Medsider Radio: Learn From Proven Medtech And Healthcare Experts

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Shreya Mehta, co-founder and CEO of Zenflow.Zenflow is a medical device company focused on treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A biomedical engineer, Shreya brings over 15 years of experience in medtech, including serving as a lead reviewer at the FDA, where she specialized in cardiovascular devices. Shreya co-founded Zenflow in 2014 out of the Stanford Biodesign Innovation Fellowship. The company was one of the first medical device startups backed by Y Combinator and also received early support from StartX and the UCSF Rosenman Institute at QB3.Shreya's experience at Zenflow reveals strategies for grounding innovation in patient needs, building productive FDA relationships, and leveraging accelerator programs to transform academic concepts into viable businesses.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 in

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Dr. Arun Menawat, Chairman and CEO of Profound Medical. Profound is commercializing the TULSA-PRO system, an alternative approach to prostate cancer treatment that uses MRI-guided thermal ultrasound to target and eliminate cancerous tissue without surgical incisions. Before joining Profound in 2016, Arun served as the Chairman and CEO of Novadaq Technologies for 13 years, guiding the company from a startup to one of the fastest-growing, NASDAQ-listed medical technology businesses with a market cap exceeding one billion USD. Earlier in his career, Arun served as President of Cedara Software, a company that developed the industry’s first medical imaging software platform. Today, it’s part of IBM’s Watson Health.In this interview, Arun shares insights on building credibility with physicians, the strategic approach to clinical trials that led to their recent Medicare reimbursement coverage, and his vision for transforming the future of surgery beyond prostate ca

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Claire Dixon, CEO of Neuraura.Neuraura is developing LoOop, an over-the-counter wearable that targets PCOS through low-frequency electrical stimulation.Claire brings over 25 years of international leadership experience to her role as co-founder and CEO of Neuraura. With a master's degree in engineering from Cambridge and an MBA from Harvard, she spent 15 years as a strategic consultant to capital-intensive businesses before transitioning to entrepreneurship. She was recently named among the “Top 200 Trailblazing Leaders in Women's Health and femtech” by Women of Wearables.In this interview, Claire shares insights on navigating regulatory pathways, designing for real user needs, and building strategic partnerships to bring innovative women's health solutions to market through a direct-to-consumer approach.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 C

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Vicky Demas, CEO of identifeye HEALTH (formerly Tesseract Health), who's leading the company's efforts to democratize access to retinal imaging. Using advanced algorithms and automated systems, identifeye's technology captures and analyzes retinal images to detect early signs of disease.Before joining identifeye HEALTH, Vicky led new product development at GRAIL, supporting the creation of the company's multi-cancer early detection test (Galleri). She was also a founding member of Google Life Sciences (later Verily) within Google [x], where she led teams focused on diagnostics, medical devices, and translational laboratory science. An engineer and scientist, Vicky holds over 20 patents and has authored numerous scientific publications across multiple disciplines.In this interview, Vicky challenges founders to consider: Are you building a diagnostic solution that can scale globally or a product limited to specialized healthcare settings? She also discusses wh

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Randy Pritchard and Erica Rogers, leaders of Axena Health. Axena is transforming pelvic floor therapy with Leva, a device bringing clinically-proven, supervised pelvic floor muscle training into women’s homes. Randy, CEO of Axena, brings nearly 25 years of healthcare experience to the company, most recently as CEO of Pillar Biosciences and previously holding leadership positions at Roche Diagnostics, where he spent 18 years developing commercial expertise. Erica, who sits on Axena's Board of Directors, spent a decade as President and CEO of Silk Road Medical, leading the company from early clinical trials through IPO and eventual acquisition by Boston Scientific. A returning guest to the podcast after nearly half a decade, Erica previously held roles at Medicine360, co-founded two other medical device companies, and spent over 12 years at Boston Scientific prior to her role at Silk Road.In this interview, they share essential medtech commercialization insigh

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Ryan Rhodes, CEO of EDAP TMS. EDAP is changing prostate cancer treatment through Focal One, a robotic high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system that doesn’t require the use of surgery or radiation. Ryan has over 30 years of experience in market development, with two decades focused on medical robotics. Before EDAP, Ryan was CEO of Restoration Robotics, where he guided the company to a successful merger with Venus Concept. He spent 13+ years at Intuitive Surgical, establishing the global Urology franchise, which became the company’s entry point for broader adoption of the da Vinci system. He also spent 11 years at Ethicon (J&J) in sales, marketing, and market development.In this interview, Ryan challenges founders to ask: Are you creating a scalable medtech solution or a product with limited growth potential? He unpacks why standardization and scalability are critical for adoption, how clinical data fuels credibility and reimbursement, and why early

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Kirk Huntsman, CEO of Vivos, a company commercializing a non-invasive, FDA-cleared oral appliance designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Kirk is a seasoned healthcare entrepreneur with a track record for scaling and exiting successful businesses. He founded Dental One, growing it into one of the largest dental service organizations (DSO) in the U.S., with over 165 practices across 15 states. After selling the company to MSD Capital, he led ReachOut Healthcare America, a Morgan Stanley Private Equity portfolio company. He later built and exited Xenith Practices, another DSO, and founded Ortho Ventures, focusing on pediatric oral appliances. Now as CEO of Vivos, Kirk and his team are developing and commercializing proprietary treatments for sleep-related breathing disorders, offering patients an FDA-cleared alternative to CPAP therapy.In this interview, Kirk talks about his go-to-market strategy, the importance of credibility markers, the complexity

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Caitlin Morse, CEO and co-founder of BrainSpace, who has a decade of experience spanning medtech consulting, product development, and strategic advising. BrainSpace is developing an innovative precision drainage system with continuous ICP monitoring designed to automate cerebrospinal fluid management for patients recovering from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and neurosurgery. In this interview, Caitlin shares her advice on assessing the viability of a medtech idea, tells the story of how her prototype won over stakeholders, and discusses navigating the development phase while balancing clinical and regulatory demands.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 succe

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we had an insightful discussion with Drs. Asha Parekh and Adam Power, co-founders of Front Line Medical Technologies. The company's COBRA-OS (Control of Bleeding, Resuscitation, Arterial Occlusion System) is a compact, minimally invasive device, designed for temporary aortic occlusion in trauma situations. Asha has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Western University, and combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial leadership. Adam is an academic and practicing vascular surgeon at Western University, with extensive training from institutions including Dalhousie, McMaster, and Mayo Clinic.In this interview, they discuss how their clinical-engineer partnership accelerated development, their approach to clinical studies for regulatory clearance across multiple geographies, and their strategic decision to avoid VC funding during early development—and how that decision paid off.Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:First, if you’re into lea

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Kelly Huang, President and CEO of Elucid. Elucid has developed a platform that uses AI to analyze cardiac CT scans to provide a detailed, non-invasive assessment of a patient’s arterial plaque. Kelly's journey spans nearly 30 years of leadership in healthcare, with expertise in driving innovation and growth across medical devices, diagnostics, health IT, and consumer health. Before Elucid, he served as COO at Cardea Bio, leading its successful acquisition by Paragraf, and as CEO of Obalon Therapeutics, where he introduced noninvasive medical devices to expand treatment options for physicians. Kelly's career also includes senior roles at L-Nutra, Nestlé/Galderma, Endo Pharmaceuticals, and Johnson & Johnson.In this interview, Kelly shares advice on how to successfully bring novel devices to market, secure reimbursement, and drive adoption by focusing on the essentials—collaboration, trust, robust data, and transparency.Before we dive into the discussion, I

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we had an insightful chat with Nitin Salunke, President and CEO of Supira Medical, a Shifamed portfolio company. Supira is developing a catheter-based heart pump that provides hemodynamic support for patients undergoing high-risk heart procedures. Before Supira, Nitin was Vice President of R&D at Medtronic Neurovascular, overseeing global product development. He has also held leadership roles at Altura Medical, Cordis Corp (then a Johnson & Johnson company), and W.L. Gore & Associates. Nitin holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and is an inventor and co-author on many patents and publications.In this interview, Nitin shares the philosophy that guided his journey as CEO of Supira, his strategy to evaluate and address major risk factors in medtech, how to generate value for all stakeholders—patients, physicians, and investors, and his formula for creating a next-gen medical device.Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:First, if you’

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Mike Dineen, co-founder and CEO of Tioga Cardiovascular, a Shifamed portfolio company. Tioga is developing a minimally invasive transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) device to address mitral regurgitation (MR) - a condition where blood flows backward into the heart, often causing heart failure.Mike has 30 years of experience in leading and scaling innovative medical device startups, and is co-inventor on more than 65 patents. His track record encompasses leadership roles at Kalila Medical (acquired by Abbott and later divested to Terumo), Maya Medical (acquired by Covidien), and Aspire Medical (acquired by Philips/Respironics). In this interview, Mike discusses why engaging with physicians early is essential and what he prioritizes in those conversations, the importance of pushing for early pre-clinical testing and how to best approach it, and his strategy for raising capital by targeting early-stage investors with a clear, exit-focused plan.Before w

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Jennifer Fried, co-founder and CEO of Flow Medical. Her startup is developing an advanced catheter designed to treat pulmonary embolisms.Jennifer started her career as a healthcare venture capitalist and consultant at Bain & Company. Before co-founding Flow Medical, Jennifer was the CEO and co-founder of ExplORer Surgical, a surgical software platform spun out of research at The University of Chicago. Under her leadership, ExplORer grew from an idea to a global product, earning accolades, like being named one of the Top 50 Healthcare Technology CEOs, and partnerships with major medical device companies. Jennifer successfully exited the business in 2021, when it was acquired by GHX.In this interview, Jennifer shares insights on navigating M&As, raising capital, and tips for validating ideas. She explains why engaging early with potential acquirers is key, how challenging your assumptions can save years of effort, and the importance of tailoring your p

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Brent Ness, President and CEO of Aclarion, a startup developing a decision-support tool designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of chronic low back pain. Brent has over 28 years of experience in medtech. Before Aclarion, he led Cleerly as President & CCO, driving the adoption of their AI cardiology solution through strategic partnerships. As COO of Mighty Oak Medical, he guided their FIREFLY spine navigation platform from FDA clearance to international launch. At HeartFlow, Brent spearheaded the global expansion of their image-based SaaS solution, and at Medtronic, he led the acquisition and rollout of the O-Arm technology. His career also includes leadership roles at GE Healthcare, Philips North America, and ProNerve.In this interview, Brent shares his approach to reimbursement, why continuing to prove your technology is crucial (even after regulatory approval), and how to effectively engage with KOLs for optimal support.Before we dive into the

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with James Reinstein, President and CEO of Conformal Medical, a company developing a foam device that seals the left atrial appendage (LAA) to reduce the risk of stroke without anticoagulants. James has over 30 years of experience in the medical device industry. He’s held executive roles across multiple companies, including Saranas, Cutera, Drawbridge Health, and Aptus Endosystems (acquired by Medtronic). Earlier in his career, he served as Senior VP and Chief Commercial Officer at Cyberonics (now LivaNova) and as Vice President of Boston Scientific’s Asia region.In this interview, James discusses choosing the right market, simplifying workflows to drive adoption, and balancing clinical focus with early commercialization planning. He also offers fundraising insights, including planning for long-term events like IPOs.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 founder

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we had a great chat with Rafaël Michali and Renato Circi, co-founders of SAVA, a London-based biotechnology startup developing a novel biosensing platform to monitor molecules just below the skin in real time.Rafaël and Renato are biomedical engineers from Imperial College London. Both recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list as some of Europe’s most promising young innovators in 2018, the duo raised $13M in funding and built a cross-functional team of now over 40 to develop a next-generation biosensing platform. Together, they built a thesis surrounding preventative health, from which SAVA was formed: redefining healthcare into a system that is accessible, personalized, and preventative.In this interview, they talk about the value of identifying a large market with substantial opportunity, how they moved rapidly through development iterations, the right time to exit stealth mode, and the complexities of building a medical device.Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Gabriel Sanchez, co-founder and CEO of Enspectra Health. The company's flagship VIO platform is the first FDA-cleared imaging modality for dermatology in over 25 years. Gabriel holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from MIT and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University, where he also served as an instructor in bioengineering and launched Enspectra to commercialize his groundbreaking research. VIO enables high-resolution, noninvasive imaging for skin cancer detection and health biometrics.In this interview, Gabriel talks about his transition from academia to startups, how he narrowed down his idea to meet a pressing need in healthcare, the importance of speaking FDA’s language—or finding someone who does—and how he balances dilutive and non-dilutive funding. 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

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Cary Vance, CEO of PhotoniCare. The company's FDA-cleared OtoSight™ Middle Ear Scope is a clinical diagnostic tool that offers a non-invasive and comprehensive assessment of middle ear fluid. Cary is a proven medtech leader with over two decades of experience across large strategics like GE Healthcare and Covidien, and nearly 11 years as CEO of six different startups, including Titan Medical and Hansen Medical where he drove commercialization, fundraising, and M&A opportunities. He's been the Chairman, President, and CEO of PhotoniCare since May 2023.In this interview, Cary shares why clinical evidence, workflow efficiency, and financial viability are the three pillars of medtech success and how he prepares for launches and M&As from day one.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

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Juan C. Jimenez, co-founder and CEO of AccurKardia, a startup developing software that uses ECG data to help doctors detect heart conditions more accurately and efficiently with AI. Juan started his career as an investment banker specializing in M&A transactions, then moved on to become President of Puerto Rico’s largest non-emergency medical transportation company, TransCita. Now, he’s making waves in the ECG diagnostics space with AccurKardia. Leveraging his background in finance and healthcare, Juan brings unique expertise on efficiency and scale for medtech startups.In this interview, Juan talks about how to scale sustainably with optimal dilution, giving your team space to establish a solid product, forging authentic relationships with potential customers, and leveraging your credibility to move your business forward.Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:First, if you’re into learning from medical device and health tec

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Dhruv Agrawal, CEO of Aether Biomedical. Aether's ZEUS bionic arm is a highly durable, multi-articulating prosthetic designed to handle everyday tasks with improved grip strength and resilience.Dhruv found his true calling in building prosthetics while he was studying medicine and proceeded to co-found Aether when he was 18. Since starting Aether, he has helped raise over $15 million in funding and guided the launch of the ZEUS bionic hand, now deployed worldwide, including those impacted by the war in Ukraine.In this interview, Dhruv discusses the importance of defining a clear problem statement, his approach to using grants to supplement VC funding, and the lessons he’s learned about evaluating market opportunities while operating globally.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