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

- Show: [Let's Combinate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate)
- Published: 2022-04-27
- Length: 1h 37m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letscombinate/episodes/030---Why-Dont-I-Try--with-Marc-Koska-e1hm36d

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=0) Introduction: Marc Koska and Apiject
- [2:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=173) Koska's Background and Courtroom Models
- [10:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=600) Identifying the Syringe Reuse Problem and K1 Design
- [21:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=1267) Overcoming Manufacturing Resistance and Licensing Model
- [52:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=3175) SafePoint Trust and Mandating Safer Syringes in India
- [1:07:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=4046) Apiject BFS Design and Biomimicry
- [1:28:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska#t=5290) Future Applications: Oxytocin and Global Access

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Apiject (company)
- K1 syringe (product)
- BFS (product)
- UNICEF (company)
- World Health Organization (company)
- SafePoint Trust (company)
- Tyco (company)
- Romlag (company)
- Becton Dickinson (company)
- Uniject (product)

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- [S2E12 What It’s Like Being A 40 Year Engineering Veteran At The Same Company | Bill Atterbury](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-03-12-s2e12-what-its-like-being-a-40-year-engineering-veteran-at-the-same-company-bill) (Being an Engineer)
- [434: I Love It, It's Exhausting](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-11-11-434-i-love-it-its-exhausting) (Embedded.fm)
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- [#019 - Chairless chair, with Keith Gunura of noonee, Switzerland](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-03-29-019-chairless-chair-with-keith-gunura-of-noonee-switzerland) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-04-27-030-why-dont-i-try-with-marc-koska. 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 Let's Combinate.