Medtech Talk
Medtech Talk features weekly conversations with innovators in healthcare and medical technology. Each episode explores how new ideas, devices, and technologies are shaping the delivery of healthcare. Guests include entrepreneurs, researchers, and clinicians working to improve patient care. The show is produced by Healthegy and is aimed at professionals interested in the future of medicine.
Episodes
Episode: 207 - Jeremiah Robison on the Neural Sleeve That Restores Walking Confidence
“Assistive” devices are often bulky, but not the one Jeremiah Robison, founder and CEO of Cionic, has developed. His company’s FDA-cleared Neural Sleeve is worn on the leg and combines wearable sensors, machine learning, and functional electrical stimulation to improve gait for people dealing with foot drop, spasticity, and other mobility-limiting neurologic conditions. Host Geoff Pardo shares a v
Episode: 206 - Medtech MVP 2026: How Health Systems are Adopting Robotics Across Care Settings
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 Jac
Episode: 205 - Greg Lambrecht on How a Spinal Implant Prevents Repeat Back Surgery
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 downstr
Episode: 204 - Brian Webster on Steady Leadership through Turbulent Times
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 explo
Episode: 203 - Quentin Blackford on Going Beyond Traditional Monitoring
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 an
Episode: 202 - Navigating the Investment World with Kate Garrett and Deborah Kilpatrick
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 pul
Episode: 201 - Stacy Enxing Seng on Why People and Culture Determine Medtech
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 ca
Episode: 200 - Ridhi Tariyal on Bridging the Data Gap in Women’s Health
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 sh
From Boston Scientific to Entrepreneur: Chas McKhann’s Medtech Journey
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, a
Innovating for Niche Populations with Eric Chehab and James Wall
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 popu
Episode: 197 - Fireside Chat: How Michael Mahoney Built a Culture of Disciplined Innovation at Boston Scientific
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
Episode: 196 - Eric Wichems on Building a Company You Want to Work For
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
Episode: 195 - John Woock on Crossing the Chasm from Clinical to Commercial
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
Episode: 194 - Douglas Kelly on the Value of Innovation and Breakthrough Designation
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
Episode:193 - Dr. Billy Cohn on Limitless Innovation and Finding Resources Everywhere
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 resourc
Episode: 192 - Michael Jaff's Multi-Perspective Insights Into Healthcare
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 Hosp
Episode: 191 - Per Langoe on Bringing New Hope to Brain Cancer Patients
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 co
Episode: 190 - The Evolution of Suki and Bringing Joy Back to Patient Care
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 fai
Episode: 189 - Liz Kwo on Navigating the Digital Transformation of Healthcare
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 thin
Episode 188 - Interview with Medtech MVP 2024 Award Recipient Raymond W. Cohen
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
Episode: 187 - Lessons From an Early-Stage Medtech Investor
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 ea
Episode: 186 - Conor Hanley Discusses Leadership, Assimilating Perspectives, and Raising Capital
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
Episode: 185 - Rodney Perkins Discusses Navigating Entrepreneurship and ‘Maintaining the Machine’
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
Episode: 184 - Amr Salahieh on the Keys to Successful Entrepreneurship
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
Episode:183 - Dr. Nolan Williams on New Approaches to Treating Major Depressive Disorder
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 illnesse
Episode: 182 - Justin Klein on Building the Medtech Ecosystem
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 experi
Episode: 181 - Keegan Harper On Overcoming Hardships And Finding Your Talent
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 invo
Episode: 180 - From Conception to Commercialization, Jane Chao and Ceribell Are Changing Lives With This Neuromonitoring Breakthrough
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 t
Episode: 179 - Overcoming Valuation Overhang – Implications on Raising Capital and Exits
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 Bost
Episode: 178 - Doug Godshall’s Business Growth Through Sales Strategies and Leadership
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 t
Episode: 177 - Launching a New Category of Orthopedics: Moximed’s Journey and Trial Results
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 challe
Episode: 176 - Stacey Pugh Combines Bedside Background with Market Experience to Affect Change for Type 2 Diabetes
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
Episode: 175 - Marine Raider Turned CEO Leverages Advanced Technology to Design Novel Urological Diagnostic Devices
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 thr
Episode: 174 - Lisa Anderson on Paragonix Technologies’ Revolutionary Organ Transplant Preservation and Transport Device
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
Episode: 173 - A Continued Conversation: Fred Khosravi on Transforming a Medical Invention to an Exceptional Innovation
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 lead
Episode 172: Fred Khosravi on Using ‘Forces of Good’ to Transform the Medtech Space
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 desi
Episode 171: Viz.ai CEO Chris Mansi on Artificial Intelligence and Increasing Patient Access to Life-Saving Treatments
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
Episode: 170 - Stanford Professor Dr. Joshua Makower Talks Multidisciplinary Innovation in the Medical Device and Consumer Product Markets
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 Ge
Episode: 169 - Andy Doraiswamy, CEO of Koya Medical, Talks Mountaineering, Meditation, and Management
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 Adva
Episode: 168 - Alleviant Medical CEO Adam Berman on the No-Implant Device Treating Diastolic Heart Failure
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
Episode: 167 - M&A, IPO or SPAC: CEOs Share Exit Strategies and Lessons Learned Along the Way
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 t
Episode 166: Nicole Walker on Diversity, Leadership, and Falling in Love with the Deal
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 perspecti
Episode 165: Dr. Aaron Kaplan— Still Making Music, A Clinician’s Perspective on Innovation
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 intim
Episode 164: Kurt Azarbarzin, Revolutionizing Surgery
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 manufacturin
Episode 163: Venture Investing in a Post-COVID World
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; Darshan
Episode 162: Bernie Haffey on Cutting Through to High Performance
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 co
Episode 161: Amar Sawhney on Finding the Right Chemistry for Entrepreneurial Success
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 Foca
Episode 160: Securing Coverage and Payment for Your Innovative Medical Device: Advice from the Experts
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
Episode 159: Lessons from Medtech Leader and Mentor Joe Mandato
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 System
Episode 158: Now Hear This: Christian Gormsen on Breaking Convention in the Hearing Industry at Eargo
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
Episode 157: Success nVisioned, Surbhi Sarna’s Story
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 gradua
Episode 156: How Medtech Can Sustain its Momentum in 2021: Strategies for Successful Investment
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 i
Episode 155: Inari Medical: Clot Warriors—Changing the Paradigm in DVT and Pulmonary Embolism
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
Episode 154: Medtech Goes Virtual at Osso VR
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 Oss
Episode 153: Stimulating Confidence by Solving Incontinence
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 outcome
Episode 152: Stomping out Diabetic Foot Ulcers at Podimetrics
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
Episode 151: Breaking Through at CVRx
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 wit
Episode 150: Edwards' Katie Szyman on Medtech's Accelerating Changes, Leadership Development and Having Fun
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 diver
Episode 149: Ethical Leadership, Corporate Responsibility, and the Transformative Power of Yoga
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.
Episode 148: Kaiser Permanente’s Liz Rockett on Her VC Career and Gender Inequality in the Industry
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.
Episode 147: Leadership and Innovation to Combat a Global Pandemic
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 adva
Episode 146: Vapotherm CEO Joe Army: Wisdom from the Northern Kingdom to the Board Room and Beyond
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.
Episode 145: Medtech Talk Welcomes its New Host
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.
Can New CEO Murthy Simhambhatla Help SetPoint Medical Deliver on Bioelectronics’ Promise?
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.
Where NeuroPace Is Headed Under New CEO Mike Favet
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?
How Frank Fischer and Martha Morrell, MD, Launched one of Medtech’s Pioneering Neurostim Companies
In this interview, Frank Fischer and Martha Morrell, MD, recount the long history of NeuroPace, one of Medtech’s neurostimulation pioneers.
Medtech CEO Duke Rohlen Grew Into His Name. Can AJAX Health Do the Same?
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.)
CEO Kim Rodriguez Says Big Bet on Acessa Is Paying Off for Patients and Investors
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 tea
Medtech VCs Klein, Nielsen Explain Why They Decided to Start Up Their Own Venture Firm, Vensana
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 ve
Stryker’s Kevin Lobo Explains Why He Calls Medtech Home, How the “Serial Acquirer” Will Keep Growing
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
We Hope to See You Next Week at the Medtech Conference
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.
GE Healthcare’s Agnes Berzsenyi Is Clearly Comfortable with Changing Women’s Healthcare
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.
Gelfand and Levin Share Lessons from Ardian’s Rise and Fall…and Rise Again. Would They Do It Again?
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 sy
Mark Gelfand, Howard Levin Discuss Coridea, Ardian and How They’re Innovating Medtech Innovation
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-par
Shyam Natarajan, CEO and Founder of Avenda Health, Explains How the Start-Up is Gaining Momentum
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 m
Nuvaira’s Dennis Wahr Gives Presenting Tips, IDs his Role Models, Talks About Possibly Going Public
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, hel
Go Go Go! Scott Huennekens Explains How Strong Bias to Action Defined Leadership at Volcano, Verb
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 maintainin
KPV’s Amy Belt Raimundo Landed in VC Just Before the Bottom Fell Out. Hear How She Pivoted, Thrived
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 Guidan
Invus Opportunities Partner Ben Tsai Seeks – and Finds – Success in Medtech Investments
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 outloo
PreCardia CEO Lisa Wipperman Heine Shares Details on Path to New Role at Stealthy HF Start-Up
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.
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