Medsider: Learn from Medtech and Healthtech Founders and CEOs – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with the exuberant Aakash Shah, co-founder and CEO of Wyndly, a telehealth startup that helps people overcome their allergies with personalized, at-home treatment plans.

Aakash was part of the Y Combinator W21 batch. As the CEO of Wyndly, he’s led the company from early inception through product development and eventual commercialization. Aakash holds dual degrees in Computer Science and Cognitive Science from the University of Virginia. Outside of Wyndly, he often presents on healthcare, telehealth, and startups, advises entrepreneurs, and hosts the Founders and Builders podcast.

In this interview, Aakash shares insights on simplifying healthcare access by meeting patients online and emphasizes the importance of learning by doing to accelerate personal and business growth. Aakash also talks about the power of storytelling when engaging customers and investors, and how to leverage video-based social media to reach both consumers and decision-makers effectively.

Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:

First, if you’re into learning from medical device and health technology founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter.

Second, if you want to peek behind the curtain of the world's most successful startups, you should consider a Medsider premium membership. You’ll learn the strategies and tactics that founders and CEOs use to build and grow companies like Silk Road Medical, AliveCor, Shockwave Medical, and hundreds more!

We recently introduced some fantastic additions exclusively for Medsider premium members, including playbooks, which are curated collections of our top Medsider interviews on key topics like capital fundraising and risk mitigation, and a curated investor database to help you discover your next medical device or health technology investor!

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members also get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors at no additional cost, including the latest Medsider Mentors Volume VI. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, if you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Aakash Shah.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Ajay Shah, co-founder and CEO of Cytovale. The company is helping solve the sepsis problem with IntelliSep, a simple, cost-effective, and quick sepsis test. 

Ajay is a serial entrepreneur and engineer with expertise in cell-based diagnostic technologies. Before Cytovale, Ajay co-founded two other life sciences startups, one of which was acquired in 2012. In 2023, Ajay raised a Series C financing round of over $80 million and brought Cytovale’s sepsis test to market. 

In this interview, Ajay shares why CEOs should immerse themselves in the problem they’re hoping to tackle, how he nurtures relationships with investors over time, and his opinions on making the transition to entrepreneurship from a non-commercial career path. 

Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:

First, if you’re into learning from medical device and health technology founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter.

Second, if you want to peek behind the curtain of the world's most successful startups, you should consider a Medsider premium membership. You’ll learn the strategies and tactics that founders and CEOs use to build and grow companies like Silk Road Medical, AliveCor, Shockwave Medical, and hundreds more!

We recently introduced some fantastic additions exclusively for Medsider premium members, including playbooks, which are curated collections of our top Medsider interviews on key topics like capital fundraising and risk mitigation, and a curated investor database to help you discover your next medical device or health technology investor!

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members also get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors at no additional cost, including the latest Medsider Mentors Volume VI. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, if you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Ajay Shah.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we had an insightful chat with  Dr. Bill Hunter, CEO of Canary Medical. The company is developing smart, implantable medical devices that report on function, patient activity, and more.  

Bill is a former practicing physician with 30+ years of healthcare entrepreneurial experience and over 200 patents and patent applications to his name. He’s been intimately involved in the development of renowned devices like the TAXUS DES and paclitaxel-eluting balloons and spearheaded the success of companies like Angiotech and Correvio. As the CEO of Canary Medical, he’s now leading a new, smart, digital approach to patient monitoring and post-surgical care.

In this interview, Bill talks about his perspective on innovation in medtech, discusses what it takes for a device to be commercially viable, how Canary is alleviating the workload of healthcare professionals, and offers advice to physicians contemplating the transition to industry. 

Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:

First, if you’re into learning from medical device and health technology founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter.

Second, if you want to peek behind the curtain of the world's most successful startups, you should consider a Medsider premium membership. You’ll learn the strategies and tactics that founders and CEOs use to build and grow companies like Silk Road Medical, AliveCor, Shockwave Medical, and hundreds more!

We recently introduced some fantastic additions exclusively for Medsider premium members, including playbooks, which are curated collections of our top Medsider interviews on key topics like capital fundraising and risk mitigation, and a curated investor database to help you discover your next medical device or health technology investor!

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members also get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors at no additional cost, including the latest Medsider Mentors Volume VI. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, if you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Dr. Bill Hunter.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Caroline Loew, President and CEO of Glympse Bio.

Caroline has been with Glympse Bio since 2018. Prior to that, she held executive roles at Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb, where she oversaw R&D. Caroline earned her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at Imperial College, London. 

In this discussion, Caroline shares her “early-and-often” approach to dealing with regulatory issues and outlines four things to consider ahead of conversations with potential investors. Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors sent to their door at no additional cost. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with Caroline if you'd rather read it instead.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Rosina Samadani, CEO of Oculogica.

Rosina Samadani initially joined Oculogica in an advisory role, supporting her neurosurgeon sister’s plan to develop EyeBOX, a diagnostic medtech device for concussions. In 2015, Rosina transitioned into her current role as President and CEO of the company. With a doctorate in biomedical engineering from MIT, Rosina has been involved with multiple startups. She also serves as a judge for Stanford’s StartX Accelerator, and MIT’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition. 

In this discussion,  Rosina shares the importance of relationships in the regulatory and reimbursement processes, why first-time entrepreneurs shouldn’t be intimidated by complex procedures, and lessons learned from her experiences raising capital.

Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors sent to their door at no additional cost. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with Rosina if you'd rather read it instead.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with John Murphy, President and CEO of Virtual Incision.

With a background in life sciences, aerospace, private equity, and venture capital, John co-founded Virtual Incision in 2006. The company makes miniature, portable robots that can be used to perform specific operations. The first iteration is designed for colon resections, with new variations planned for the future.

In this discussion,  John shares tips on how to raise funds as an early-stage medical device company, planning a regulatory pathway that complements your product roadmap, and how to follow a dual-track approach to exiting (warning: it’s a lot of work).

Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, Premium members get exclusive Ask Me Anything interviews and masterclasses with some of the world’s most successful medtech founders and executives. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with John if you'd rather read it instead.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Robert Fenton, the founder and CEO of Qualio, a cloud-based all-in-one quality management system (QMS) for life sciences companies. 

Prior to founding Qualio in 2012, Robert studied pharmacy for five years at the University College Cork, practiced as a community pharmacist, and spent time in quality and R&D roles at global pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer and LEO Pharma. Robert made the move to San Francisco in 2016 after bootstrapping Qualio in his home country of Ireland. 

In this episode of Medsider, Robert shares his predictions for the life sciences industry in 2022. He also discusses how Qualio can support (and not hinder) medtech and healthtech companies as they move through the complex process of taking a product from conception to the market. 

Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, Premium members get exclusive Ask Me Anything interviews and masterclasses with some of the world’s most successful medtech founders and executives. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with Robert if you'd rather read it instead.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we’re sitting down with Holly Rockweiler, co-founder and CEO of Madorra.

Holly spent the early part of her career working as a research scientist for Boston Scientific. In 2013, she took a fellowship at Stanford University’s Byers Center for Biodesign, where she met her future business partner, Ryan Krone. Through the fellowship, Holly and Ryan developed Madorra, a non-hormonal medical device that treats vaginal dryness. As co-founder and CEO of Madorra, Holly’s on a mission to improve women’s health. 

In this episode of Medsider, Holly discusses the importance of listening to your patients when developing medtech solutions, and why having a cause can be a valuable motivator. She also shares her most valuable learnings from participating in Stanford's Biodesign program.  

Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, Premium members get exclusive Ask Me Anything interviews and masterclasses with some of the world’s most successful medtech founders and executives. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with Holly if you'd rather read it instead.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we’re sitting down with Robert Kline, the Chairman of ThermoTek.

Robert left big pharma to start Medivance in 1998, which he later sold for $260 million in 2011. His next venture, ViroCyt, a spin-off from the University of Colorado, sold in 2016 for $16 million. Robert then joined startup Bolder Surgical in 2017, pivoted it, and sold the company in 2021 for $160 million. He’s now Chairman of ThermoTek.

In this episode of Medsider, Robert shares the lessons he learned from leading three medtech companies through successful acquisitions: never underestimate the importance and difficulty of fundraising, don’t assume everyone has the problem you want to solve, and don’t build your company around an exit. Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, Premium members get exclusive Ask Me Anything interviews and masterclasses with some of the world’s most successful medtech founders and executives. Since making the premium memberships available, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many people have signed up. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with Robert if you'd rather read it instead.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we’re sitting down with Kevin Goodwin, the CEO and founder of EchoNous. 

Kevin has already been part of a medical first. In 1998, he founded Sonosite, which released the first point-of-care ultrasound device (PoCUS) the following year. It was a classic startup story: Sonosite hit NASDAQ immediately after launching, with no product, no approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and no revenue. 

Sonosite was acquired by Fujifilm in 2012, and Kevin left the company in 2014. 

In 2015, Kevin co-founded EchoNous, to make a handheld PoCUS device that cost significantly less than the models used as the standard in hospitals. Even more ambitious, it would use AI and ML to not only deliver more accurate results, but to improve the detail and accuracy of those results over time. The company’s AI-powered Kosmos platform was approved by the FDA in 2020. 

In this episode of Medsider, Kevin explains the pros and cons of public versus private investors, what happens when a competitor with an inferior product dominates the headlines, and why the toughest potential customers are the ones you should try to win over first.

Before we jump into the conversation, I wanted to mention a few things:

If you’re into learning from proven medtech and healthtech leaders, and want to know when new content and interviews go live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. You’ll get access to gated articles, and lots of other interesting healthcare content.

Second, if you want even more inside info from proven experts, think about a Medsider premium membership. We talk to experienced healthcare leaders about the nuts and bolts of running a business and bringing products to market. This is your place for valuable knowledge on specific topics like seed funding, prototyping, insurance reimbursement, and positioning a medtech startup for an exit.

In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, Premium members get exclusive Ask Me Anything interviews and masterclasses with some of the world’s most successful medtech founders and executives. Since making the premium memberships available, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many people have signed up. If you’re interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.

Lastly, here's the link to the full interview with Kevin if you'd rather read it instead.