Build For Impact

Ryan Ruff
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Entrepreneurship

Build For Impact, hosted by MedTech executive and startup advisor Chris Danek, takes you behind the scenes of building successful medical technology companies. Through candid conversations with founders, investors, and industry leaders, the show explores the strategies, challenges, and decisions that turn breakthrough ideas into sustainable, scalable businesses that create lasting impact.

Episodes

  1. Nov 4

    From Investor to Innovator: A Career Built on Breakthroughs (Feat: Renee Ryan)

    What does it take to turn decades of experience in MedTech investing, entrepreneurship, and leadership into the next healthcare breakthrough? In Episode 2 of Build For Impact, host Chris Danek welcomes Renee Ryan, Co-Founder and CEO of Pinprint, for a conversation about the many sides of healthcare innovation and the experiences that shape successful founders and leaders. From investment banking and her time investing at Johnson & Johnson to her involvement in Verb Surgical and her current work at Pinprint, Renee has experienced MedTech innovation from nearly every angle. Now she's helping advance a new generation of precision-manufactured microneedle technology with potential applications in drug delivery, vaccines, and tissue sampling. Together, Chris and Renee explore how Pinprint is leveraging advanced 3D printing technology, why strategic partnerships can give startups access to expertise far beyond their internal resources, and how rapid innovation must be balanced with the discipline required to deliver reliable results. But this conversation goes well beyond technology. Renee shares a powerful story about supporting an early-stage healthcare innovator, discusses what separates effective board members from disruptive ones, and explains why mentorship and peer support are essential to sustaining the next generation of MedTech entrepreneurs. Whether you're a MedTech founder, investor, executive, or aspiring innovator, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on building companies, supporting people, and creating breakthroughs that sustain and scale. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Build For Impact: Meet Renee Ryan 00:41 Introducing Pinprint and Its Origins 02:05 Microneedle Technology and Precision 3D Printing 03:25 Finding the Right Healthcare Applications 06:35 From Drug Delivery to Tissue Sampling 08:00 Why Focus Matters for Startups 09:10 Rethinking Diagnostics and Patient Experience 10:20 Strategic Partnerships and Startup Growth 12:30 Rapid Innovation and Manufacturing at Scale 14:45 The Importance of Disciplined Execution 15:55 Building the MedTech Innovation Community 17:15 A Mentorship Story That Made a Difference 20:45 What Makes a Great Board Member? 24:20 Advice for the Next Generation of Innovators 27:20 The Importance of Following Through 28:35 Advice for First-Time Founders and CEOs 30:40 Final Thoughts and How to Connect 31:35 About Build For Impact and Bessel

  2. Oct 5

    Great Ideas Aren't Enough: How To Build For Impact

    What does it really take to build a MedTech company that creates lasting impact? In the inaugural episode of Build For Impact, we explore why founders need to look beyond their next fundraising round and focus on building sustainable, scalable companies that deliver meaningful results for patients, clinicians and the broader healthcare ecosystem. Joined by moderator Ryan Ruff, we discuss the three cultures that drive high-performing teams, the importance of strategic alignment, and the realities of navigating some of the most difficult moments in a startup's journey. Through real-world stories, including a founder facing the sudden loss of grant funding and another navigating a complex financing round, we explore what it means to be a trusted advisor when the stakes are high. We also introduce our Build for Impact program, including its three sprints focused on strategy, rapid innovation and fundraising, along with the growing community we're building through our accelerator cohorts and annual Showcase. Whether you're a MedTech founder, investor, startup executive or innovator, this episode is an invitation to rethink what it means to build a company worth funding. Because the ultimate goal isn't simply raising capital. It's creating healthcare breakthroughs that sustain and scale. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Build For Impact 00:43 Why We Launched the Show 01:39 What Does Building for Impact Really Mean? 03:00 Why Sustainability and Scalability Matter 04:50 The Call to Excellence 06:00 Three Cultures of High-Performing Teams 09:00 Helping Struggling Startups Get Back on Track 12:35 When a Founder Loses Critical Funding 17:30 Helping a Founder Close a Financing Round 21:40 Office Hours: Becoming a Trusted Advisor 25:10 The Build for Impact Program: Three Sprints 29:50 Building a Community of MedTech Innovators 32:25 Advice for Founders and the Build for Impact Showcase 36:15 The Mindsets Behind Lasting Impact

  • 2 Episodes

About

Build For Impact, hosted by MedTech executive and startup advisor Chris Danek, takes you behind the scenes of building successful medical technology companies. Through candid conversations with founders, investors, and industry leaders, the show explores the strategies, challenges, and decisions that turn breakthrough ideas into sustainable, scalable businesses that create lasting impact.

Information

  • Creator
    Ryan Ruff
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Ryan Ruff
  • Show Website
    Build For Impact