State of Medtech

In this episode, Omar Khateeb sits down with Lana Ghanem, VP of Corporate Development & Ventures at Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Managing Director at Hikma Ventures, to unpack how corporate venture is reshaping MedTech. This is not just about capital. It is about how corporate venture teams think, how they assess opportunities, and why most companies never make it past the first conversation. Lan...

See why medical sales teams are getting more done and closing deals thanks to a proactive AI assistant named Donna. Click here to see how Donna can level up your repshttps://www.askdonna.com/industry/medical-devices?utm_source=state_of_medtech In this episode, Omar Khateeb speaks with George Murgatroyd of Medtronic about the shift toward a digitized operating room. They explore how AI, connected s...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb sits down with Raymond W. Cohen of Spiro Medical and Thomas A. West of Nalu Medical to unpack the real difference between innovation and iteration in medtech. Drawing from billions in exits and decades of experience, they explain why most companies fall into the trap of incremental thinking and why that approach is becoming harder to fund. The conversation highlights...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb speaks with Nicholas Talamantes about the key medtech shifts shaping Q1 2026. They discuss rising M&A activity, the growing neurovascular arms race, and how robotics is evolving to meet ASC demand. The conversation also covers why strategic buyers are prioritizing precision over scale, along with insights on commercialization, investor expectations, and what start...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb speaks with Sean O'Mara, Founder and Senior Physician Researcher at Private Medical Research Practice, and Daniel J. Durand, Chief Medical Officer and President of Prenuvo Medical Group, about one of the biggest shifts happening in medicine today: the move from reactive care to proactive imaging. They discuss why whole body MRI is gaining attention, how early imag...

Omar Khateeb speaks with Eric Jorgenson, CEO at Scribe Media and author of The Book of Elon , about how some of Elon Musk’s most important ideas were curated into a practical guide for builders and entrepreneurs. Eric shares his approach to capturing timeless insights from great thinkers and explains how books can turn powerful ideas into tools for future innovators. They explore first principles...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb, Founder of MarketCraft, explores the subtle but powerful skill of listening. While most people focus on how to speak better, persuade better, or present better, Omar explains why the true edge in communication often comes from learning when to stay quiet. He discusses why many conversations fail because people listen to reply instead of listening to understand, and h...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb speaks with Abby Hunter-Syed, Director at Olympus Innovation Ventures, about how corporate venture capital is accelerating MedTech innovation. Abby shares how they invest in early-stage healthcare startups across endoscopy, diagnostics, GI health, and digital health, and how corporate venture helps founders navigate clinical validation, regulatory approval, and commer...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb sits down with Jake Ghannam, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at INSIGHTEC, to discuss how a breakthrough neurosurgery technology is redefining treatment for patients with severe tremors and neurological disorders. Jake explains how INSIGHTEC is building a global platform around incisionless brain surgery and what it takes to commercialize a compl...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb sits down with Daniel J. Durand, CMO and President at Prenuvo, to discuss how whole body MRI and advanced imaging are redefining preventive healthcare. Daniel shares why most life threatening diseases like cancer are still detected too late, and how proactive full body screening can uncover risks before symptoms ever appear. They explore the role of AI in radiology, t...

In this US Surgical Series episode, Joe DeVivo, President, CEO, and Chairman at Butterfly Network, joins Omar Khateeb to connect the legacy of Leon Hirsch and US Surgical to the future of handheld ultrasound. Joe shares how the relentless execution culture of US Surgical shaped his leadership philosophy and how that same discipline is driving Butterfly’s mission to democratize imaging. From collap...

In this episode, Chuck Vivian,Experienced Commercial Executive and Advisor Medical Devices, sits down with Omar Khateeb to unpack the rise of US Surgical during the laparoscopic revolution. He shares firsthand stories from the operating room, the pressure of never missing quota, and the training culture that demanded excellence without excuses. Discover how US Surgical built momentum through surge...

In this episode, Tony Recupero, Board Member of Recupero Strategic Advisory, LLC and TrackX Technology, Inc., joins Omar Khateeb to unpack the culture that defined US Surgical. He shares how a blue collar kid from upstate New York entered the operating room and was forged through one of the toughest training programs in medical device sales. Learn how six weeks of relentless preparation, daily acc...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb speaks with Kurt Azarbarzin, Medical Device and Robotics Executive and former US Surgical R&D leader, breaks down how one company drove explosive growth during the rise of laparoscopic surgery. He explains how US Surgical built products at startup speed, why they dominated through deep surgeon partnerships, and what it took to compete head to head with J and J. Ku...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb dives into the untold story of US Surgical with Christian Babini, Executive Vice President of Sales Augmedics. Learn how laparoscopic surgery created massive market pull, how training and culture became the true competitive advantage, and how elite leadership turned disruption into dominance. Christian shares real stories from the operating room, the sales battlefield...

In this US Surgical Series episode, Omar Khateeb speaks with Jose R. Aguirrechu about the intense standards and culture that defined US Surgical. From scrubbing into surgeries as a young rep to leading major international expansion, Jose shares lessons on discipline, resilience, and competitive execution. A powerful look at how US Surgical helped drive minimally invasive surgery and shaped a gener...

In this episode, host Omar Khateeb kicks off the new US Surgical Series with Lee Cohen, the former Senior Director of Laparoscopy. Lee was the catalyst inside US Surgical who identified a bootleg gallbladder procedure and transformed it into the minimally invasive surgery market. She explains how she navigated a male-dominated industry, managed a constant stream of engineers at her door, and learn...

Omar Khateeb, Founder of MarketCraft, reveals the untold story of US Surgical and its founder Leon C. Hirsch, a high school graduate who turned a Russian surgical device into a billion-dollar empire. This episode traces the explosive rise, the brutal "Organ Grinder" sales training, the culture of "feeding eagles and starving turkeys," and the fateful mistake that led to a drama...

In this episode, Quentin Blackford, CEO of iRhythm, shares how his company is disrupting cardiology with a wearable patch that captures over a billion heartbeats. He explains how AI scans medical history to find undiagnosed patients with 92% accuracy, why their platform operates at 71% margins, and how they're expanding into sleep apnea detection. Quentin also dives into the shift from special...

In this episode, Diego Serrano Cabrera, MedTech investor, joins Omar Khateeb for a deep dive into the realities of medtech investing. They explore the critical gap between a brilliant clinical product and a scalable business, why distribution efficiency is the ultimate make-or-break, and how writing can sharpen your investment thesis. Diego opens up about his journey from M&A advisory to growt...

In this episode, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Brian Blackwood pulls back the curtain on the broken world of hospital vendor credentialing. He explains to host Omar Khateeb how a well-intentioned system for safety and compliance has been hijacked by companies charging reps $3,000-$5,000 a year in fees for things like mandatory paper scrubs and "expedited processing." Dr. Blackwood shares his in...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb, Founder of MarketCraft, breaks down Elon Musk’s provocative prediction that robotic surgeons may outperform humans far sooner than most expect. Through a deep dive into exponential AI growth, shared robotic learning, and the realities of modern surgery, the conversation explores how medicine could move toward extreme precision, global accessibility, and dramatically...

Joe Kiani, Founder & Executive Chairman of Willow Laboratories, delivers an inspiring keynote on the realities of medtech entrepreneurship. He reflects on founding Masimo, detailing the challenges of breaking into a monopolized market to introduce technology that prevented blindness in infants. Kiani emphasizes the critical role of hard work, ethical integrity, and surrounding oneself with pur...

In this episode, Omar Khateeb is joined by Leo Grady, Founder & CEO of Jona. Leo shares his journey from AI in radiology and cardiology to tackling the gut microbiome, driven by family health battles. He explains how Jona’s AI analyzes your unique gut ecosystem, identifies patterns linked to everything from anxiety to osteoporosis, and simulates personalized dietary plans. They review Omar’s o...

In this episode, Scott Hickle, Co-founder and CEO of Throne, joins host Omar Khateeb to discuss the future of at-home health monitoring starting with your toilet. Scott explains how Throne’s device uses AI and computer vision to track gut health, hydration, and urinary metrics, turning everyday bathroom visits into actionable health insights. He shares the origin story from poker night to product...