The MedTech Podcast

Cristiano Fontana, founder and CEO of Three Bridges, a Milan-based advisory firm helping early-stage MedTech companies navigate the full journey from innovation to market. With over 25 years in the industry starting in the family warehouse handling surgical drains and prostheses as a teenager, Cristiano has a perspective on this business that very few people can match.
In this episode, we kick things off with something a little different: a conversation about dressing well, the discipline behind it and why confidence is as much about how you present yourself as what you know. From there, we get into something both of us have strong opinions on. Cristiano breaks down why the conference ROI is so hard to measure, why ghosting has become an epidemic in the industry and why the real payoff from an event can take three years to materialise. He also delivers one of the most honest assessments you'll hear: that early-stage MedTech is just 3% of the industry and that the 97%, the commercial machine that actually drives revenue, is largely invisible to the innovation bubble.
We also explore what a better event model could look like, why trust beats value proposition every single time in a crowded advisory market and what innovators consistently get wrong when they think one conference pitch will change everything.
Timestamps
[00:00:33] Why Dressing Well Is a Form of Discipline, Not Vanity
[00:05:00] From the Family Warehouse to 25 Years in MedTech
[00:07:48] The 97% vs 3% Split That Nobody in Early Stage Wants to Hear
[00:08:37] What MedTech Conferences Are Getting Wrong
[00:09:35] The Ghosting Epidemic and What It Reveals About Human Nature
[00:10:14] Why Conference ROI Can Take Three Years to Show Up
[00:12:30] You Don't Sell on Value Proposition, You Sell on Trust
[00:13:17] The Uncomfortable Truth About So-Called Investors at Events
[00:20:42] What a Better, More Targeted Event Model Would Look Like
[00:30:41] Final Advice: Fill Your Gaps Fast and Stop Seeing Experts as a Cost

Connect with Cristiano - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristiano-fontana-medtech-businessdevelopment/
Learn more about ThreeBridges - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threebridges.it/
Get in touch with Karandeep Badwal - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karandeepbadwal/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Karandeep on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@KarandeepBadwal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dr. Manish Patel, co-founder and CEO of Jiva.ai and Chair of the AI Subcommittee at the BIA, where he advises the UK Government on AI policy, data privacy and healthcare applications. With a PhD in Modelling of Complex Systems from UCL and nearly a decade building algorithmic trading systems in investment banking, Manish brings a rare depth of perspective to the most overhyped term in healthcare right now.
In this episode, we cut through the noise on AI. Manish challenges the very language we use, explaining why most of what gets called "AI" is really machine learning, why large language models are fundamentally not intelligent and why that distinction has very real consequences when lives are on the line. We look at where AI genuinely adds value in healthcare, from radiology to NHS administrative workflows, and where it is being dangerously overhyped, including some very pointed thoughts on using consumer-grade LLMs to make clinical diagnoses.
We also explore how clinicians should think about AI as an augmenter rather than a replacement, why the productivity gains are real and where Manish believes the biggest untapped opportunity in healthcare actually sits. He closes with a frank take on what impressive AI looks like in a real clinical environment versus a polished demo and why the world is heading toward a very small group of people who truly understand what is happening under the hood.
Thanks for tuning in to Episode 99. Don't forget to subscribe and check the show notes to learn more about Manish's work at Jiva.ai and his advisory role shaping UK AI policy in healthcare.
Timestamps
[00:00:28] From the Human Genome Project to Machine Learning: Manish's Academic Origins
[00:02:09] AI Has Been Around Since the 1950s: The History Most People Don't Know
[00:04:09] Why Tacking "AI" onto Your Product Name Is a Problem
[00:05:24] Where Healthcare AI Really Is: Step Three Not Step 100
[00:06:06] Why Using Grok for Medical Diagnosis IsDangerous
[00:09:48] Should Clinicians Be Scared AI Will Take Their Jobs?[00:12:18] How to Actually Start Learning About AI: Where to Begin
[00:14:01] Writing the Book on AI Agents in 2011
[00:18:04] The Biggest Untapped Opportunity: Administrative AI Not Diagnostic AI
[00:20:40] What Real Clinical AI Success Looks Like vs a Polished Demo
Connect with Manish- ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/manish-patel/
Learn more about Jiva ai - ⁠⁠⁠https://jiva.ai/
Get in touch with Karandeep Badwal - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karandeepbadwal/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Karandeep on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@KarandeepBadwal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jordan Pollack, biomedical engineer, entrepreneur and CEO of Sub-Q Bionics. Jordan began his career at Boston Scientific, later founded VeinWay in Israel and is now focused on building a new treatment paradigm for lymphoedema in cancer survivors.
In this episode, we explore what actually creates momentum in MedTech, from networking with intent to building the resilience needed to survive the founder journey. Jordan shares why conferences alone rarely deliver results, how warm introductions and targeted roadshows outperform generic networking and what he had to unlearn after leaving corporate structure behind to become a startup CEO. He also offers a brutally honest take on entrepreneurship, explaining why the role is not for everyone and why persistence, resilience and equanimity matter more than titles or ambition alone.
We also go deep into the story behind Sub-Q Bionics and why Jordan chose to focus on lymphoedema, particularly in women recovering from cancer treatment. He explains the clinical reality of the disease, the lack of meaningful treatment options beyond maintenance, and why reimbursement, not just good technology, is often the deciding factor in whether a device company succeeds. Along the way, he shares sharp insights on women’s health being chronically underfunded, the differences between the U.S. and Israeli startup ecosystems, and why mission-led companies are far more likely to stay the course when things get hard.
Timestamps
[00:00:32] Why Generic Conferences Rarely Create Real MedTech Opportunity
[00:02:05] How Networking Shaped Jordan’s Move from Boston Scientific to Israel
[00:03:29] What Corporate MedTech Taught Him and What He Had to Unlearn
[00:05:54] Why Being a Founder Is Not for Everyone
[00:08:49] The Origin of Sub-Q Bionics and the Shift Toward True Disease Treatment
[00:11:53] What Lymphoedema Actually Is and Why It Is So Devastating
[00:14:06] Why Women’s Health Remains Underfunded and Where Innovation Is Emerging
[00:18:25] Why Reimbursement Matters More Than Technology Alone
[00:20:58] U.S. vs Israel: Two Very Different Startup Ecosystems
[00:25:10] Balancing Founder Life, Health, Travel and Relationships
Connect with Jordan - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-pollack-81464827/
Learn more about Sub-Q Bionics - ⁠⁠https://subqbionics.com/
Get in touch with Karandeep Badwal - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karandeepbadwal/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Karandeep on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@KarandeepBadwal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Dave Rosa, CEO and President of NeuroOne, medtech entrepreneur, board member and former executive at St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific and C.R. Bard. With three decades in medical devices and more than $200 million raised, Dave brings a rare mix of operator, inventor and capital markets experience to the future of neurotechnology and pain care.
In this episode, we unpack one of the biggest mistakes medtech companies make: building technology without enough real-world user feedback. Dave explains why innovation for the sake of innovation often fails, especially in larger companies, and why the best products are shaped by how physicians and patients actually use them. We also explore NeuroOne’s unique approach of combining diagnostics and therapeutics through the same electrode, and why that kind of multifunctional platform thinking can be both clinically powerful and commercially strategic.
A major theme in this conversation is regulatory strategy. Dave walks through NeuroOne’s deliberate “diagnostic first, therapeutic second” FDA pathway, explaining why starting with an easier regulatory indication can de-risk the technology, shorten timelines and create a stronger platform for later therapeutic claims. We also discuss the value of reusing the same generator across multiple indications, how founders often wait too long to engage with FDA, and why platform leverage matters from both a business and development perspective.
We also go deep on chronic pain and lower back pain. Dave shares why today’s pain solutions often fall short, how different triggers require different treatment approaches, and where technologies like ablation, stimulation and smarter electrode design could shift outcomes. He also highlights how seemingly small user-experience issues, like frequent recharging, can destroy patient adherence and wipe out billions in company value.
Timestamps
[00:00:08] Why MedTech Companies Fail When They Ignore Real User Feedback
[00:02:04] Innovation vs Iteration: When “New” Adds No Real Value
[00:02:22] Combining Diagnostics and Therapeutics With the Same Electrode
[00:03:52] Why NeuroOne Chose a Diagnostic-First FDA Strategy
[00:05:21] Pain Management Today: Ablation, Stimulation and Complex Back Pain
[00:08:21] What Is Fundamentally Broken in Lower Back Pain Solutions
[00:09:26] How Small Patient Frictions Can Destroy Adoption and Valuation
[00:11:11] The Power of Reusing the Same Generator Across Multiple Indications
[00:13:00] The FDA Mistake Many Founders Still Make
[00:21:15] Where Neurotechnology and Pain Management Are Heading Next

Connect with Dave - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daverosa/
Learn more about NeuroOne - ⁠https://nmtc1.com/
Get in touch with Karandeep Badwal - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karandeepbadwal/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Karandeep on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@KarandeepBadwal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Dr. Amel Havkic, founder of EvoMed Consulting and a lung and critical care specialist, hospital clinical lead. Amel works at the intersection of bedside medicine and MedTech strategy, helping innovators build clinician-approved solutions that scale safely across real healthcare systems.
In this episode, we unpack why “clinicians love it” is rarely enough to win adoption, and what hospital purchasing actually looks like when procurement, IT, finance, compliance and workflows all have a seat at the table. Amel breaks down why switching away from legacy tools is painful, how integrations can break care pathways, and why solutions that feel like a natural part of the hospital ecosystem win faster. He also shares a practical lens for building frictionless implementation by aligning with standards like HL7, FHIR and DICOM, while proving measurable value for patients and payers.
We also go deep on decentralising healthcare. Amel explains how the Dutch model centralises high-end expertise while decentralising access through remote monitoring and home-based onboarding, and why this becomes a winning approach as staffing pressures rise. On AI, he makes the case for reframing it as augmented intelligence, not autonomy, and shows where decision support can raise the baseline of care by supporting clinicians in time-critical situations, as well as offloading admin burden that drains capacity.
Finally, Amel shares the thinking behind the EMC StarMap framework, a navigation tool built from real-world patterns of what makes MedTech succeed or fail. His core message is simple: regulatory approval is a milestone, but clinical adoption is the real finish line.
Timestamps
[00:00:05] Clinician + Consultant Lens: Seeing Adoption and Safety Risks
[00:01:22] Why “Physicians Love It” Does Not Mean Hospitals Will Buy
[00:03:27] What Hospitals Consider Beyond Cost: Workflow, Integration and Training
[00:05:09] Frictionless Implementation: Standards, EHR Fit and “Team Player” Products
[00:06:24] Real Clinical Workflow: ICU Reality and Why UI Clicks Matter
[00:07:31] Decentralising Care: Centralised Expertise With Home-Based Delivery
[00:10:37] AI in Healthcare: Reframing as Augmented Intelligence
[00:12:55] Staffing Shortages: Where AI Can Remove Waste and Scale Expertise
[00:14:38] If You Could Change One Thing: Put the Patient Back at the Center
[00:16:59] StarMap: Measuring What Drives Clinical Adoption
Connect with Amel - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-havkic/
Learn more about Evomed Consulting - https://evomed-consulting.eu/
Get in touch with Karandeep Badwal - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karandeepbadwal/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Karandeep on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@KarandeepBadwal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to the Podcast