a challenge, and he’s sharing the greatest lessons that have helped him pave his own way.
Medtech Talk welcomes its new host, Geoff Pardo! Geoff is a dynamic partner at Gilde Healthcare who uses his passion for medtech to share stories from industry leaders.
In this interview, Murthy Simhambhatla, president and CEO of SetPoint Medical, explains why he moved into the Medtech industry and how that path has positioned him to lead SetPoint Medical, one of the industry’s most promising start-ups.
In this episode, Mike Favet, the new CEO of NeuroPace, shares his personal story into Medtech and reveals his plans for one of Medtech’s pioneers, NeuroPace. What convinced him to become CEO? What changes will he make at NeuroPace?
In this interview, Frank Fischer and Martha Morrell, MD, recount the long history of NeuroPace, one of Medtech’s neurostimulation pioneers.
In this episode of Medtech Talk, Duke Rohlen, CEO of AJAX Health, answers several critical questions about the importance of names. What’s his real name? Why is the AJAX name so important to him? And how did he employ “stair stepping” to make a name for himself in Medtech (before founding, funding and exiting several high profile start-ups.)
Kim Rodriguez expected to follow her mom’s career in medicine. But she got bit by the Medtech Bug early and enjoyed a string of sales success at companies of nearly every size including Cocentric, Spectranetics, and Guidant. But three years ago she got recruited to be CEO of a company that was rich in promising technologies as well as business challenges. In just three years, Rodriguez and her team at Acessa pulled out of the tail spin, secured FDA approval and a CPT code and now are building a promising women’s health company. In this episode, she’ll share how aspiring execs should ante up.
Justin Klein and Kirk Nielsen entered venture capital separately 13 years ago, taking roles at two of the top firms in Medtech. Over that time, the two VCs have led investment in more than a dozen Medtech companies that have either gone public or been acquired. Now, the pair have joined forces to create Vensana Capital, a new investor in Medtech. In this episode, you’ll hear why they decided to venture out on their own and where they’ll be investing $225 million in capital from their first fund.
Growing up in Canada, Kevin Lobo only knew he wanted to be a senior executive at a global company someday. That overriding objective took him through the consumer good and chemical industries before the financial executive found his first job in Medtech. In this interview conducted at the Medtech Conference in Minneapolis, Lobo reveals that while he first was reluctant to take that Medtech job, he’s now grateful to have found a home. “If you’ve only been in Medtech, you do not understand how lucky you are to be in this industry.” Lobo shares insights on how he built a career that positioned him to lead one of Medtech’s giant. He also explains why under his watch Stryker grew to become a “serial acquirer” of that has spent $14 billion to acquire 55 companies during his tenure as CEO.
Thank you for your support of the MedtechTalk Podcast. We hope to see you at the Medtech Conference next week. We’ll be posting compelling interviews with Medtech’s leaders immediately after the conference.
In this week’s podcast, Agnes Berzsenyi, president and CEO of Women’s Health at GE Healthcare, explains how her upbringing in Hungary during a time of political upheaval put her in position to succeed in Medtech. The fall of the Berlin Wall – in addition to presenting a valuable life lesson - gave her the chance to study engineering in the US and secure a job at GE, first in the aviation business. But Berzsenyi’s desire to work for a purpose steered her to healthcare where she has overseen projects in ultrasound and mammography, including the release of the Senographe Pristina and Pristina Dueta, the industry’s first wireless remote that allows women to play an active role in their mammogram. Berzenyi says GE is designing with the patient in mind, creating a more comfortable breast screening procedure. She also talks about how her science-heavy upbringing in Hungary compares to the US where young women may not be steered as strongly toward STEM. She’s working to fix that as well.
Howard Levin and Mark Gelfand, the principals of Coridea, return to the podcast to detail the trials and tribulations of Ardian. Ardian is one of the bigger #medtech #startup stories over the past two decades. In 2011, Medtronic agreed to pay $800 million upfront for this company that pushed the once crazy idea of ablating renal nerves to lower hypertension. Ardian had raised $70 million from a syndicate of blue chip investors after being forged in the Foundry incubator. VCs proudly shared that the earnouts for Ardian would push that price well over $1 billion. This was a HUGE win for Medtech when it desperately needed it.
Three years later came the fall. A day before JP Morgan’s Healthcare Meeting in 2014, Medtronic announced early disappointing of SYMPLICITY HTN-3, a third and larger trial of Ardian’s renal denervation. Medtronic revised the trial, running Spryal HTN on patients who didn’t take any medication for their hypertension – a contrast from the Symplicity trial where patients were taking an average of five medications. In these revised trials, renal denervation is performing much better.
The new results exonerated Ardian’s early backers – and perhaps Gelfand and Levin, specifically. This was the team, after all, that combed through medical libraries for clues about hacking the human body to beat back hypertension. The research turned up the discovery that surgeons once would treat extremely unresponsive hypertension by severing nerves near the kidney.
The procedure worked, but it was dangerous. Levin and Gelfand saw ablating tissue as a safer path. And, after a lot of trudging up and down the Valley, finally found a willing partner in the team at The Foundry. Early clinical success led to a renal denervation gold rush. Nearly every VC and Strategic investor had a bet in this space.
The 2014 debacle convinced many to close their programs and companies, but now Renal Denervation is back in favor.
How did Howard Levin and Mark Gelfand enjoy the roller coaster ride?
In this podcast, we’ll talk about Ardian, TAVR, the challenges facing Medtech VCs and the poor reception many surgeons give new interventional technologies.
Over the past decade, no other Medtech start-up has moved markets as much or as quickly as Ardian, the godfather of the renal denervation surge a decade ago. But the gold rush dried up in 2014 when Medtronic delivered disappointing clinical trial news that left many to declare “Renal Denervation is Dead.” Well, if we may borrow from Monty Python, renal denervation is not dead yet. In this two-part podcast, we talk with Mark Gelfand and Howard Levin, the principals of Coridea, who developed Ardian’s approach. We'll talk with them about their path to creating Coridea, the state of innovation, and, of course, how the Ardian “Opera” influenced them going forward.
In this episode of the MedtechTalk Podcast, we talk with Shyam Natarajan, PhD, founder and CEO of Avenda Health, a company using imaging, AI and focal lasers to create a better treatment for prostate cancer. The company’s original co-founders – Natarajin and Dr. Leonard Marks - started working on the company in earnest five years ago, but recently has begun getting real traction and making big moves. Natarajan talks about the company’s origins, its unusual fundraising path, and its relatively short path to potential FDA Approval.
You’ll have a hard time finding a more modest man than Dennis Wahr, president and CEO of Nuvaira. But when asked what company he sees as being poised to establish the Interventional Pulmonology industry Wahr says Nuvaira might be the one. Nuvaira’s Targeted Lung Denervation, or TLD, is a non-surgical procedure that interrupts overactive nerve signals and may reduce obstructive airway symptoms, helping you to breathe easier. Could Nuvaira be the company to finally set the cement in the foundation of Interventional Pulmonology? Or will Nuvaira build upon the success of Pulmonx and Inspire, two other respiratory companies making great strides in commercializing new technology. In this podcast, Dennis Wahr discusses Nuvaira’s fund-raising success and what it means for its future (could an IPO be possible?) He also gives tips to other companies presenting at the May 17 Respiratory Innovation Summit in Dallas, another Healthegy-organized event. AttendRIS.com
Anyone who has swapped emails with Scott Huennekens has seen the Go Go Go signature at the bottom. They’re three little words, but they say so much about the special brand of enthusiasm Huennekens brings to leading companies like Digirad, Volcano, and most recently, Verb, the partnership between Google and Johnson & Johnson. In this podcast, Huennekens explains what he learned about maintaining momentum in Medtech. When is grit misplaced? When is hopping on a plane to Europe with no plan in hand a good idea? Huennekens will bring his insights to the Medtech Conference on May 29–30.
No, Amy Belt Raimundo didn’t blow anything up. But she knew early on in college that her initial career choice of chemistry wasn’t her true path. Instead, she earned an economics degree, and used insights learned to begin a stint in consulting. Those formative years led her to business school and a job at Guidant. In this podcast, Amy Belt Raimundo explains how asking the right questions at Guidant set her internal GPS toward a career in investing for venture firms, corporates, and now the most prominent healthcare system in the country.
Benjamin Tsai says his initial plans – or the plans he’d been given – called on him being a doctor. But he quickly saw a greater opportunity working in the life sciences industry. Tsai made a quick run through consulting firms and business school before finding a place at Invus, an investment firm that has operated mostly out of the limelight. In this podcast, Tsai discusses his career, his outlook on Medtech and why Invus – investor in Auris Health and other high-profile deals – is beginning to get out to tell its own story.
Lisa Wipperman Heine’s career in Medtech was launched when she answered a want ad in a newspaper – remember those? That path took her to top regulatory and clinical affairs positions at several high-profile Medtechs including Acorn Cardiovascular, ev3, and Covidien. Now, Wipperman Heine sits in the CEO chair of stealthy heart failure start-up PreCardia.
After leading a long, distinguished and successful career in Medtech Innovation, Stan Rowe chose a familiar, if not unusual, spot to “retire” – he co-founded NXT Biomedical, an incubator backed by Deerfield Capital and Johnson & Johnson. Rowe previously led the unique Advanced Technologies Unit at Edwards Lifesciences Corp., the same company that earlier had acquired his start-up, Percutaneous Valve Technologies. In this podcast, Rowe walks us through a career that started in pharmaceuticals. He also shares his particular philosophy on how corporate R&D units should see the world.
Matt Likens’ two decades-plus at Baxter cultivated in him a desire to deliver “critical therapies for life-threatening conditions.” He found great success as CEO of Ulthera, an aesthetics company using ultrasound energy, but once that company was sold to Merz he sought a way back to developing devices that can help sick people become well. He found such an opportunity at GT Medical Technologies, developer of collagen-based GammaTiles – tiles that deliver postsurgery radiation to prevent the regrowth of tumors in residual cells. In this podcast, Likens details the benefits of GT’s STaRT therapy. This is his second stint as a start-up CEO and Likens shares the successful approaches he’s borrowing from Ulthera including setting a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) – “Creating the New Standard of Care for Patients with Brain Tumors.” He also mentions the company’s six operating principles:
- Constructive Engagement
- Collaboration
- Consistency
- Compliance
- Ingenuity
- Value
Spoiler Alert: I missed a huge part of Merit Medical CEO Fred Lampropoulos’ life story when I did my research. I won’t say what it was, but you’ll hear it at the end. I’d fire my researcher if I had one, but instead I’ll just throw myself at the mercy of the Medtech Talk Podcast community. The good news, however, is that the thing that I missed – which would have removed Fred from Merit – didn’t happen, so he’s been able to build a multibillion-dollar Medtech that’s scooping up smaller players in the space. Fred’s an engaging fellow and we covered a lot of ground, including:
- What is Merit looking for in an acquisition target?
- How does Lampropoulos manage a publicly traded Medtech?
- Why doesn’t Utah have more Medtech start-ups?
- And finally, what does Lampropoulous have to say about the spate of bad press Medtech has been getting lately?
At the Medtech Conference on May 29–30 hear from CEOs who have led their companies through an IPO and learn what they must do to thrive on the public markets, in the panel – How to Build for an IPO … and Beyond.
Panelists include:
Joe Army, President & CEO - Vapotherm
Tim Herbert, President & CEO - Inspire Medical Systems
Gerald R. Mattys, CEO - Tactile Medical
Santé Ventures partner James Eadie, MD, doesn’t recall the good old days of Medtech. He joined the Austin-based Venture Firm after two tours in Iraq with the Air Force where he led an ER and served as part of a “flying ICU,” airlifting wounded soldiers out of combat zones. Upon returning to the states, Eadie recognized his desire to run a company could be satisfied by investing in early-stage medical device firms, and he’s developed an impressive record over that span backing companies including TVA Medical, Claret Medical, and Millipede – three companies that could ultimately secure close to a billion dollars in M&A. In this podcast you’ll hear how Santé views early-stage ideas, including those literally drawn up on napkins. Does Santé bet on the jockey or the horse? We’ll let Eadie answer that one.
Earlier this month, Silicon Valley Bank released its Trends in Healthcare Investments and Exits 2019, the latest of the bank’s annual reports on the state of healthcare investing. In this podcast we talk with Report Guru (and Managing Director) Jonathan Norris about the top takeaways including:
- What’s the emerging hot spot for Device Start-Ups?
- What VCs are making Series A deals?
- Are Angels and Crowdfunding groups making an impact?
- How busy are Corporates?
- What’s a Big Exit? And why are they on the rise?
You can download the report yourself here.
Join us at the Medtech Conference to hear Norris’ update on Medtech Funding
Miromatrix straddles the line between biotech and medtech. The start-up is developing a line of “ghost organs” that can be used in humans. The technology is moving fast, and Ross hopes to have clinical trials up and running by the end of 2020. The future is here. Also, I’ll announce a keynote speaker for the May 30 Medtech Conference.
Fortune disguised as misfortune led Anne Morrissey to embark on a Medtech career. Since that start, hard work, perseverance and some helpful mentors put her on the CEO track. Today, Morrissey leads an exciting Medtech start-up that’s testing a device to stop postpartum hemorrhaging.
Twenty years ago, Maria Sainz faced an unusual fork in her career road. She chose wisely, building an esteemed career in Medtech that included senior leadership at Guidant and CEO posts at three Medtech start-ups. In this Medtech Talk Podcast, Sainz recounts the magic of Guidant, the merger with Boston Scientific, and her rewarding – and sometimes challenging – move into being a Medtech start-up CEO. She also talks about her current company’s post-approval trial strategy.
Scott Whitaker, the CEO of AdvaMed, has worked in DC for close to two decades. So naturally, we asked him for his take on what the outcome of the midterm elections means for Medtech. Does it improve chances for the repeal of the Medical Device tax? We also talked about what AdvaMed is doing to entice smaller medtechs to join.
Jim Dillon, president and CEO of Renal Guard, talks about the company’s decision to create Reprieve Cardiovascular, a start-up focusing on heart failure. Reprieve raised $7 million from outside investors, including Abiomed, and counts Serial Entrepreneur Howard Levin as chief medical officer.
Endotronix CEO Harry Rowland, PhD, co-founded the heart sensor company 11 years ago and assumed the CEO role in 2012. Over that span, the company has raised more than $100 million from VCs, found regulatory success in Europe, and now is moving toward seeking approval in the US. What lessons has the first-time CEO learned running a start-up? How has Endotronix managed discouraging news in its space? And, in the past, how often has he asked himself, is this is going to work?
Mano Iyer’s unorthodox path to Medtech leadership led him to Europe where he co-founded a company, joined top VC firm Sofinnova, and founded ReCor Medical to test the use of renal denervation to treat hypertension. A tumultuous decade later, the company is now part of a new player in Medtech – Otsuka. What does this mean for ReCor, Iyer, and Otsuka?
Mick Farrell’s father questioned his son’s double degree from MIT when he didn’t immediately see the opportunity facing the sleep apnea company. But the younger Farrell quickly came around and helped build ResMed into a $15 billion company, with the last five years at the helm as CEO. Today, however, Farrell has ResMed beginning to take a very different path, migrating away from pure medical device sales and into selling software and other tech services to physicians.
In this dual podcast, we talk with leaders from the American Heart Association, Philips, UPMC, and Aphelion Capital about Cardeation Capital, a new venture fund aimed at funding start-ups in the digital health and medtech fields. How did the four entities join forces? What can they offer start-ups looking to disrupt healthcare? For more information go to aphelioncapital.net. You can also learn more about Aphelion Capital, the firm managing the fund, in this Medtech Talk Podcast.
MedCrypt CEO Mike Kijewski is playing a long game. At the moment, he recognizes Medtech execs aren’t placing a high priority on cybersecurity of their devices. But as technology becomes more advanced – and hospitals grow more wary – he expects demand will grow. The time is coming for Medtech to take a cue from the iPhone, he says.
Medtech start-ups need more firms like Aphelion Capital, investors willing to wager as little as $200,000 to get a promising idea going. Managing Partner Ned Scheetz discusses the firm’s origins, name, and plans going forward. This is the first of a two-episode package highlighting a unique joint effort between Aphelion and other co-creators of Cardeation Capital.
Under CEO Kevin Hykes, Relievant Medsystems is racking up some wins. The company closed on a $58 million Series E round last month and this week announced the first commercial application of its Intraspect pain-relief procedure. In this podcast, Hykes doles out some valuable career advice for wanna be CEOs and talks about the technology that could turn Relievant into a Medtech powerhouse.
Ask renowned vitreoretinal surgeon and inventor Steve Charles, MD, if he considers himself a surgeon or engineer first and he’ll answer – both. In this podcast, Dr. Charles says the terms “inventor” and “innovator” aren’t job titles. Innovation and inventing are what you get when insightful people commit themselves to a lifetime of learning in engineering and medicine. He gives his view of the future of innovation in the US. Here’s a hint: You won’t need to wear shades.
We were hoping to capture some real-world wisdom by putting three CEOs –Bill Facteau of Earlens, Bob Paulson of NxThera and John Stevens of HeartFlow –on a panel to share reimbursement war stories. Many of those attending the May 31st Medtech Conference think we got our wish.
In this Medtech Talk Podcast, CEO John Pedersen explains why he chose to help Augmenix roll out its SPACEOAR implant, a hydrogel that's inserted between a patient's prostate and rectum to save healthy tissue from radiation exposure. In this talk, Pedersen discusses the rise of urology - which includes the recent acquisitions of Neotract and NxThera. He also updates listeners on Augmenix's efforts to secure reimbursement. Finally, the former Boston Scientific exec offers advice to anyone working in a global Medtech company.
CEOs often are assigned skill sets that define their stage of specialty: start-up CEOs, commercial CEOs, etc. Two of our guests at the Medtech Conference in Minneapolis defied those definitions by taking start-ups through commercial launches and onto the public markets. In these interviews, Tim Herbert of Inspire Medical and Adam Elsesser of Penumbra talk about the challenges of leading a company from Day 1 to IPO.
Join us on Thursday at the Medtech Conference in Minneapolis to hear from Congressman Erik Paulsen.
A longtime proponent of the Medtech industry, Rep. Paulsen most recently co-authored a letter asking the Trump administration to remove medical technology products from a list of Chinese imports subject to protective tariffs.
The five-term Congressman also has fought against the Medical Device Tax.
The Medtech Conference co-chairs and advisory board also are pleased to honor Dave Amerson, CEO of NeoTract, as the recipient of this year’s Dealmaker of the Year Award.
The award recognizes Amerson's leadership of the urology start-up as it established its UroLift System as a critical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Sales of UroLift were surging when Teleflex agreed to acquire the company, paying $725 million up front with the promise of another $375 million in milestone payments over the next two years.
In an interview, Justin Klein, general partner of NEA, and Amerson will discuss:
- The steps Neotract took to adopt a winning culture?
- What strategies helped the company secure support from payers, providers?
- How the deal with Teleflex came to be?
- What's next for Teleflex in Urology?
Join us on May 31st to explore this singular successful story and to better understand our entire Medtech sector.
TransEnterix President and CEO Todd Pope took the helm of the start-up to create a new single-port surgery system. Little did Todd know he'd be running a global robotics company that's now moving into multiple markets, including the US. In this interview, Pope takes us through the career path that led him to run the start-up in 2008. He then walks us through the company's aggressive moves to develop its Spider Surgical System before making an ambitious move into robotics. Now, TransEnterix is rolling out its new Senhance Surgical Robotic System.
David Van Sickle, CEO & Co-Founder of Propeller Health, brings his public health background to health tech start-up Propeller Health. The company has created a line of sensors that work in conjunction with inhalers and spirometers to measure medication intake and breathing capacity of people with asthma. The start-up has undertaken some bold projects with entire cities including Louisville to demonstrate how tools such as these can benefit communities. In this podcast Van Sickle discusses the company's unique origins, its technology and a small hiccup involving the company's former name. Van Sickle will be speaking on an innovative panel at the May 31 Medtech Conference in Minneapolis.
Boston Scientific's acquisition of NxThera obviously signals an end of one era. The 10-year-old start-up will live inside the global giant, of course, but we ask CEO Bob Paulson what the sale means to him on a personal level. Paulson also walks us through his unorthodox career in marketing, corporate law, accounting, and finally leading a highly successful Medtech Start-Up.
In 2010, John McCutcheon joined Ceterix, a start-up with big goals and a surer FDA path than his previous company. McCutcheon recounts the FDA's battering of that company, Emphasys, and explains how his current company is rolling today.
Intact Vascular recently secured an additional $20m to push the Tack Endovascular System to PMA approval. CEO Bruce Shook discusses the round, the potential for Tack, and shares that he's actually the CEO of TWO Medtech start-ups.
CEO Lisa Earnhardt, who appeared as the first guest on the Medtech Talk Podcast, returns in episode number 100 to share why she took the helm of the 12-person start-up 10 years ago, and how Intersect ENT has managed company culture over years of enormous growth. She also discusses where Intersect ENT is headed in the future, with new products and business development projects.
Anne Sissel, vice president of Baxter Ventures, says she followed the numbers into Medtech. Now, she enjoys using the strategic's capital to help start-ups find ways to curtail costs and create new treatments for dreadful diseases.
Jim Buck, President and CEO of Mardil Medical, shares his personal and professional Medtech stories. The common thread? He doesn't give up. One result may be Mardil pushing for the rebirth of a once high-flying Medtech technology.
In this podcast you'll hear:
- His tragic, but uplifting path to Medtech.
- Where his first stint as CEO went wrong.
- How he came to Mardil.
- How he believes Mardil will succeed where others haven't.
When we last spoke with Jason Lettmann, general partner at Lightstone Ventures, he had just set up his firm's shop in Ireland. Three years later, the VC returns to Menlo Park and shares his Medtech observations from abroad. In this podcast, Lettmann compares the entrepreneurial infrastructure in the US with Ireland. He also discusses Lightstone's recent fund and tries to explain why he doesn't tweet.
John H. Stevens, MD, was too excited to sleep when he first heard what HeartFlow's technology could potentially do. Eight years later, he's sleeping a lot better, having secured $240 million to fund the company's commercial rollout of the HeartFlow Analysis system.
Overview: HeartFlow has built a strong financial argument for its imaging system.
Surprises: This stuff belongs on Star Trek. Very cool.
Takeaway: "There are no shortcuts."
The Stanford Biodesign program created another promising start-up in Zenflow. Co-founder and CEO Nick Damiano explains how the program's fellows identified the opportunity in BPH and found the right tech to excite investors. Zenflow drew some early capital from unusual sources before embarking on an exhausting pursuit of the right Series A syndicate. Damiano shares some advice for other capital-hungry start-ups.
Overview: Great to see a monster Medtech Series A!
Surprises: Zenflow is working out of some offices with great karma.
Regrets: None. I'm feeling good about this one. I could have asked about the broader team.
Tripp Peake co-founded Long River Ventures in 2000, just before the tech and venture capital industries took a dive. The firm survived, thrived, and is very much alive raising a $100 million fund under a new brand, LRVHealth. The new name and tight healthcare focus reflects the firm's strong connections to hospital networks and other healthcare institutions making up its limited partner base. With a broader investment team and new purpose, LRVHealth is looking to connect healthcare innovators and end-users.
Overview: More money for Series A rounds. Good news!
Surprises: I didn't know the origin of the Long River name.
Regrets: A question or two about LRVHealth's existing portfolio would have been nice.
Enjoy the podcast!
Khalid Ishaque says Bioelectronic Medicine has made great strides in treating hearing loss, depression, and other maladies and shows great promise in treating neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Yet, most people still see it as more science fiction than science fact. But that's changing. "What we are demonstrating with advances in miniaturization, imaging, and increased understanding of the cellular pathways and the brain is that what was once considered impossible is becoming possible," he declares.
Overview: Pixium Vision is making great progress with its PRIMA subretinal implant.
Surprises: I thought the study was limited to Europe, but the company will be enrolling patients in Pittsburgh too.
Regrets: I should have asked a bit more about the technology's origins.
Hard to find anyone working harder than Jonathan Norris to help us see the forest for the trees.
Jon is a fixture at many conferences including – thankfully – the upcoming Medtech Conference on May 31. But we wanted to get to his insights early. In this Medtech Talk Podcast, Jon and I discuss his report, “Trends in Healthcare Investments and Exits 2018.”
Overview: Jon shares some positive views for Medtech. Good to hear.
Surprises: I didn’t know Jon’s initial career choice.
Regrets: I didn’t get to ask how his pitching arm is doing. Jon still plays ball on a regular basis.
Enjoy the podcast!
Todd Berg has a bit of a winning streak going.
Berg worked at three Medtech start-ups prior to accepting the CEO post at exciting new start-up Metavention, and all three companies would be acquired including Torax Medical, the GERD company Berg led from start to finish.
What led Berg to Medtech? Why did he co-found Torax? How did he find success raising capital? How is he approaching his new challenge leading Metavention, which is developing a novel, new potential treatment for type 2 diabetes?
What Went into Fractyl’s $44 million Round? CEO and co-founder Harith Rajagopalan, MD, PhD, discusses his approach to raising new capital and to building the right board.
Anders Wold, president and CEO of GE’s Clinical Care Solutions, is still fascinated by the power new technology can deliver to healthcare. So he’s understandably excited about the opportunities facing this division of GE – and the entire company as well – as we move into healthcare of the future.
The power of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning looms over Medtech as a growing force that will bring change, good or bad. In this MedtechTalk Podcast, Michael D. Abramoff, MD, PhD, president and co-founder of IDx, tells how the start-up is using AI to better diagnose diabetic retinopathy. The company hopes to secure FDA approval for its IDx-DR system following the completion of clinical trials this summer.
Medtech and Digital Health technology increasingly have more and more in common. In this Medtech Talk Podcast, Robert Mittendorff, MD, a partner at Norwest Venture Partners, explains how Digital Health companies are facing many of the same challenges that vex Medtech start-ups, including the need to obtain approval under new FDA guidelines and to secure reimbursement payments from insurers
Steve Goedeke says he was the kid who liked to take things apart. But he’s built a career putting things together including a promising neuromodulation start-up called Cardionomic. In this episode, Goedeke shares the thoughts – and concerns – that went into leaving a seemingly stable gig at Medtronic to lead the new company. He also reveals what ideas he’d consider pursuing before a serendipitous ski trip set him on his current path.
John Pavlidis, president and CEO of VytronUS, has built a strong resume leading and selling Medtech start-ups. Now the self-described engineering “nerd” is leading VytronUS, a start-up combining the powers of imaging, ablation, and robotics to create a powerful new tool that can elevate the precision of treating atrial fibrillation in the electrophysiology lab.
Medtech-device design firm Worrell now is envisioning how Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Voice-enabled Technologies like Amazon’s Alexa might treat chronic disease, manage clinical trials, and restore bonds between patients and physicians. We talk with CEO Kai Worrell and Kristen Shardlow, the company’s director of user experience, about the firm’s work in understanding these exciting technologies.
Faced with an unacceptable diagnosis after her husband was seriously injured in an accident, Savonix CEO Mylea Charvat created a tool to measure cognitive function to aid his recovery. Now Savonix seeks to establish cognitive function as a standard measure of human health. The technology potentially could could fill a huge shortage of physicians while improving patient outcomes and accelerating medical innovation.
Nuvaira CEO Dennis Wahr, MD, sees similarities between interventional pulmonology today and interventional cardiology in its early days. He hopes Nuvaira, which is developing a tool to ablate lung tissue, will be able to further the field through upcoming clinical trials and fund-raising.
An ailing wife and son forced Bryan Mazlish to hack a cell phone, glucose monitor, and insulin pump to create an artificial pancreas. In this MedtechTalk Podcast, Jeffrey Brewer, CEO and president of Bigfoot Biomedical, explains how he and Mazlish came to form the privately held start-up. Brewer explains how his son’s diagnosis – and at least one near-fatal experience – pushes him forward to ensure Bigfoot leads the class of next-generation devices that may someday come close to creating a cure for this dreaded disease.
Learn More about Medtech Talk: https://goo.gl/o6Ue5u
Silk Road Medical CEO Erica Rogers gives an honest look back at how her past successes and failures have helped her set the course for one of Medtech’s most promising stories. Flush with capital, Silk Road is disrupting carotid artery treatment.
Jessica Traver, CEO of IntuiTap Medical, says the Texas-based start-up could solve serious but often overlooked complications of spinal punctures. The company combines imaging, analytics, and technology to help physicians place needles more safely.
Scott Dodson, president and CEO of AirXpanders, explains how the company used OUS experience and financing to get its AeroForm Tissue expander system through rigorous FDA review. The firm now is positioned to benefit from patient demand and a healthy reimbursement system.
Marie Johnson, CEO and founder of AUM Cardiovascular, lost her husband, Rob, to a heart attack. The tragedy led her to develop CADence, a handheld device that she believes will save lives by identifying telltale signs of cardiovascular disease.
George Wallace says his Intersect incubator created 13 companies over 20 years, and exited eight of them. That’s a pretty good batting average. But innovators like Wallace continue to innovate, not only with technology but also with finding new ways to create meaningful Medtech companies.
Baxter CEO Joe Almeida discusses the challenges of taking over the hospital-products maker, reshaping its culture, focusing its strategy for the future, and investing in its people.
Justin Barad talks about taking VR out of the gaming space with innovative software that will transform how orthopedic surgeons train in the OR.
Ask Endeavour Vision’s Katie Ellias what song best represents her career path to venture capital and she’d probably say, “The Long and Winding Road.” Hear how the VC established a career path that took her from Pre-Med plans to Medtronic and then Venture Capital.
Jonathan Norris of Silicon Valley Bank follows up his recent Medtech Conference presentation with insights on healthcare exits, the latest M&A chatter, the resurgence of biopharma deals, which type of Medtech start-up gets the most action, and the drastic decline in Series A device deals.
SightLine general partner Joe Biller shares his insights on the venture market, including advice for companies looking for – and working with – venture capital investors.
What steps did Boston Scientific – under Mahoney’s leadership – take to unlock such significant growth? In an interview at the Medtech Conference, Mahoney – interviewed by Kevin Hykes, CEO of Metavention - laid out some of the meaningful changes Boston Scientific made.
Serial entrepreneur Mike Berman shares how he’s seen the Medtech innovation sector evolve over the years. Times are tougher, but Berman sees reason for hope as well as concern.
This week, New Enterprise Associates – known to its friends as NEA – announced closing on a $3.3 billion venture capital fund, with roughly 10% of that total going to Medtech companies. We asked partner Justin Klein, MD, how might the $300 million or so invest in Medtech companies be deployed differently than in the prior fund.
Andrew Weiss, president & CEO of ReCor Medical, says Medtech is alive and kicking. This is an exceedingly positive statement from the CEO of a renal denervation company, an area that has been particularly hit hard. Hear his take on Medtech’s future and how Recor is making it work.
Duke Rohlen, CEO and director of Ajax Health, co-founder and CEO of Spirox Inc., explains how he’s combining his expertise, connections, and experience exiting Medtech companies with KKR’s capital to devise a new way to run start-ups.
Joe Almeida, CEO, President, and Chairman of Baxter International, Inc. joined Baxter at the beginning of 2016. He knew immediately the company needed an infusion of innovative spirit to begin to move forward.
Medtech Conference Co-Chair Kevin Hykes, who is finishing up his two-year tour of duty as a conference co-commander, reviews the agenda for next week’s Conference.
Outset CEO Leslie Trigg updates Medtech Talk listeners on her company’s bid to bring disruption to dialysis. She also shares some sage advice about what matters most in a career.
Todd Butka, the CEO and founder of Murj, personifies the much ballyhooed crossover between Medtech and Tech. The start-up is developing a software application that enables providers to efficiently manage data from implantable cardiac devices.
Paul Yock, MD, started Stanford’s Byers Center for Biodesign to help teach innovation. While the idea didn’t excite everyone, the center has emerged as the hub of entrepreneurial excellence. Dr. Yock speaks to the role of innovation and how it impacts Medtech.
Rick Randall’s initial foray into leading a Medtech company represented a bit of a fairy tale. But his next chapter – starting and leading spine company Trans1 – serves as a bit of a Medtech nightmare.
Rick Randall landed his first job in Medtech on a bet. Today, he’s one of the sector’s most experienced CEOs. In the first part of a two-part interview with Medtech Talk, Randall, the CEO of OMNIlife science, the robotic-assisted surgery company, explains how serendipity has helped guide his path into the sector.
Serial innovator Mark Blumenkranz, MD, who last year moved into an emeritus position at Stanford, shares his enthusiasm and concerns for the future of innovation in the US.
For more than a decade, Lisa Suennen, Senior Managing Director, healthcare at GE Ventures and Managing Partner at Venture Valkyrie, LLC, has blogged and opined on the healthcare industry. In this podcast she reveals what first led her to speak up and shares how Medtech execs can find their own voices. She also talks about CSweetner.org, a not-for-profit she created to help women executives rise to the C-suite.
Nim Shah left Domain Associates to take on the chief business officer role at hot Start-Up Fractyl Laboratories. Hear why he made the change, what he feels went wrong for Medtech, and what’s next for Fractyl.
Ryan Egeland, senior director, business development & licensing at Medtronic, is searching for tech and start-ups that bolster the Medtech giant’s surgical innovations group.
Kirk Nielsen’s path to Versant passed through thoughts of medical school, a short stint in the NHL, and a span at Medtronic. Today, Nielsen represents the global VC’s interests in Medtech, serving as part of a new generation of partners taking over from the VC giant’s founders.
Trod Founder and CEO Andre Faure tells the tale of Trod, a low-capital-burning start-up focused on introducing a next-generation of ablation tools to treat the prostate and other soft tissue.
You can’t be involved in as many successful start-ups as Tom Ressemann and not walk away with great lessons and valuable experiences. The former Entellus founder and CEO examines the wins and challenges and explains how they’re guiding his hand at Amphora Medical.
Zeshan Muhammedi thinks he and his co-founders of FundRx have identified some “misalignments” in funding Medtechs. The solution may be FundRx, a new breed of venture capital firm bringing LPs, KOLs, and entrepreneurs on the same page.
Long ago, Tony Arnold wondered how he might find an opening in Medtech. Today, he’s leading one of the sector’s most novel start-ups, SetPoint Medical, which is using the nervous system to ease inflammation.
Lisa Wipperman Heine, COO of Mitralign, says the FDA is making quicker work of review times. But the same might not be said for other countries where Medtechs once had a faster time to market. In this interview at the offices of Fox Rothschild in Minneapolis, the Medtech veteran lays out Mitralign’s success with the agency’s Early Feasibility program.
Steve Clark, senior vice president at Optum Life Sciences, says healthcare rests in the “nascent” stages of questioning effectiveness of medical tech. Successful start-ups will find the right answers to those questions.
Jerry Harrison, rock star turned investor, joined with former Wall Streeter Brian A. Smith to create Red Crow to build a platform for healthcare start-ups to tap the “crowd” as a new source of capital.
Medtech Conference co-chair Stacy Enxing Seng, after succeeding at both start-ups and corporates, shares her enthusiasm for her new role as venture partner at Lightstone Ventures.
Medtech Conference co-chair Kevin Hykes revisits his days at Visiogen and Cameron Health, explaining how those successful outcomes help guide his hand on Metavention’s tiller.
Last month, a surgeon performed ophthalmology’s first robot-assisted surgery – a membrane peel. Marc de Smet, chief medical officer of Preceyes, a Dutch start-up, shares the company’s history and plans for the future.
Backed by nearly $30 million from the Department of Defense, BrainScope created a device to make concussion diagnosis more certain. Hear what’s next for the Medtech start-up.
Ashley McEvoy, Company Group Chairman, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Care Companies, says the new force could pursue M&A in future expansion. Hear the details of the deal.
Rox Medical CEO Rodney Brenneman says he’s never had a tougher time raising capital. But the deed is done, and Rox is ready to move forward into the promising hypertension area.
Chen Yu, MD, managing director of Vivo Capital, has built a career finding the right deals at the right time in the US and China. Hear what US companies can do to take advantage of potential Pan Pacific opportunities.
Data guru Jon Norris, managing director at Silicon Valley Bank, reviews his first-half numbers for ophthalmology and life sciences. Norris’ first-half numbers for Medtech start-ups show some surprising sources of strength for the sector.
ReVision Optics built it – a corneal inlay capable of correcting presbyopia. The FDA approved it sooner than expected. Now the company needs to build it into a successful private-pay business.
Meet the newest Master of the Industry. Jim Mazzo, who has led divisions, spin-outs, and start-ups, now leads what looks to be a new leader in ophthalmology. Hear how Mazzo views this new opportunity for Zeiss and himself.
Over two decades ago, Mark Humayun – who will co-chair our upcoming OIS@ASRS meeting in San Francisco – helped launch a “moonshot” that would eventually restore vision for retinitis pigmentosa patients. In this podcast we discuss what drives him and what’s next for ophthalmology.
Cartiva secured an historic win when the FDA approved its synthetic cartilage. CEO Tim Patrick explains what it took to get the approval and how the company will sell going forward.
Eric Timko, the former CEO of Blue Belt, shares how the company used MAKO’s wake to build a market for its surgical robot and sell the business to Smith & Nephew. Timko explains the company’s fast-follower strategy and shares what he’s looking to do next.
The board at Ulthera, an aesthetics device company, faced an attractive dilemma. Take the company public? Or accept a lucrative buyout? Hear from the CEO how the company’s culture and approach led to that favorable outcome.
Gilde Healthcare Partner Geoff Pardo shares how the firm will invest its new $250 million in health care companies, including Medtech.
Julie Allen, principal of Allen Partners, shares insights on how Medtech executives must work to find the right fit and how companies can build their best team.
The experienced CEOs on this panel have authored some of the greatest stories in Medtech. In this discussion, they delve into their approaches to managing start-ups to multi-million – or billion – dollar acquisitions or IPOs. How do they accurately assess a struggling company and direct a team to turn weakness into strength?
Medtronic executive VP Geoff Martha talks with OISTV about how the Medtech giant views robotics, payers, and where health care transformation is the most difficult. The podcast also includes a clip from his keynote interview at the Medtech Conference.
For years, Intuitive Surgical appeared to be the only company capable of cracking the code for medical robotics. But with companies like Medtronic, Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Google, and others creating their own efforts the sector appears to be stabilizing. Is there room for early-stage entrepreneurs and VC investors in this capital-intensive sector?
After five years and $25 million, Vascular Solutions CEO Howard Root watched a jury confirm what he knew all along. His company had done nothing wrong. In this interview, Root and Mark Duval, who is advising companies in this area but didn’t work with Vascular Solutions, explain what all this means for Medtech executives.
Mark Leahey, CEO and President of MDMA, delivers his “State of the Industry” address on reimbursement, the medical device tax, UnitedHealthcare/Medtronic and a little bit of Presidential Politics.
A recent jury decision cleared Vascular Solutions of charges of improper off-label marketing. Former Acclarent CEO Bill Facteau discusses his indictment in a similar case, the coming court case, and the support he has received.
Abbott’s move to acquire St. Jude demonstrates how Medtronic’s moves toward “Total Solutions” may change the game in Medtech. We’re going to tackle that topic at the June 1 Medtech Conference. Our conference co-chairs discuss that piece of our upcoming agenda as well as our focus on robotics.
Though initially surprised by Medtronic’s move to buy Covidien, Stacy Enxing Seng says she immediately saw the wisdom of the deal and recognized the opportunity for a fresh start. In an interview, Enxing Seng explains why she left, what she’s been doing, and how her new role at Lightstone Ventures fits her vision for Medtech’s future.
Thomas Gunderson watched the Medtech market for over 20 years at Piper Jaffray. Now recently retired, Gunderson explains how innovation in Medtech is changing, what big strategics think, and where Google might fit into the picture.
Cynthia Yee, a principal at Windham Venture Partners, opened her firm’s office in San Francisco. Yee shares her opinions on many medtech questions including 510(k) versus PMA, the power of payers, and how younger professionals view careers in medtech.
The Medtech industry earns only passing grades in the category of product design, according to product development group Nottingham Spirk. But the company hopes to leverage its experience and access to capital to help Medtech start-ups get to the head of the class.
HealthQuest Capital secured a $225 million fund to invest in new health care technologies. Managing Director Garheng Kong, MD, explains the firm’s views on health care, how doctors view new technologies and what competitive volleyball can teach us about venture investing.
Experienced medtech CEO Kerry Pope explains how the Fogarty Institute is building coalitions of corporations and entrepreneurs to create medtech start-ups.
Outset Medical CEO Leslie Trigg brings a career of success in medtech into a new approach to dialysis. Tablo, a sleek device, could enable dialysis companies an easier, cheaper way of providing dialysis to patients.
As CEO, Kevin Hykes led two companies – Visiogen and Cameron Health – to successful acquisitions by strategic acquirers. In this interview, Hykes shares the lessons learned from leading those companies and explains how he’s adapting to life as CEO of an early-stage company.
Justin Klein, MD, JD, sits down with Healthegy TV to provide details on where his firm, New Enterprise Associates, sees the greatest opportunities in Medtech. He also explains how a firm with $3 billion to manage still makes early-stage investments.
For the past two decades, Josh Makower, MD, has sat on the innovator’s side of the table creating innovations and innovators through his work with the Exploramed incu-bator and Stanford Biodesign Program. Now, Makower takes his considerable abilities to New Enterprise Associates, where he’ll invest in medtech companies on behalf of one of the indus-try’s most venerable firms. Hear where he sees opportunity and how Astronaut Steve Austin in-fluenced his career path.
Jason Lettman, partner at Lightstone Ventures, set up shop in Ireland after Lightstone closed its debut fund. Hear how he views Medtech from the other side of the Atlantic.
Oculeve, a stealthy start-up with backing from Kleiner, NEA and Versant, opted to sell its neurostim treatment for Dry Eye to Ophthalmology Leader Allergan.
Solace Therapeutics CEO Bill Gruber hopes to repeat the successful exit he helped execute when Hologic paid close to $300 million for his previous company Interlace.
Geoff Gurtner, MD, managing partner of TauTona Group, is trying to look differently at how Medtech is created, funded and sold.
Analysts Michael Lachman and Larry Haimovich put down their pens and pick up the mics to discuss the more promising ophthalmology technologies.
Mark Leahey of the MDMA explains how a move against patent troll could cut the legs out from Medtech entrepreneurs and VCs dependent upon IP protection.
Hanson Gifford of The Foundry reviews the evolving challenges behind Medtech innovation and shares details on Fire1 and Ardian.
Matt Hermann, Senior Managing Director of Ascension Ventures, details how Pro-viders and Payer-sponsored investment firms have grown into influential investors in health care.
Vivo Capital, fresh off raising $750 million for its eight fund, has effectively strad-dled the Pacific, investing in life sciences in US and China. Managing Partner Chen Yu, MD, shares Vivo’s story and explains how US Medtech start-ups stand to benefit from China’s soar-ing health care sector.
Dennis Wahr, MD, CEO of Holaira Inc. and co-chair of the Medtech In-vesting Conference, says “the best is yet to come” for Medtech and shares his strategy for successful VC fund raising.
Justin Klein, MD, general partner at NEA and co-chair of the Medtech Investing Conference, presented NEA’s views the best opportunities in Medtech.
Intersect ENT CEO Lisa Earnhardt shares her perspective of ENT, the entire Medtech sector and how Intersect is outpacing its tech partners in one critical metric.