The Medtech Impact Podcast Kyle Kruse (@Medtech_Missile) & Richard Meiklejohn (@InnovationBeacon)

Large numbers of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime. According to a new report published today by the World Health Organization, around 17.5% of the adult population – roughly 1 in 6 worldwide – experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need.The new estimates show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions. The rates are comparable for high-, middle- and low-income countries, indicating that this is a major health challenge globally. Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries.Joining this episode to share their mission to solve some of the problems couples are facing, is the dynamic duo of Andreia Trigo (CEO) and husband Frank Khan Sullivan (CTO) of Enhanced Fertility. Their platform is bringing a new level of data-driven accessibility to patients from the comfort of their homes. Andreia’s shares how current inadequate systems impacted her own fertility journey, an emotional story that sets the stage for the collaborative program they are providing to deliver better outcomes for couples across the globe.Founders’ stories are often intertwined with personal knowledge of the problem they are looking to solve. From the get-go learning about Andreia’s own experiences, this discussion offers a range of insights into the trials and tribulations that couples are facing through their fertility journeys. Frank shares how their North Star is referred to as Net Baby Score, a measured commitment to help millions of people procreate their families, an incredible mission that is sure to leave you informed and inspired.

Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women and the most common cancer overall. Treatment often starts with a surgery known as a lumpectomy to remove the cancer, but in a high % of cases, patients may undergo multiple re-excisions after their procedure in an attempt to obtain clear margins and avoid mastectomy.In this episode, CEO of Dilon Technologies, George Makhoul, shares how they are helping to significantly reduce the need for re-excision with the use of their MarginProbe. A lumpectomy is a challenging surgical procedure, complicated by two obvious yet conflicting priorities: excise as much tissue as necessary to remove the cancer from the breast, remove as little tissue as possible to achieve the best cosmetic result.The MarginProbe System is designed to give today’s surgeons a significant new advantage in margin assessment. In a procedure of roughly five minutes, MarginProbe provides real-time, detailed information to help a surgeon decide whether additional tissue should be taken, or whether to complete the lumpectomy procedure and close the incision.George’s background in marketing gives him a strong edge in the art of communication with stakeholders which shines through as he details the technology’s journey over the past four years. His consummate professionalism in articulating a clear approach and vision, has helped position Dilon as a leader in its field, backed up by some game-changing innovation that can significantly improve the outcomes for patients. With an inspiring mission for creating impact across the globe for women, this discussion will truly leave you informed and inspired.

The rigid, plastic T-shaped intrauterine device (IUD) has been available for over 40 years, with little to no innovation. Insertion is painful and involves numerous painful steps, and removal requires bothersome dangling strings, which are a nuisance for women and their partners. Most importantly, the pain associated with insertion and removal is widely known, leading to a nearly universal fear, particularly among younger women, of selecting an IUD. This ‘fear factor’ is a significant barrier that prevents women from adopting one of the most effective forms of contraception. 3Daughters’ goal is to eliminate this barrier to adoption and radically transform the IUD experience for both practitioners and patients.Mary Beth Cicero, CEO and co-founder of 3Daugthers, joins this episode to share how their innovative design forms a small frameless magnetic IUD that self-assembles in the uterus and conforms to a women’s body – with no strings attached. Through technological and scientific advancements, 3Daughters is addressing the pain and resulting ‘fear factor’ of IUD insertion.Alongside experienced co-founder Shelley Amster, Mary Beth discusses how in just two years the company has already made significant progress to translate their novel approach. With a comprehensive system and high-performance team, there is a belief within that this could be the first billion-dollar women’s health product. Big problems require big vision thinking, and it’s clear through this conversation that this is a team brimming with the passion and perseverance to realize their goals. As a seasoned consultant and marketer, Mary Beth offers some welcome insights as to what it takes to build a solution when those around you might not share the same optimism. #IUD has been trending for the wrong reasons and 3Daughters is on a mission to change the status quo. If you’re ready to be informed and inspired, then listen in.

Transforming the outcomes for a disease takes great innovation. With that, you need impeccable dedication and leadership for the team to deliver on taking a solution to market. Former CEO of LimFlow, Dan Rose, is one such leader who can attest to the trials and tribulations of this challenging journey.Dan joins this episode to share the story of how LimFlow’s technology has gone from an idea with potential, to a life-saving solution. In achieving this, the company has been able to re-design the anatomy of the body to offer hope to those suffering the effects of Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI).During this discussion you will learn the despairing depths of a disease that is quite literally ravaging people’s lives. Dan shares how he was able to build a world class team from across the globe to design a new option for patients where none existed before. Navigating numerous challenges, raising significant amounts of capital, and leading the company to a successful acquisition by Inari Medical; From beginning to end, this tale will truly leave you informed and inspired.

Research suggests that women are more likely to experience joint pain, aching, and stiffness caused by arthritis or arthritic conditions. In fact, evidence suggests that women aged 50 to 60 years may be 3.5 times (350%) more likely to develop CMC osteoarthritis than men in the same age group.CEO and co-founder of Grace & Able, Sarah Dillingham, is one such arthritis sufferer. Following a life-changing moment, she decided to tackle the lack of suitable relief products for women. Through building an entire support community, Sarah has connected directly with those experiencing arthritis to offer a customized solution for women.The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.In this episode you will learn what it takes to turn from patient to advocate to brand and product leader. Brand authenticity is something many companies aspire to, Sarah’s genuine and respectful approach with customers to truly understand their needs is something that any entrepreneur could learn from. With this universal design approach, she has been able to create value driven relationships to help grow the business. This is definitely a discussion that will leave you informed and inspired.

What are metamaterials and how can they help improve the performance of MRI?? Step forward Ryan Mcnaughton, CEO and co-founder of Primetaz to reveal how their technology is set to dramatically enhance both the quality of imaging but more importantly, offer game-changing time-saving to a process that is seeing significant growing demand.MRI has become one of the most important tools for doctors to see inside the body to understand what is happening in disease. MRI shows soft tissues like the brain, the heart, and other muscles and organs. It provides several ways to view the status of the tissue, such as looking at the shape, changes to the structure, blood flow, and inflammation. Being able to see inside the body quickly and clearly has led to advanced treatments and longer, healthier lives. Given the every increasing demand for MRI as a flexible imaging technique, many physicians, scientists, and engineers like Ryan continue to develop new ways to see disease earlier, enabling more effective treatments.While sharing the mission & motivation behind Primetaz, Ryan reveals insights that many entrepreneurs will readily relate to as well as detailing a vision that will excite both investors, patients, and physicians alike. Turning from engineer or any technical profession to entrepreneur is always a journey, and Ryan’s dedicated approach is sure to leave you inspired and informed.