# S6E35 Spencer Jones | AI for Engineers, Finding Venture Capital, & Accelerating Medtech Development

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2025-08-29
- Length: 57m
- Episode: 35
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec

## Summary

Spencer Jones, CEO of Lapovations and founder of XO Medtech, discusses his journey from registered nurse to serial medtech entrepreneur, highlighting the development of SafeBreak Vascular and AbGrab. He details the critical role of accelerators in securing early 'dirt money' and provides strategic advice on navigating venture capital fundraising, emphasizing the importance of warm intros and comprehensive data rooms. Jones also shares how he leverages AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Roboflow to accelerate product development, investor outreach, and engineering workflows, while warning startups against skipping customer discovery and over-engineering prototypes.

## Chapters

- [0:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=13) Introduction: Spencer Jones and Lapovations
- [1:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=112) Transition from Nursing to Entrepreneurship via Accelerators
- [5:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=303) Developing SafeBreak Vascular and Patent Strategy
- [7:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=448) Navigating Accelerators and Avoiding Bad Terms
- [14:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=869) Venture Capital Fundraising Strategies and Family Offices
- [22:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=1376) XO Medtech: Training Platform and Community
- [29:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=1776) AI Tools for Engineering and Operations
- [38:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=2331) Common Medtech Startup Mistakes and MVP Philosophy
- [46:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec#t=2785) Accelerating Development with 'Respectfully Aggressive' Execution

## Topics

- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- SafeBreak Vascular (product)
- AbGrab (product)
- Lapovations (company)
- XO Medtech (company)
- ChatGPT (tool)
- Claude (tool)
- Roboflow (tool)
- Gumloop (tool)
- Mermaid (tool)
- Dia Browser (tool)
- Fathom (tool)
- Shadow.do (tool)
- ZeroTo510 (company)
- Innovate Arkansas (company)
- ComboSpine (company)
- Medtech Vendors (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#423: Inside the Investor's Mind: What VCs Look For in MedTech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2025-09-08-423-inside-the-investors-mind-what-vcs-look-for-in-medtech) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#455: MedTech Founder 101: Shifting from Corporate to Startup with John Schindler](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-04-13-455-medtech-founder-101-shifting-from-corporate-to-startup-with-john-schindler) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#424: The MedTech Startup Survival Guide with Steve Bell](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2025-09-15-424-the-medtech-startup-survival-guide-with-steve-bell) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [Hatch Duo: Industrial Design, Navigating AI, Branding, Hardware Innovation | Hard Tech Podcast #16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-03-20-hatch-duo-industrial-design-navigating-ai-branding-hardware-innovation-hard-tech) (Hard Tech Podcast)
- [#398: Game-Changing Connections in MedTech: Inside LSI with Scott Pantel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2025-02-13-398-game-changing-connections-in-medtech-inside-lsi-with-scott-pantel) (Global Medical Device Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-08-29-s6e35-spencer-jones-ai-for-engineers-finding-venture-capital-accelerating-medtec. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.