State of Medtech

Jim Alecxih, CEO of Virtual Incision and former Intuitive Surgical executive, joins Omar Khateeb to discuss how the company’s MIRA platform, a portable, miniaturized robot is reshaping access to surgical robotics for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Jim Alecxih returned to surgical robotics 02:18 The birth of Virtual Incision and its miniaturized robot 04:45 W...

Prostate cancer screening and diagnosis are changing fast. Dr. Geoffrey Sonn, Associate Professor of Urology and, by courtesy, of Radiology (Body MRI) at Stanford Medicine, joins Omar Khateeb to explore how AI and advanced imaging are reshaping how we detect, classify, and treat prostate cancer. From new biopsy techniques to AI-driven image interpretation, Dr. Sonn shares where the technology is t...

From billion dollar M&A to FDA greenlights and the next wave of surgical AI, August was packed with major stories in medtech. Omar Khateeb & Nicholas Talamantes break down the month’s biggest moves, from Philips’ restructuring and Medtronic’s AI milestone to emerging neurotech players and investor trends shaping the rest of 2025. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Medtech is back: August + September...

Brain–computer interfaces are no longer science fiction. Matt Angle, Founder and CEO of Paradromics, joins Omar Khateeb to discuss how his company is building the world’s highest data–rate BCI. From his neuroscience roots at Stanford to raising capital in Austin, Matt shares how Paradromics is preparing for first-in-human trials in ALS patients, why data rate is the real bottleneck, how their plat...

What does it take to build a medtech startup that actually survives? Paul Grand, CEO and Founder of MedTech Innovator, has seen more than 14,000 companies apply to his program and helped over 800 raise billions in capital. In this episode, Paul joins Omar Khateeb to break down the top mistakes founders make, how investors really assess risk, why commercialization is the true valley of death, and w...

Dr. David Albert has built a career at the intersection of cardiology and technology. Best known as the founder of AliveCor and the creator of KardiaMobile, he shares the story of how a viral YouTube video launched a global digital health company. In this episode, he joins Omar Khateeb to discuss lessons from building multiple startups, the impact of Apple Watch, working with Qualcomm and Vinod Kh...

AFib affects nearly 60 million people worldwide, yet millions remain undiagnosed until it’s too late. In this episode, Yosef Safi Harb of Happitech joins Omar Khateeb to share how his team is making large-scale, accessible cardiac monitoring possible through smartphone technology and AI. From clinical studies in Europe to upcoming FDA submissions, we explore what it takes to bring a software-as-a-...

AI is moving from hype to real-world impact in cardiology. EchoIQ, led by CEO Dustin Haines, is building the world’s only AI platform trained on the largest echocardiogram database. In this conversation, we dive into how their technology improves diagnostic accuracy, reduces workflow friction, and changes the future of heart failure detection. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – Intro: The promise and pitf...

Venture capital veteran Armen Vidian joins Omar Khateeb to discuss the future of medtech investing, the missing link between tech and healthcare, and what today’s founders must do to attract capital and talent. From the challenges of clinical trials to the opportunity in AI-enabled devices, this conversation dives into the realities of building, funding, and scaling medtech companies in a shifting...

Calcified arteries remain one of the toughest challenges in cardiology and peripheral vascular care. Robert Chisena, CTO and co-founder of AVS Pulse Technologies, explains how their intravascular lithotripsy platform uses pulsatile CO₂ energy to fracture calcium safely and effectively. We cover how AVS Pulse differentiates from competitors, the “smart” IVL feedback system, and why this space has b...

What if brain surgery no longer required a scalpel? Dr. Maurice Ferré, CEO of Insightec and co-founder of Mako Surgical, shares how MRI-guided focused ultrasound is redefining neurosurgery. We discuss Insightec’s journey, the 2016 NEJM study that changed everything, and why focused ultrasound could transform treatment for tremor, Parkinson’s, and beyond. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Introduction to t...

Every leader has scars from bad decisions. Scott Huennekens, medtech’s “GOAT operator” and board veteran, shares the toughest lessons from his career, including the worst deals he ever made. We cover the six pack of mistakes, why culture and fit matter more than numbers, and how these failures shaped his approach to leadership, boards, and building value. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – Opening and The...

Why are so many strokes in young patients missed? Dr. Thomas Devlin, nationally recognized stroke neurologist and executive medical director at CHI Memorial, explains how robotic transcranial Doppler (TCD) is reshaping stroke and PFO pathways. We cover why TCD is more sensitive than traditional echo, what the Bubble Trial revealed, and how robotic automation is changing workflows in neurology and...

Every 20 seconds, someone in the world loses a limb to diabetes. Many of these amputations could be prevented with earlier detection. In this episode, Amaan Mazhar, CEO of Modulim, explains how handheld imaging can spot circulation issues before ulcers form. We cover the science behind spatial frequency domain imaging, the economics of diabetic foot ulcers, and how proactive screening can save bot...

What does it take to close the innovation gap in cardiology? Dr. Mohamad Alkhouli, professor of medicine and vice chair for strategic partnerships at Mayo Clinic, shares his perspective on AI, health span vs lifespan, and why structure drives behavior in healthcare. This episode covers the future of multimodal AI, global innovation, and why doctors who embrace AI will lead the next generation of m...

Stephanie Broes, CEO and co-founder of Moonbird, shares how breathwork can improve sleep, stress, and HRV. From insomnia during her PhD to creating a tactile breathing device, Stephanie explains how science and design came together to build a product that is helping adults, children, and even parents navigate stress and rest. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – How changing your breathing changes your slee...

NFL veteran Leonard Wheeler opens up about his prostate cancer journey, from early PSA screening to diagnosis and the treatment decision that preserved both his health and quality of life. He talks about conversations with family, facing fear, recovery, and why men must start speaking openly about prostate cancer. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Opening: No signs, just rising PSA trends 01:02 – Meet Leo...

Lung cancer remains the most lethal cancer worldwide, and traditional biopsy approaches still leave critical gaps. In this episode, interventional pulmonologist Dr. Steven Kovacs shares how real-time metabolic imaging inside the bronchoscopy suite is transforming how clinicians assess biopsy adequacy. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Opening remarks: the challenge of lung cancer diagnosis 01:17 – Introdu...

Tetiana Aleksandrova, CEO and founder of Subsense, explains how her team is building a nanoparticle-based Brain Computer Interface designed to treat symptoms of neurological disorders while unlocking new possibilities for human cognition. Episode Breakdown:00:00 – Opening and long-term vision for merging humans with technology01:10 – Guest introduction: Tetiana Aleksandrova, CEO and founder of Sub...

Brain Computer Interfaces are gaining traction across healthcare and beyond. Meron Gibertz and Dr. Darin Dougherty discuss how BCIs capture and process signals, their growing medical use cases, and the hurdles in regulation, ethics, and safety. Episode breakdown: 00:00 – Opening and introduction00:48 – Introducing Meron Gibertz and Dr. Darin Dougherty02:11 – What is a brain-computer interface (BCI...

Strong earnings, mega-deals, and a robotics shake-up highlight medtech’s Q2. Nicholas Talamantes joins to cover the numbers, the moves, and the strategies setting the tone for the second half of the year. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – Opening and show introduction 01:02 – Meet guest Nicholas Talamantes and episode agenda 02:02 – Q2 earnings overview and market growth 05:15 – Spin-outs, mega-deals, an...

Most prosthetic users still manage comfort with socks, a system that’s decades old. Vessl Prosthetics, led by CEO Sydney Robinson, is tackling the biggest pain point in lower-limb prosthetics: poor fit. From automatic adjustment technology to a clear reimbursement path, Sydney shares how Vessl is positioned to dominate a half-billion-dollar market. Episode breakdown: 0:00 – Why Sydney Chose Prosth...

From rural Tennessee to the top of Stryker, John Brown grew a $17M company into a $4.3B market leader, not with hype, but with discipline, culture, and calculated bets. Omar shares Brown’s most valuable leadership lessons and why they still matter today. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 – The unlikely path of John Brown 00:54 – How this episode came to life 01:23 – Meeting Cy Johnson and researching Brown...

Stroke affects over 800,000 people in the U.S. each year and remains one of the top causes of death and disability worldwide. In this episode, Rapid Medical CEO Ronen Eckhouse joins to discuss their FDA-cleared TigerTrever device, the DriveWire navigation breakthrough, and the first-ever robotic thrombectomy procedure. Learn how Rapid Medical is transforming clot retrieval safety, speed, and outco...

Episode breakdown: 00:00 – Tech Problems, AV Chaos, and Starting the Conversation 00:50 – Meet Adrian Mendes, CEO of Perimeter Medical 01:27 – How Perimeter Got on the Radar (and Chamath’s Backing) 02:17 – Chamath Explains the Breast Cancer Surgery Problem 04:47 – AI + Imaging to Eliminate Repeat Surgeries 06:34 – FDA Trials, Labeling, and the Road to Approval 07:23 – The Emotional and Clinical Im...