Medsider: Learn from Medtech and Healthtech Founders and CEOs

Scott Nelson
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Learn from the brightest CEOs in medtech and healthtech. That's our primary goal with Medsider. We unpack the strategies, tactics, and secrets behind the most successful startups. Join tens of thousands of ambitious doers and get access to the top medical device and health technology thought leaders.

  1. Testing Demand Before Perfecting Technology: Interview with Eyebot CEO Matthias Hofmann

    14H AGO

    Testing Demand Before Perfecting Technology: Interview with Eyebot CEO Matthias Hofmann

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Matthias Hofmann, CEO of Eyebot. Eyebot is commercializing retail kiosks that deliver quick, efficient vision testing. Before Eyebot, Matthias led product development at Formlabs and served as an R&D lead at EyeNetra, where he helped bring the first smartphone-based vision test to market. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with graduate work in vision science and optics.  In this interview, Matthias discusses how early missteps informed Eyebot's strategy, how he proved demand before raising capital, and how iterative clinical studies established commercial credibility — along with his unconventional advice on fundraising. Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Matthias Hofmann. KEY MOMENTS FROM THE INTERVIEW (02:53) - Overview of Matthias’s background and the journey that led him into vision care startups (05:58) - Lessons from solving the right problem the wrong way at EyeNetra (08:44) - Why Eyebot chose a kiosk interface instead of smartphone vision testing (11:08) - How Eyebot designed its system to deliver accurate prescriptions in about 90 seconds (18:17) - How Eyebot proved demand with a rough prototype and a “Free Vision Test” sign in a Boston mall (29:01) - How clinical studies and iteration built the evidence retailers needed to trust the technology (33:17) - What commercialization revealed about consumer behavior in eyewear retail (37:07) - Matthias’s fundraising advice: run your raise over Zoom and don’t lead with your pitch deck

    50 min
  2. How to Decide Where to Deploy Capital in Growth-Stage Medtech: Interview with CMR Surgical CEO Massimiliano (Max) Colella

    6D AGO

    How to Decide Where to Deploy Capital in Growth-Stage Medtech: Interview with CMR Surgical CEO Massimiliano (Max) Colella

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Massimiliano (Max) Colella, CEO of CMR Surgical. CMR Surgical is developing Versius, a surgical robot designed to make minimally invasive procedures more accessible across specialties. Max brings more than three decades of healthcare leadership experience spanning medtech and hospital systems. He previously held leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson and Smith & Nephew across Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, and later served as CEO of Evercare Group, a TPG portfolio company. In this interview, Max discusses how to prioritize capital allocation between platform development and product line expansion, when internal processes need restructuring, the importance of having the right culture, and why undertaking market research ahead of launching into a new market is crucial. He also shares his approach to hiring — and on maintaining clear board governance boundaries. Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Max Colella. KEY MOMENTS FROM THE INTERVIEW (03:08) - An overview of Max's background and the journey that led him to CMR Surgical (06:53) - Why Max chose surgical robotics — and how Versius is designed to differentiate from existing systems (16:18) - How Max restructured internal processes at CMR to eliminate large-company bureaucracy (21:09) - How market research reshaped CMR’s U.S. strategy beyond ambulatory surgery centers (28:48) - Max’s capital allocation philosophy: prioritize system performance and stability before expanding capabilities (32:19) - Max's take on Techmed and the future of robotics (36:36) - Why clearly defined roles between board and management are critical for governance (41:10) - Max’s philosophy around hiring for mindset over skill

    49 min
  3. Designing Consumer-Facing Medical Technology: Interview with Indomo CEO Rick Bente

    FEB 24

    Designing Consumer-Facing Medical Technology: Interview with Indomo CEO Rick Bente

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Rick Bente, co-founder and CEO of Indomo. Indomo’s flagship device, ClearPen, is an investigational at-home corticosteroid injection designed to treat inflammatory acne. Rick has over 20 years of experience as an engineer and operator across medtech and pharma, with leadership roles at Medtronic, Insulet, and YourBio, focused on drug delivery and combination products. He is an inventor on more than 50 patents and has generated over $150 million in investments. In this conversation, Rick discusses how Indomo translated an in-office dermatology procedure into at-home care, why usability had to be engineered rather than trained, how the company decided when to exit stealth mode, and how proof-based milestones shaped its fundraising. Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Rick Bente. KEY MOMENTS FROM THE INTERVIEW (03:39) - An overview of Rick’s background and the mission behind Indomo (08:24) - The core idea behind Indomo’s ClearPen — bringing dermatologist treatments into patients’ homes (13:32) - Why early-stage startups should fail fast on the hardest technical problems (16:41) - How to design medical devices that are easy to use and difficult to misuse (21:17) - How usability studies with patients and physicians shape better device design (23:59) - When should a startup stay in stealth — and when is it time to tell the story? (28:52) - Rick's fundraising playbook: mapping capital to milestones and real value creation (37:22) - Rick's hiring lesson: why curiosity matters more than pedigree when building an early-stage startup team

    50 min
  4. Why Commercial Discipline Starts Long Before Launch: Interview with RenovoRx CEO Shaun Bagai

    FEB 17

    Why Commercial Discipline Starts Long Before Launch: Interview with RenovoRx CEO Shaun Bagai

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Shaun Bagai, CEO of RenovoRx.  The company is developing targeted oncology therapies and is currently commercializing RenovoCath, which is focused on pancreatic cancer.  Before joining RenovoRx in 2014, Shaun spent over a decade in the cardiovascular space, including leading global market development at HeartFlow and helping establish the European renal denervation market at Ardian, which Medtronic acquired for approximately $1 billion. He began his career in clinical research and device sales at TransVascular and Medtronic.  In this interview, Shaun discusses how testing markets with minimal infrastructure reveals what leads to commercial success, why clinical trial enrollment benefits from sales discipline, and what founders should understand about going public when traditional capital isn't available. Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Shaun Bagai.

    56 min
  5. Using Private Capital to Preserve Control: Interview with SynerFuse CEO Justin Zenanko

    FEB 10

    Using Private Capital to Preserve Control: Interview with SynerFuse CEO Justin Zenanko

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Justin Zenanko, co-founder & CEO of SynerFuse. SynerFuse is developing the e-TLIF procedure, which combines spinal fusion with neuromodulation by placing leads directly at exposed nerves during surgery. A certified public accountant and serial entrepreneur, Justin previously served as CFO and senior vice president of corporate development at Recombinetics, where he led fundraising efforts totaling $68 million. In this interview, Justin discusses approaching FDA interactions as negotiations, validating procedures with off-the-shelf components before investing in custom devices, and structuring private raises through investment banks to preserve control while delaying institutional venture capital. Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Justin Zenanko.

    57 min
  6. Why Small UX Details Can Matter More Than Years of R&D: Interview with Eli Health CEO Marina Pavlovic Rivas

    JAN 27

    Why Small UX Details Can Matter More Than Years of R&D: Interview with Eli Health CEO Marina Pavlovic Rivas

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Marina Pavlovic Rivas, co-founder & CEO of Eli Health. The company is focused on making hormone data accessible in real time through its saliva-based testing system that delivers results through a mobile app.  A data scientist by training, Marina previously founded Gradiant AI, a machine learning company that was acquired in 2019.  In this interview, Marina discusses how to evaluate form factor options without locking into a design too early, what beta testing reveals that years of lab work can't, and how existing consumer spending patterns influence positioning and pricing strategies. She also shares how regulatory considerations shaped product decisions from the outset and why building in-house proved more efficient than outsourcing when external partners said the company’s goals were impossible. Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Marina Pavlovic Rivas.

    50 min
  7. Building Fast Without Cutting Corners: Interview with Excision Medical CEO Greg Walters

    JAN 21

    Building Fast Without Cutting Corners: Interview with Excision Medical CEO Greg Walters

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Greg Walters, co-founder & CEO of Excision Medical. Excision is developing a leaflet modification system to enable lifetime management of aortic stenosis. Greg has almost 40 years of experience in cardiovascular devices, holding leadership roles at Kensey Nash Corporation where he led the development of Angio-Seal and several endovascular programs. He later co-founded Essential Medical, which was acquired by Teleflex in 2018, and is an inventor on more than 75 U.S. and European patents. In this interview, Greg discusses why early-stage teams should build to learn rather than to impress, using functional prototypes to generate real feedback and fundraising momentum. He outlines how disciplined safety work — not perfection — defines first-in-human readiness, and what makes a pre-revenue company attractive to strategic acquirers.  Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things: First, if you’re into learning from medical device founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter. And if you’re ready to level up your medtech game, you should check out Medsider Courses — 8-week masterclasses covering topics like fundraising, M&A and exit planning, design and development, clinical and regulatory strategy, and commercialization. These courses, featuring hard-earned lessons from elite medtech CEOs, can be purchased individually or come free with our All-Access Pass. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Greg Walters.

    53 min
  8. Building Faster by Questioning Dogma: Interview with Future Cardia CEO Jaeson Bang

    JAN 13

    Building Faster by Questioning Dogma: Interview with Future Cardia CEO Jaeson Bang

    In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Jaeson Bang, Founder & CEO of Future Cardia. Future Cardia is developing a subcutaneous heart-failure monitoring platform designed to capture both electrical and mechanical cardiac signals through a simple office-based procedure. Jaeson brings more than two decades of experience building implantable cardiac technologies across Medtronic, CVRx, EBR Systems, and Abiomed. Drawing on that background, he questioned industry assumptions around miniaturization and invasive workflows — and built a device that prioritizes performance, durability, and clinical practicality instead. In this interview, Jaeson shares how challenging a core constraint unlocked a faster development path, why deep domain expertise matters more than thrift in regulated markets, and how raising capital outside traditional VC can preserve leverage and buy time. If you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Jaeson Bang.

    55 min
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Learn from the brightest CEOs in medtech and healthtech. That's our primary goal with Medsider. We unpack the strategies, tactics, and secrets behind the most successful startups. Join tens of thousands of ambitious doers and get access to the top medical device and health technology thought leaders.

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