Project Medtech

In this episode, Ethan Drower, co-founder and CEO of CiteMed, shares the story behind Evidence Cloud, an AI-enabled platform transforming how medtech teams approach clinical evidence. Built to simplify complex literature reviews, strengthen regulatory submissions, and create a clear, traceable foundation for clinical claims, Evidence Cloud helps companies navigate one of the most critical steps in...

In this episode, Michelle Ottey, President of CIC Campuses and Labs, unpacks what it really takes to build thriving innovation ecosystems and why flexible lab space is only the beginning. Michelle shares her personal journey from genetics and cell biology research into enabling entrepreneurship, and explains how CIC’s “invisible infrastructure” helps life science and medtech founders move faster b...

In this powerful episode, Laura Corcoran, CEO and Founder of Dignity Care, shares the deeply personal experience that drove her to invent the Miscarriage Collection Cradle, a patented Class I medical device designed to bring practical support and dignity to women managing miscarriage or pregnancy loss. Laura walks through the realities of home miscarriage management, the need for reliable collecti...

In this episode, Dr. Malcolm Townes breaks down how WashU is building a more execution-focused commercialization engine through its Gap Fund, designed to advance non-drug, non-therapeutic technologies by funding the technology (not startups) to avoid conflicts and drive sharper development decisions. He shares why hands-on, milestone-based funding and rigorous customer discovery are essential to u...

In this episode, Megan Shaw, CEO of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance, and Will Kaigler, co-founder and CEO of SovaSage, join the Project Medtech podcast to unpack what it really takes to build, scale, and ultimately create optionality in health tech startups. Megan shares her journey from being the first employee at HemoSonics to launching PLSA in 2024 to accelerate Pittsburgh’s life sciences...

In this episode, Mark Domayhn, Partner at JD Lymon Group, joins Duane Mancini to unpack what medtech innovators often miss most: reimbursement isn’t a box to check after FDA—it’s the commercial foundation that determines whether hospitals and physicians can adopt your technology. Drawing on experience across Medtronic, Zimmer, and St. Jude/Abbott, Mark breaks down the “three-legged stool” of cover...

In this episode, pulmonologist, intensivist, and advanced bronchoscopist Huzaifah Salat joins Duane Manicini to unpack what’s changing in lung cancer care, and why the biggest constraint in MedTech isn’t the FDA, funding, or clinician adoption, but founders building for clinicians instead of with them. Huzaifah shares how robotic bronchoscopy, advanced imaging, and better CT quality are enabling d...

In this kickoff episode of Project Medtech’s “Five Things You Need To Know” miniseries, Duane Mancini is joined by Sean Thompson to break down the essentials of sterile medical device packaging compliance. Sean shares a practical, startup-friendly roadmap anchored in ISO 11607, starting with defining device inputs that drive packaging design decisions (sensitivities, geometry, sterilization method...

In this episode, Alicia Wagner shares the deeply personal journey that led her to build Sunra Health after her daughter’s long and traumatic health challenges exposed major gaps in how pediatrics handles chronic conditions. She breaks down Sunra Health as an AI-powered pediatric health platform paired with an at-home cheek-swab genetic test, designed to help families and clinicians move from “gues...

In this episode, Grant Kruger joins Duane Mancini to share his journey from growing up in South Africa to becoming a University of Michigan researcher and medtech entrepreneur. He discusses his roots in electrical engineering and AI-driven manufacturing, the leap to Michigan for a postdoc, and the pivotal shift from automotive-focused research into collaborating with physicians to solve real clini...

In this episode, Tony Mango and Evan Gomez from Orlando Health’s Strategic Innovations team break down how a major nonprofit health system accelerates ideas from its 40,000+ team members into real solutions. They explain Orlando Health’s unique capability to develop medical devices in-house under FDA registration, how they triage innovation disclosures, and when they choose outside-in partnerships...

In this episode, Ankit (founder of UGen) and Brent (a physical therapist at University Hospitals) about why rehab is primed for innovation, and how UGen is tackling the biggest breakdowns in physical therapy. Ankit shares how his grandfather’s Parkinson’s journey inspired him to apply his electrical engineering and sensor research background to build wearable motion sensors that deliver real-time,...

In this episode, Cory Criss joins Duane Mancini to share his path from pediatric surgeon to building innovation infrastructure at Nationwide Children’s and helping launch the Midwest Pediatric Device Consortium (MPDC), an FDA-funded Pediatric Device Consortium created to accelerate pediatric device development. The conversation breaks down why pediatrics is uniquely hard—small, fragmented markets...

In this episode, Brent Lavin shares how two decades in product and portfolio management at GE Healthcare, C.R. Bard, and BD shaped his mission to help Series A and B medtech startups build commercial logic into every stage of innovation. Brent breaks down what surprised him most moving from strategics to early-stage teams and why large companies often operate like startups when resources must be e...

In this episode, Duane Mancini speaks with vascular neurologist Anit Behera about what it takes to improve stroke care from the ER through long-term recovery. Anit shares his path through an MD-PhD in outcomes research, how consulting and clinical trials shaped his innovation mindset, and why stroke care advancement spans four phases: prevention, acute treatment, post-acute care, and rehabilitatio...

In this episode, Jake Ward joins Duane Mancini to break down how startups should think about intellectual property from day one and why smart IP decisions directly impact fundability. Jake shares how Ward Law grew from a three-person boutique to a 35-person, multi-state virtual firm, and why their Midwest roots help deliver high-quality IP services at accessible rates for entrepreneurs. The conver...

In this episode, Jenny Lynn—founder of milkmade and a mom-turned-entrepreneur—shares how a frightening breastfeeding experience, including an undiagnosed tongue tie and the exhausting “weighted feed” routine, sparked the idea for a Smart Nipple Shield that can deliver continuous, actionable insight into infant milk intake. The conversation explores why breastfeeding—despite being the clinical “gol...

In this episode, Duane Mancini sits down with Sarah to unpack her path from healthcare operator to investor and what founders should know when raising capital today. Sarah shares how her experience as the 10th employee at a digital health startup shaped her empathy for founders and the practical lens she brings to diligence, from ICP and pricing to building durable foundations early. The conversat...

Join us for a special 250th episode of The Project Medtech Podcast as host Duane Mancini and Director of Marketing and Engagement, Lindsey Dinneen, flip the script. Duane shares the journey from the podcast's inception during the height of COVID-19 to becoming a consulting, networking, and education resource for medtech startups. They delve into the core philosophy of creating value, the reali...

In this episode, Duane Mancini sits down with Louise Yochee Klein to explore the fundamentals of fostering courage and innovation in the MedTech industry. Louise shares her journey from Canada to Philly, co-founding Courage Growth Partners, and emphasizes the importance of understanding and overcoming fear in business. The conversation highlights the critical need for aligning team objectives, adh...

In this episode, Duane Mancini welcomes Aileen Helsel, Director of Innovation at Carilion Clinic, to discuss the exciting advancements in healthcare innovation in Roanoke, Virginia. Aileen shares her journey from academia to technology transfer and ultimately to her current role, emphasizing the transition from research to real-world application. They explore Carilion Clinic's unique position...

In this episode, Duane Mancini sits down with Stan Glezer, Managing Director at Outcome Capital, to dive deep into the roles of strategic advisory and investment banking in driving innovation within the life sciences sector. Stan elaborates on his multifaceted career, from his beginnings as a physician to leading roles in biopharma and MedTech companies. He discusses the importance of aligning a c...

In this episode, Duane Mancini sits down with Katie Brinkman to discuss the nuances of biocompatibility, the critical role of biological evaluation plans, and the evolving regulatory landscape, including the importance of risk assessment. Katie also shares her experience with biocompatibility evaluation during significant regulatory changes such as EU MDR remediation and the 10993 standard updates...

In this episode, Duane Mancini speaks with Matt Wunzin, a biomedical engineer from Ohio with nearly 20 years of experience in the medtech industry. Matt shares his career journey from earning his degree at the University of Akron to working at various medical device companies, both large and small, and also discusses his transition to consulting with his firm, Five Design and Development. He share...

Duane Mancini chats with Michael Challenor to discuss his entrepreneurial journey in the medtech industry, starting from his early passion for invention through his pivotal experiences in the Stanford Biodesign program in Perth, to co-founding Vital Trace. He highlights his current venture, Innovate Medtech, which supports medtech startups with grants, fundraising, and product development. Michael...