Beyond the Device

Beyond the Device by Capu Search
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Duncan & Nathan have been recruiting into the MedTech industry for well over a decade, and together they co-host Beyond the Device - a podcast that explores the human story behind the job title. Each episode uncovers the defining moments that have shaped the lives and careers of leaders across medical technology - from early influences and setbacks to the lessons learned along the way. Honest, vulnerable and deeply personal - Beyond the Device goes beyond companies and titles to show that success isn’t linear, and we’re all on our own journeys.

  1. 17h ago

    Jeff Karp: The One Question That Rewired How He Thinks (and 13 Companies Later)

    When Jeff Karp was in second grade the school wanted to hold him back. A teacher told him to set his sights lower because he didn't have what it took to be a doctor. He was a C and D student with undiagnosed ADHD and learning differences, last picked for every team.He's now a professor at Harvard Medical School, holds an endowed chair at Brigham and Women's Hospital, has published over 170 papers and more than 100 patents, sits in the top 0.1% most cited researchers in the world, and 13 companies have been built out of his lab. He's also written a book, LIT.In this episode we go back to the start. The summer between second and third grade when a tutor asked him one question, "how did you think about that?", and everything changed. His mum going up against the school board with every report card he'd ever had. Getting booed off stage in ninth grade. Beating the quarterback for student council. Writing over 100 grants in his first two and a half years as faculty and having almost all of them rejected.We also get into why he treats every conversation as an experiment, the difference between networking and building relationships, why he says most of his patents came directly out of failures, what he actually does in the moment when a project feels dead, and why he thinks the best thing you can do for someone is tell them what you see in them.Chapters00:00 Intro01:52 Second grade and the basement classroom07:13 "You don't have what it takes to be a doctor"10:26 His mum: "the school system is disabled, not you"14:02 The question that changed everything20:08 Where the shame came from24:08 Networking vs relationships29:25 Taking care of yourself to think clearly31:35 Believe in others38:12 Undiagnosed ADHD and his mum vs the school board41:56 Booed off stage, then beating the quarterback45:00 Kids just need one thing they're good at50:55 100 grant rejections and "this will never help anybody"58:43 What to actually do when a project fails01:06:02 Why his patents come from failures01:09:39 What still excites him01:14:08 Where medtech is heading If this episode made you think about your own turning point and you'd like to share it, get in touch with Nathan or Duncan.#BeyondTheDevice #MedTech #MedicalDevices #Innovation #Harvard

    Jeff Karp: The One Question That Rewired How He Thinks (and 13 Companies Later)

  2. Oct 7

    He Built a $5.75B Surgical Robotics Company… and Only Later Realised Why | Chris Velis

    Every now and then a name gets suggested to us and we think, there's no chance we're getting them on. Chris Velis was one of those. 30 years in medtech and finance. Trained at Merrill Lynch, built the medtech practice at Brown Brothers Harriman, represented 150+ medical device companies and negotiated close to $10bn in M&A. In the middle of the 2008 crash he co-founded Auris, the surgical robotics company J&J later acquired for $5.75bn. But we don't do the CV on this podcast. In the first episode of Series 3 we talk about the person behind it. Watching his dad, an oral surgeon, at work as a kid. Losing him to cancer as a teenager and walking away from medicine completely. A colleague's "headache" that turned out to be an aneurysm, and how that pushed him into medtech. And the moment years later when he realised the robotics he'd been building might have been about his dad all along. We also get into hating sales and cold calls, the recruiter who told him he was an introvert and changed his career, therapy and being diagnosed with ADHD at 45, how lonely leadership gets, and why he thinks entrepreneurship can be taught (and why being told it can't made him so angry). Chris's medtech entrepreneurship programme: https://aeioumedical.org Chapters 00:00 Intro – Series 3, Episode 1 02:24 Growing up around his dad's surgery 10:26 Losing his dad and walking away from medicine 15:49 Sales, business school and Wall Street 20:39 The headache that changed everything 29:27 His first medtech deal: a $375m spine exit 32:40 Endovia, Hansen and the call from Columbia 47:03 Realising why he built it 51:50 Mental health, therapy and ADHD 54:57 Hating sales and cold calls 58:59 The recruiter who changed his trajectory 01:05:16 Why leadership is lonely 01:11:05 What he's doing now – teaching medtech entrepreneurship 01:21:57 What would his dad think? 01:26:06 One final lesson If this episode made you think about your own turning point and you'd like to share it, get in touch with Nathan or Duncan. #BeyondTheDevice #MedTech #MedicalDevices #SurgicalRobotics #Entrepreneurship

    He Built a $5.75B Surgical Robotics Company… and Only Later Realised Why | Chris Velis

  3. Jun 22

    Ep 36: The Coin Toss That Changed Everything – Chris Weatherall

    What happens when a coin toss changes the course of your life?   In this episode of Beyond the Device, Chris Weatherall reflects on a 30-year journey through engineering, quality, regulatory affairs, leadership and innovation. After narrowly missing out on an apprenticeship with Williams F1 through a coin toss, Chris found his way into engineering via an unconventional route, eventually building a career that has spanned diagnostics, manufacturing, consultancy and cutting-edge surgical robotics.   Chris shares the defining moments that shaped him, from being told by a teacher that he would "never make an engineer", to being made redundant and finding his way into MedTech, and later taking the leap into consultancy after successfully delivering a major manufacturing programme against the odds. Along the way, he discusses resilience, self-belief, leadership, mental health, and why curiosity remains one of the most important qualities for long-term success.   Now working with pioneering robotic microsurgery technology at MicroSure, Chris reflects on the future of healthcare, the importance of culture and values, and why life is too short to live with "what ifs".

    Ep 36: The Coin Toss That Changed Everything – Chris Weatherall

  4. Jun 15

    Ep35 - Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t - Elizabeth Blake

    Elizabeth Blake’s career has taken her from clinical healthcare into the commercial world of MedTech, ultimately leading her to launch Apple Orchard Marketing and support innovative startups. But in 2024, while training to qualify for the Age Group Aquabike World Championships, a life-changing cycling accident left her with a spinal cord injury and forced her to rethink everything she knew about success, identity and resilience. In this powerful conversation, Elizabeth shares how she’s navigated recovery, adapted to a completely different way of life, and learned to focus on what she can control. Her message is simple but powerful: don’t get overwhelmed by the end goal, just aim to be 1% better each day.

    Ep35 - Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t - Elizabeth Blake

  5. Jun 2

    Episode 34: From Energy to MedTech: Russell Payne's Story of Impact

    Support the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation in memory of Russell Payne: https://roycastle.org/ways-to-give/donations/ In this episode of Beyond the Device, hosts Duncan Cameron and Nathan Puxty sit down with Russell Payne to explore the defining moments that shaped his remarkable career and outlook on life. Russell shares his journey from a self-described distracted student to earning a PhD, building and scaling a successful energy consultancy, and ultimately transitioning into the world of MedTech. Along the way, he reflects on the lessons learned from entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and the desire to create meaningful impact through technology. This conversation goes beyond job titles and achievements, offering an honest look at the experiences, challenges, and motivations that influenced Russell's path. It's a thoughtful discussion about resilience, purpose, helping others, and finding opportunities where you least expect them. Hosted by Duncan Cameron & Nathan Puxty.

    Episode 34: From Energy to MedTech: Russell Payne's Story of Impact

  6. May 5

    Episode 33: From the Mines to MedTech CEO

    Andrew Mullen’s story is built on work ethic, curiosity, and a mindset that refuses to stay still.Growing up in a coal mining community, value was simple: you worked hard or you didn’t matter. That environment shaped his early drive, but not his destination. From the mines to the Royal Navy, and eventually into MedTech, his path wasn’t planned, it was taken one opportunity at a time.  The defining moment came later. Standing in a chaotic radiotherapy department, surrounded by patients waiting for life-changing treatment, he realised something fundamental: Fixing the machine wasn’t enough. That moment shifted everything. From being a technically strong engineer, to someone focused on improving systems, scaling impact, and ultimately helping more people.  From there, Andrew deliberately pushed himself beyond his comfort zone, learning the commercial, operational, and leadership sides of the industry. Along the way, imposter syndrome was constant, but so was the decision to keep showing up anyway. Now, as a multi-time CEO, his edge isn’t just technical knowledge, it’s perspective. Staying calm, seeing the bigger picture, and understanding how all the pieces fit together. The core message is simple: Your background shapes you, but it doesn’t define you. What matters is how you respond, how you learn, and whether you’re willing to step into things before you feel ready.

    Episode 33: From the Mines to MedTech CEO

  7. Apr 29

    Episode 32: Taking ownership, with Paul Fletcher-Dyer

    Paul Fletcher-Dyer didn’t plan a career in medtech, he found it by following what felt natural. From early lab work to global QA/RA leadership, his path has been shaped by one defining lesson. Early in his career, Paul experienced a moment where he did everything right, but still carried the blame for a failed outcome. It knocked his confidence for over a year and forced him to rethink how he works. That experience now underpins everything he does. He leads with ownership, open conversations, and a clear belief that bottling things up is where problems start.  Today, operating in the fast-moving world of AI in healthcare, Paul sees the same theme playing out at scale: rapid innovation, slow regulation, and the need for people who can take responsibility in the grey areas. This episode is about resilience, accountability, and saying things out loud before they build up.

    Episode 32: Taking ownership, with Paul Fletcher-Dyer

  8. Apr 13

    Episode 31: Navigating self-doubt and earning your place – Andrew Rogers

    In this episode of Beyond the Device, Andrew Rogers shares a career shaped less by certainty and more by resilience.   From struggling at school and “winging it” into his first role, to building a 30+ year career in QA/RA, Andrew opens up about a constant undercurrent of imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Despite this, it’s that very mindset that’s driven him to work harder and consistently deliver. This episode covers: Non-linear career paths and finding your way without a clear planTurning self-doubt into a driver rather than a blockerThe importance of environment, support, and perspectiveA grounded reminder that you don’t need complete confidence to build a successful career, just the willingness to keep going and do your best. “Don’t limit yourself to what you think in your head… you can do more than that.”

    Episode 31: Navigating self-doubt and earning your place – Andrew Rogers
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About

Duncan & Nathan have been recruiting into the MedTech industry for well over a decade, and together they co-host Beyond the Device - a podcast that explores the human story behind the job title. Each episode uncovers the defining moments that have shaped the lives and careers of leaders across medical technology - from early influences and setbacks to the lessons learned along the way. Honest, vulnerable and deeply personal - Beyond the Device goes beyond companies and titles to show that success isn’t linear, and we’re all on our own journeys.

Information

  • Creator
    Beyond the Device by Capu Search
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Beyond the Device by Capu Search
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Device