Walk the Valley

In this episode of Walk the Valley, Kata talks with Tobias Böcker, former co-founder of Mojo, to unpack what really happens when a promising MedTech company gets almost everything right and still doesn’t make it. Tobias shares the full journey of building Mojo over seven years: from early funding success and clinical validation to hitting an unexpected wall in the market. With a CE-marked product,...

In this episode of Walk the Valley , Kata sits down with Charlotta Tönsgård, healthcare entrepreneur, former CEO of Min Doktor, and a leading voice in digital health innovation in Sweden. Charlotta shares her journey from tech into healthcare, and what it really takes to build and scale companies in one of the most complex and slow-moving systems. From navigating leadership under pressure to stepp...

In this episode, we sit down with Ingela Mauritzon, Founder and CEO of Fabola Learning and Strategy, a company dedicated to making medtech regulation accessible for startups, scale-ups, and investors. Ingela's journey into the world of regulation is anything but straight. From working at an international hospital in Beijing, to patient experience and lab work back in Sweden, to specialising in IVD...

In this episode of Walk the Valley, we do something a little different. A round-table discussion with two guests who approach healthcare innovation from distinct but connected perspectives. We’re joined by Martin Broch Pedersen, Business Development Director at Health Tech Hub Copenhagen, who works closely with early-stage healthtech startups on regulation, reimbursement, and commercialisation thr...

In this episode of Walk The Valley, Will talks to Cathrin Johansson CEO of Medtech company MedVasc. We learn about her companies work to bring a catheter device to market, their decision to focus on the US market, and why starting early with regulatory is critical for startups. We dig into the challenges of fundraising in 2025, building long-lasting trust with investors, and keeping the balance of...

In this episode of Walk the Valley, Kata talks with Zdravko Obradović, CEO and founder of Clinical Trial Bid and EBS Clinical Research, about how the Balkans are reshaping the landscape of clinical trials. Zdravko takes us from the fax-machine era to the rise of AI-driven trials, showing how automation and smart systems can cut timelines from years to months without compromising safety. He shares...

In this episode of Walk the Valley , Will sits down with Professor Elizabeth Carlson, Head of Research and Education at Malmö University’s Department of Care Science. With a background as both a nurse and academic, Elizabeth offers a grounded yet forward-looking perspective on how healthcare is evolving. They discuss how the pandemic reshaped healthcare education, forcing a rapid shift to digital...

In this episode of Walk the Valley, Kata sits down with Sarah Morgan, industrial designer turned healthtech entrepreneur and founder of NanoLit Technologies. Unlike many healthtech founders who come from medical or technical backgrounds, Sarah applies design thinking to healthcare, using light to support recovery, sleep health, and quality of life in hospitals and senior care. Sarah takes us on a...

In this episode of Walk the Valley , Kata talks with Mads Vad Kristensen, a central figure in Denmark’s innovation ecosystem with a background in venture capital and university spinouts. Mads shares hard-earned insights on why so many health tech startups get stuck in the valley of death, and what could be done differently. From the importance of building multidisciplinary teams early, to avoiding...

In this episode of Walk the Valley, Tomas shares an honest and reflective conversation on what it means to lead a startup when things don’t go as planned. From dealing with the emotional toll of uncertainty to understanding the importance of early scenario planning, Tomas opens up about the unseen challenges that many founders face but rarely talk about. We explore:- How to manage emotions when th...

In this episode Will talks with Julie Dalsgaard , CEO of Lifeline Robotics , a Danish MedTech startup born at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Julie shares what it was like to build a company in the middle of a global crisis, and how Lifeline Robotics navigated the difficult shift from emergency pandemic use to long-term clinical relevance. From pivoting toward general practice to operating in t...

In this special episode of Walk the Valley, Will and Kata dive into one of the most overlooked - and most critical - factors in healthcare innovation: knowing your customer. Borrowing the term KYC from the financial world, we reframe it to mean something much deeper: understanding your users and customers through deliberate research and value proposition design. Because no amount of technology, fu...

In this episode, Will is joined by Hanna Sjöström, CEO of Neola Medical, a company pioneering neonatal lung monitoring. But before stepping into the medtech world, Hanna built her career in fast-moving consumer goods, holding leadership roles at L’Oréal and Coca-Cola. Her transition from global brands to leading an early-stage medical device company is a testament to the power of adaptable leaders...

In this episode I am joined by Christian Höding, founder and CEO of Hird.io, and an expert in management consulting, strategy, and execution. Startups in healthcare often focus on securing funding, but the reality is—strategy, execution, and leadership are just as critical for survival. In this episode, we take a deep dive into turning strategy into action, exploring what works and what doesn’t wh...

In this episode, I sit down with Finn Ketler, a seasoned expert in healthcare innovation and commercialization. With years of experience navigating market entry, regulation, and strategic growth, Finn has built a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in the healthcare space. Discussions about healthcare startups often circle back to funding challenges, but there’s so much more to consider...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Kristine, founder and CEO of NeoCare Nordic, a company on the verge of a major milestone with their groundbreaking neonatal care solution. We discuss what it takes to bring a health tech product to life—from securing CE marking and entering test markets, to crafting a funding strategy that maximizes soft funding and attracts investors. Kristine also shares her i...

"Why Do 80% of HealthTech Startups Fail?" In this episode of Walk the Valley, Will and Kata explore the harsh realities of the valley of death that healthcare startups face. They uncover the most common reasons behind startup failures. This episode dives deep into the lessons every founder needs to know to navigate the complex world of healthcare innovation. Whether it’s balancing technology with...

In this episode of Walk the Valley, we talk with Paula Petcu, CTO of Interhuman AI, about navigating the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare. Paula shares her insights on the EU AI Act—its benefits in ensuring safety and fairness, as well as the challenges it poses for startups navigating heavy regulatory demands. She discusses the potential of AI in healthcare,...

In this episode, we sit down with Kush, the founder of Spermosense, a company breaking new ground in male fertility. Kush shares his journey of building a healthcare startup focused on creating products that integrate seamlessly into existing clinical workflows. We dive into the challenges of pre-market development, navigating the funding landscape, and the common pitfalls of B2C models in healthc...

Join us as we chat with Balder Ornarheim, the visionary founder of Plato Science, a neurostimulation company pushing the boundaries of mental health and wellness technology. Balder shares his experiences navigating the complex healthcare market, from securing product validation to overcoming long regulatory and ethics approval processes. He also sheds light on the funding challenges unique to earl...