030 - "Why Don't I Try?" with Marc Koska

Let's Combinate · 27 Apr 2022 · 1h 37m

What this episode covers

Marc Koska, founder of Apiject, explains how he identified the global health crisis of syringe reuse and developed the K1 auto-disabled syringe by modifying existing injection molds with a small mechanical valve. He details the 21-year struggle to convince conservative manufacturers to adopt the technology, leading to its adoption by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, and his advocacy work in India to mandate safer syringes. Koska then discusses his current work at Apiject on the BFS (Blow Fill Seal) single-dose injector, a biomimetic device inspired by honeybees that eliminates glass vials and enables self-administration of drugs like oxytocin.

Mentioned

Companies
Apiject, UNICEF, World Health Organization, SafePoint Trust, Tyco, Romlag, Becton Dickinson
Products
K1 syringe, BFS, Uniject

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Being an Engineer · 35m

    S1E02 $1k to $25M in 12 years | Dan Kasprzyk

    Dan Kasprzyk, CEO of Poba Medical and Symple Surgical and board member of Machine Solutions, recounts his journey from a bioengineering student at ASU to building Machine Solutions from $1,000 to $25 million in revenue over 12 years. He explains how his team developed a specialized crimping technology for balloon catheters, successfully selling to major medical device companies like Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Johnson & Johnson by solving a critical manufacturing pain point that large internal teams could not address. Kasprzyk details the strategic decision to focus on this specific product-led growth, which allowed the company to scale to 100 employees and eventually attract private equity interest, leading to his current ventures in microwave ablation and testing equipment.

  • Being an Engineer · 45m

    S2E12 What It’s Like Being A 40 Year Engineering Veteran At The Same Company | Bill Atterbury

    Bill Atterbury, a 40-year engineering veteran at Battelle, discusses his career designing medical devices, including insulin pens and auto-injectors, and the importance of process in engineering. He details his approach to brainstorming with facilitators and the evolution of design tools from punch cards to modern 3D CAD and FEA simulation using software like ANSYS. Atterbury also covers the shift toward connected health devices, such as on-body injectors for monoclonal antibodies, and the use of rapid prototyping technologies like Markforged printers for test fixtures.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 01m

    434: I Love It, It's Exhausting

    Sarah Withee, a polyglot software engineer and creator of Code Thesaurus, discusses her experience using the Open Artificial Pancreas System (OpenAPS) to manage Type 1 diabetes. She explains how open-source hardware like the RileyLink and OrangeLink bridges glucose sensors and insulin pumps, often outperforming proprietary medical devices from companies like Medtronic and Tandem. Withee also shares insights on her career philosophy of mastering multiple programming languages and her extensive volunteer work mentoring FIRST Robotics teams.

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 43m

    #381: MedTech Advice from an Accidental Entrepreneur

    Dr. Asha Parekh, CEO and co-founder of Frontline Medical Technologies, explains how she transitioned from a biomedical engineering PhD to an accidental entrepreneur with vascular surgeon Dr. Adam Power. They developed the COBRA-OS, a bleeding control device used in trauma care, military settings, and Formula One race tracks. Parekh discusses the critical role of passion in overcoming challenges, the art of pitching to secure millions in funding, and the importance of founders remaining the ultimate experts on their device's regulatory pathway rather than relying blindly on consultants.

  • The Hardware Entrepreneur · 29m

    #019 - Chairless chair, with Keith Gunura of noonee, Switzerland

    Keith Gunura, co-founder and CEO of noonee in Zurich, explains the development of the Chairless Chair, a passive wearable device designed to alleviate back pain for industrial workers who stand all day. He details the product's origin at ETH Zurich, the decision to strip away complex motors and sensors to focus on simple passive dynamics, and the pivotal, albeit chaotic, media exposure from a CNN segment. Gunura also discusses the company's transition from a university spin-out to scaling production with the help of the engineering firm Zulke, and the challenges of pricing and validating the product with early corporate partners like BMW and Audi.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Let's Combinate. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.