Project Medtech

In this powerful episode, Laura Corcoran, CEO and Founder of Dignity Care, shares the deeply personal experience that drove her to invent the Miscarriage Collection Cradle, a patented Class I medical device designed to bring practical support and dignity to women managing miscarriage or pregnancy loss. Laura walks through the realities of home miscarriage management, the need for reliable collection for cytogenetic testing, and how gaps in standard care can compound trauma. The conversation explores how she translated an unmet need into a scalable product—rapid NHS adoption, health-economic evidence showing major system savings, and the stakeholder strategy required to drive change from hospitals to Parliament. Laura also discusses FDA clearance and plans for U.S. launch, and closes with advice for innovators: obsess over understanding the problem, and the right solution will follow.Laura Corcoran LinkedInDignity Care Network WebsiteDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Megan Shaw, CEO of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance, and Will Kaigler, co-founder and CEO of SovaSage, join the Project Medtech podcast to unpack what it really takes to build, scale, and ultimately create optionality in health tech startups. Megan shares her journey from being the first employee at HemoSonics to launching PLSA in 2024 to accelerate Pittsburgh’s life sciences ecosystem. Will reflects on his experience with multiple startups, and explains how sovaSage is reimagining sleep apnea management to improve outcomes and lower costs. Together, they discuss why customer value—not fixation on an exit—drives success, how to hire the right early team without over-hiring, and why systems and rigorous user discovery can make or break a company. They close with a deep dive into Pittsburgh’s unique strengths and upcoming opportunities to plug into the region’s innovation community.Will Kaigler LinkedInMegan Shaw LinkedInsovaSage WebsitePittsburgh Life Science Alliance WebsiteDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, pulmonologist, intensivist, and advanced bronchoscopist Huzaifah Salat joins Duane Manicini to unpack what’s changing in lung cancer care, and why the biggest constraint in MedTech isn’t the FDA, funding, or clinician adoption, but founders building for clinicians instead of with them. Huzaifah shares how robotic bronchoscopy, advanced imaging, and better CT quality are enabling diagnosis of tiny, moving lung nodules, and why the next wave may be non-invasive diagnostics like blood-based, saliva, or bronchial secretion testing. He offers an inside look at serving as a regional medical director and physician voice to the C-suite, where “no margin, no mission” meets patient-first priorities, and explains how diverse frontline perspectives, beyond physicians alone, shape products that truly fit real clinical workflows.Huzaifah Salat LinkedInDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Alicia Wagner shares the deeply personal journey that led her to build Sunra Health after her daughter’s long and traumatic health challenges exposed major gaps in how pediatrics handles chronic conditions. She breaks down Sunra Health as an AI-powered pediatric health platform paired with an at-home cheek-swab genetic test, designed to help families and clinicians move from “guessing” to more personalized, data-informed early childhood wellness decisions. The conversation explores how Sunra aims to function as an FDA-aligned clinical decision support tool, why direct-to-consumer access is a key early strategy, and how AI can responsibly translate complex genetic insights into practical guidance, education, and care planning. Alicia also shares hard-earned founder lessons on resilience, pitching, and educating in a controversial space.Alicia Wagner LinkedInSunra Health WebsiteDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Tony Mango and Evan Gomez from Orlando Health’s Strategic Innovations team break down how a major nonprofit health system accelerates ideas from its 40,000+ team members into real solutions. They explain Orlando Health’s unique capability to develop medical devices in-house under FDA registration, how they triage innovation disclosures, and when they choose outside-in partnerships versus building internally based on speed, workflow fit, and adoption. The conversation explores the realities of commercialization—reimbursement, CFO-driven purchasing, long U.S. sales cycles, and why great technology can still fail without economic alignment. They also share how Orlando Health uses innovation as a recruitment and retention engine, expands regionally, and builds industry connections through curated clinical immersion sessions. Tony Mango LinkedInEvan Gomez LinkedInOrlando Health WebsiteDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Cory Criss joins Duane Mancini to share his path from pediatric surgeon to building innovation infrastructure at Nationwide Children’s and helping launch the Midwest Pediatric Device Consortium (MPDC), an FDA-funded Pediatric Device Consortium created to accelerate pediatric device development. The conversation breaks down why pediatrics is uniquely hard—small, fragmented markets and the need for multi-institutional clinical evidence—alongside the stark funding gap, with less than 1% of VC dollars going to pediatric-only companies despite children representing 25% of the population. Corey explains how Nationwide’s Innovation Center de-risks and educates through an innovation fellowship, and how MPDC unites Nationwide, Cincinnati Children’s, Ohio State, Cleveland Clinic Children’s, and others to support pediatric startups nationwide with expert evaluation, hospital access, and non-dilutive funding. They also discuss lessons learned managing multi-institution partnerships, sustainability beyond grant funding, and why clinician and hospital buy-in is critical for international startups entering the U.S. market.Cory Criss LinkedInNationwide Children’s Hospital WebsiteMPDC WebsiteMPDC YouTube ChannelPediatric Device Consortium: Cardiovascular Focus Event Registration Duane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Duane Mancini speaks with vascular neurologist Anit Behera about what it takes to improve stroke care from the ER through long-term recovery. Anit shares his path through an MD-PhD in outcomes research, how consulting and clinical trials shaped his innovation mindset, and why stroke care advancement spans four phases: prevention, acute treatment, post-acute care, and rehabilitation. He explains where he sees major opportunity next, pointing to emerging devices and research in post-stroke rehab alongside stronger prevention strategies and better health literacy. The conversation also breaks down how clinicians evaluate new technologies, emphasizing rigorous data, patient safety, and real-world workflow fit, plus the role of key opinion leaders and conferences in driving adoption. Anit Behera LinkedInDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Jenny Lynn—founder of milkmade and a mom-turned-entrepreneur—shares how a frightening breastfeeding experience, including an undiagnosed tongue tie and the exhausting “weighted feed” routine, sparked the idea for a Smart Nipple Shield that can deliver continuous, actionable insight into infant milk intake. The conversation explores why breastfeeding—despite being the clinical “gold standard”—so often breaks down early, driven by perceived and actual low milk supply, fragmented care, and limited access to lactation support, especially in rural communities. Jenny Lynn also unpacks her path from marketing and health tech into regulated medtech, including patents, pursuing clinical validation, and navigating a Class II De Novo pathway with no predicate. Jenny Lynn Walding LinkedInmilkmade Website“Invisible Women” by Caroline Criado Perez“She Persisted” by Chelsea Clinton & Alexandra Boiger Duane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

Join us for a special 250th episode of The Project Medtech Podcast as host Duane Mancini and Director of Marketing and Engagement, Lindsey Dinneen, flip the script. Duane shares the journey from the podcast's inception during the height of COVID-19 to becoming a consulting, networking, and education resource for medtech startups. They delve into the core philosophy of creating value, the realities of team-building, and the exhilarating moments of client success. This episode is a candid reflection on the impact of the Project Medtech mission, the importance of a value-driven approach, and exciting future prospects. Lindsey Dinneen LinkedInDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Duane Mancini welcomes Aileen Helsel, Director of Innovation at Carilion Clinic, to discuss the exciting advancements in healthcare innovation in Roanoke, Virginia. Aileen shares her journey from academia to technology transfer and ultimately to her current role, emphasizing the transition from research to real-world application. They explore Carilion Clinic's unique position serving a diverse population, including rural communities, and how this drives impactful healthcare solutions. Aileen Helsel LinkedInCarilion Clinic InnovationDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

In this episode, Duane Mancini sits down with Katie Brinkman to discuss the nuances of biocompatibility, the critical role of biological evaluation plans, and the evolving regulatory landscape, including the importance of risk assessment. Katie also shares her experience with biocompatibility evaluation during significant regulatory changes such as EU MDR remediation and the 10993 standard updates.Katie Brinkman LinkedInHohenstein WebsiteHohenstein Group LinkedInDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

Duane Mancini chats with Michael Challenor to discuss his entrepreneurial journey in the medtech industry, starting from his early passion for invention through his pivotal experiences in the Stanford Biodesign program in Perth, to co-founding Vital Trace. He highlights his current venture, Innovate Medtech, which supports medtech startups with grants, fundraising, and product development. Michael shares valuable insights into the Australian medtech ecosystem, the significance of team and culture, and offers crucial advice for aspiring medtech entrepreneurs. Michael Challenor LinkedInInnovate MedtechAusMedtech 2026Duane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedIn

Duane Mancini welcomes Emily Adams, Co-Founder of Leading with Human Design, who shares her remarkable journey from growing up in the Amish culture to becoming a leader in the tech and consulting world. Emily details her escape at 17, her transition into the corporate world, her rapid rise in the automotive manufacturing industry, and her healing journey through therapy and powerlifting, which led her to discover human design. Now, with her tech platform, she helps teams understand their unique working and decision-making styles to improve leadership and team dynamics. Emily Adams LinkedInLeading with Human Design Website“From Choice to Change” BookDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedIn