lsiusasummit

[lsiusasummit]

What's Next for Renal Denervation? | LSI USA '25

Industry experts Howard Levin (Gelixir Healthcare), Lisa Carmel (Medtech Women), Karun Naga (The Foundry), and moderator Jie Wang discuss emerging trends, innovations, and future directions in renal denervation technology. For more information watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsj5ycxHmQE&t=152s

[lsiusasummit]

A New Imperative for Cardiac Wearables: Inclusivity, Interoperability, and Insight

Central to Ali’s perspective is the necessity of diverse data. “Most of the machine learning models were based on 65-year-old white males,” he explained. “So the previous data may not represent the cohort that you’re trying to apply these models to.” This imbalance extends to data management and integration. “There’s death by data,” Ali said. “Accurate data is key. MD doesn’t just mean medical doctor; it means make decisions.”Ali called for agnostic, interoperable dashboards that integrate with existing EMRs. Without this, providers face a flood of data with little guidance on clinical relevance. For more information visit here: https://www.sharepresentation.com/LSIUSA26/imperative-cardiac-wearables-inclusivity-interoperability-insight

[lsiusasummit]

AI in Cardiovascular Imaging: Solving Complexity with Intelligence

Artificial intelligence continues to gain ground across healthcare, but no specialty appears more ready, or more in need, of transformation than cardiovascular care. From improving diagnostics to enabling automation, AI in cardiovascular imaging is creating new possibilities for how providers detect, monitor, and intervene in heart disease. At LSI USA ’25, industry leaders from GE HealthCare, CorVista Health, Vista.ai, and Recode Ventures explored why cardiovascular medicine has become a proving ground for AI’s most advanced use cases, and what’s next.

Why Cardiology Leads the AI Curve

“Cardiology is rich with data: structured, multimodal data. Many problems in this field lend themselves well to automation and pattern recognition,” said Gera, who leads Cardiovascular and Interventional solutions at GE HealthCare. “It’s not just about workflow or clinical decision support. AI can elevate itself across the care continuum, from screening to diagnostics to intervention, all the way through follow-up.”

Vidian, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Recode Ventures, reinforced that trend from an investor’s lens. “We invest at the intersection of AI and healthcare because we believe AI is going to be fundamentally disruptive to CapEx and OpEx.”

But as Lam, CEO of CorVista Health, emphasized, cardiovascular care is not only data-rich but problem-rich. “It’s a multifactorial issue,” he said. “Access, compliance, adherence, and behavioral inertia all play a role. And because the problem is complex, the solution has to be multifactorial too. That’s where different types of AI for different use cases come in.”

Data, Complexity, and the Role of AI in Cardiovascular Imaging

The panelists agreed that imaging, especially cardiac MRI, represents one of the most immediate opportunities for AI-enabled improvement. “Cardiovascular imaging is very complicated,” said Hawkins, CEO of Vista.ai. “You have to manage breathing, EKGs, angles, and tissue properties. Properly trained AI, with the right datasets, can manage all that complexity better than a human.”

That complexity, Hawkins noted, is exactly why so few MRI machines in the US are used regularly for cardiac imaging: just 2 percent. “It’s the clinical gold standard, but it’s literally too hard to do. AI can change that.”

The quality of datasets is also a defining factor in whether a solution can move beyond point algorithms into system-level change. “We get excited when the data becomes multimodal,” Gera said. “That’s when you can start solving bigger problems and stitching together workflows across the care continuum.”

This blog is originally published here: https://www.lsiusasummit.com/news/ai-in-cardiovascular-imaging-solving-complexity-with-intelligence

[lsiusasummit]

Keynote with Joe Kiani, the Founder, Chairman, CEO of Willow Labs, and Founder of Masimo

Joe Kiani took the stage during this keynote sharing insights on the operations at Willow Labs and his story about founding Masimo. For more information visit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNQD71Cv8Aw&t=10s

[lsiusasummit]

A New Imperative for Cardiac Wearables: Inclusivity, Interoperability, and Insight

Central to Ali’s perspective is the necessity of diverse data. “Most of the machine learning models were based on 65-year-old white males,” he explained. “So the previous data may not represent the cohort that you’re trying to apply these models to.” This imbalance extends to data management and integration. “There’s death by data,” Ali said. “Accurate data is key. MD doesn’t just mean medical doctor; it means make decisions.” Ali called for agnostic, interoperable dashboards that integrate with existing EMRs. Without this, providers face a flood of data with little guidance on clinical relevance. For more information visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/a-new-imperative-for-cardiac-wearables-inclusivity-interoperability-and-insight/281963580

[lsiusasummit]

Big Tech and Big Pharma: How Medtech Can Bridge the Gap

As technologies evolve and healthcare innovation accelerates, the traditional boundaries separating medtech, big tech, and big pharma are increasingly blurry — but the cultural and strategic gaps between them remain. At LSI USA ’25, panelists Juan-Pablo Mas (Action Potential Venture Capital), Nishant Doctor (Surf Therapeutics), and Jordi Parramon (Nexus NeuroTech Ventures) joined moderator Katie Elias to examine how medtech can better align with big tech and big pharma to drive innovation forward.

The conversation centered on key differences in development strategy, investor expectations, and business timelines — critical challenges that arise when building partnerships or raising capital across sectors. As medtech companies seek broader platforms and more ambitious outcomes, understanding and navigating these differences becomes essential for effective cross-sector collaboration and long-term success.

Understanding the Evidence Gap

A major area of divergence between medtech and pharma lies in how each generates and values evidence. Parramon, who transitioned from classical medtech into Google’s life sciences division, highlighted the contrast: “In pharma, the average expenditure of a successful Phase III is over a billion dollars. So the whole evidence generation strategy is designed to manage that risk.”

Medical devices, by contrast, are often developed with smaller trials and faster feedback loops. As Elias pointed out, medtech teams are expected to iterate during the clinical process — something that’s “a big mind shift for people coming from a pharma background.” Doctor added, “Most medtech companies don’t know why something works — they just know that it does. But if you understand the mechanism early, like SetPoint Medical did, you can unlock platform expansion and pursue multiple indications.”

Mas echoed the importance of speed and pragmatism in medtech: “Devices historically rely on empirical evidence. Getting to humans as quickly as possible is the rule of thumb.” But while this approach works for medtech timelines and budgets, it often clashes with pharma’s demand for deep mechanistic understanding — particularly when forming co-development partnerships.

This blog is originally published here: https://www.lsiusasummit.com/news/big-tech-and-big-pharma-how-medtech-can-bridge-the-gap

[lsiusasummit]

The Next Frontier in Medical Robotics: Scaling Smarter

For years, medical robotics has been synonymous with high-cost, high-precision interventions — think large surgical robots in complex operating rooms. But a new generation of robotics companies is upending that paradigm by targeting more routine, high-volume procedures that strain provider bandwidth and expose systemic inefficiencies.

At LSI USA ’25, a panel of operator-led companies took the stage to discuss how their technologies are addressing two of the biggest challenges in healthcare: provider scarcity and rising costs. While traditional robotics may have focused on elite surgical tasks, the next wave is all about scalable, task-specific solutions that work within real-world clinical and economic constraints.

From Specialized to Scalable: Redefining the Role of Medical Robotics

Rather than targeting a handful of high-reimbursement procedures, these companies are applying robotics to common clinical workflows — vascular access, phlebotomy, biopsies — that collectively account for hundreds of millions of procedures annually. The goal isn’t just precision. It’s consistency, throughput, and accessibility.

One company has developed a lightweight, handheld robotic system that interfaces with imaging tools to guide needle-based procedures. Another has built a fully autonomous phlebotomy console that performs everything from vein detection to sample labeling and vial inversion — entirely without human intervention. These aren’t surgical robots; they’re task-focused machines designed for deployment at scale.

This shift reflects a broader understanding: solving healthcare’s biggest pain points often means moving away from the OR and into high-volume areas where inefficiencies are compounded. A single blood draw may not carry a high per-procedure value, but billions of blood draws annually create massive aggregate opportunity. That’s where automation begins to make real economic sense.

Rethinking Value in Medical Robotics

The traditional medical robotics business model often hinges on one or two reimbursed procedures and a long, expensive sales cycle. These new approaches challenge that playbook.

Rather than design around a single CPT code, these companies are building systems that can serve multiple applications and workflows across provider types. They’re shifting away from specialist-only tools and toward technologies that can be used by generalists — or even by patients themselves.

It’s not just about simplifying the technology; it’s about aligning robotic architecture with the constraints and incentives of the real world. That means smaller, more affordable systems. Faster deployments. Plug-and-play integration into existing care environments. And, importantly, a business model that doesn’t rely on traditional medtech reimbursement structures.

This kind of thinking is especially critical when considering how to make these systems commercially viable. Early-stage deployment goals might involve placing 10 or 20 units — not hundreds — making supply chain scalability and per-unit economics essential from day one.

This blog is originally published here: https://www.lsiusasummit.com/news/the-next-frontier-in-medical-robotics-scaling-smarter

[lsiusasummit]

How to Build a Clear Path to Revenue that Attracts Investors and Acquirers

This session broke down how to build a medtech business that actually makes money — and why that’s what investors and acquirers care about most. Featuring real-world strategies from AcuityMD, MY01, and Artelon, the panel focused on what it takes to turn clinical traction into commercial success. Watch this video for more information https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYdGr8fTzv4&t=5s

[lsiusasummit]

Signature Series: Unlocking the Potential of Device-Based Hypertension Therapies

Join moderator David Hochman (Orchestra BioMed, Inc.) and speaker Chris Eso (Medtronic) as they discuss groundbreaking innovations and strategic partnerships reshaping cardiac pacing, device-based hypertension therapies, and risk-reward sharing models in medtech. To get more information watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNQD71Cv8Aw

[lsiusasummit]

Understanding Corporate VCs’ Investment Criteria

Corporate VCs often differ from traditional venture capitalists by prioritizing strategic value over purely financial returns. Michael Ryan, Vice President of Venture Capital & Business Development at Boston Scientific, emphasized the company’s active role in investing: “We’re one of the most active acquirers in the medtech industry, generally deploying somewhere north of $100 million a year into venture investments.” For more information visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/understanding-corporate-vcs-investment-criteria-787a/280405609

[lsiusasummit]

Why Invest in Medtech and Healthtech in Africa?

Africa’s healthcare market is poised for exponential growth. The population is expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, and urbanization is rising, with 50% of people already living in urban or peri-urban areas. These demographic shifts, combined with digital advancements, are creating new opportunities for medtech and healthtech in Africa. To read more about visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/why-invest-in-medtech-and-healthtech-in-africa/279622186

[lsiusasummit]

Keynote with Lisa Earnhardt, Executive Vice President & Group President, Medical Devices at Abbott

Lisa Earnhardt’s keynote at LSI USA ’25 offered a compelling look at what it takes to lead in today’s medtech landscape. Drawing from her experience scaling startups, taking companies public, and overseeing Abbott’s global medical device business, Lisa shared insights on building transformative technologies and navigating the challenges of growth, innovation, and leadership. For more information watch this video https://www.lifesciencemarketresearch.com/videos/keynote-with-lisa-earnhardt-executive-vice-president-group-president-medical-devices-at-abbott

[lsiusasummit]

Device-Based Therapy for Hypertension: New Frontiers in Patient Care

Hypertension affects more than 1.2 billion people globally and remains the number one contributor to death each year in the United States. Yet despite a host of pharmaceutical options, 75% of those diagnosed with hypertension still live with uncontrolled blood pressure, even with medication. It’s clear that new solutions are needed — and device-based therapy for hypertension is emerging as one of the most promising frontiers.

During a Signature Series at LSI USA ’25, David Hochman (Orchestra BioMed, Inc.) and Chris Eso (Medtronic) sat down to discuss how device-based innovation and strategic medtech partnerships are reshaping the hypertension treatment landscape. Their conversation offered an in-depth look at the clinical rationale, commercial strategy, and future direction of this critical area of innovation.

The Case for Device-Based Therapy for Hypertension

“If you think about hypertension, it’s a global healthcare crisis,” said Eso. “Half of this auditorium probably has it. It’s bigger than diabetes, bigger than many other diseases from a cardiovascular perspective.”

Eso traced Medtronic’s entry into hypertension therapeutics back to its 2009 investment in Ardian, the pioneer behind renal denervation devices. At the time, hypertension management was still viewed almost exclusively through a pharmaceutical lens. Devices weren’t yet considered part of the solution. However, early clinical learnings revealed significant gaps that medication alone couldn’t fill — particularly in adherence.

“75% of people with hypertension are uncontrolled even when they’re on meds,” noted Eso. “There are side effects. There are compliance issues. Taking three to five medications every day for the rest of your life — it’s tough. Device-based therapies offer an alternative that doesn’t rely on daily compliance.”

Hochman agreed, framing hypertension as “the trunk of the tree” that leads to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease. Addressing it effectively, he emphasized, means addressing the root cause of downstream morbidity and mortality.

Building a Portfolio Approach: Renal Denervation and Beyond

Medtronic’s flagship device-based therapy for hypertension has already made headlines with recent FDA approval, ongoing reimbursement milestones, and broadening clinical adoption. “We’ve now treated over 30,000 patients with our device,” Eso shared. “By October, we expect full national coverage determination (NCD) notification and reimbursement to be in place.”

Commercialization, however, required more than regulatory success. It demanded ecosystem building. “We learned early on that it’s not just about the device,” Eso explained. “You need to create the right clinical environment to find the patients, treat them, and manage them over time.”

Looking ahead, Medtronic is expanding its strategy to address multiple therapeutic targets. Eso outlined initiatives in multi-organ denervation and emphasized that ongoing medtech innovation will continue to unlock more opportunities to treat resistant hypertension.

“We made small acquisitions around IP and assets that bolster our overall offering,” he said. “We believe multiple device-based options are going to be needed.”

This blog is originally published here: https://www.lsiusasummit.com/news/device-based-therapy-for-hypertension-new-frontiers-in-patient-care

[lsiusasummit]

Keynote with Gary S. Guthart, PhD, CEO and Member of the Board of Directors at Intuitive

Gary shared insights on the problems that Medtech is still facing as well as the problems that have been solved with the help of Intuitive’s surgical robotic platforms. This keynote also features a Q&A led by Scott Pantel towards the end. For more inforation visit here: https://www.lifesciencemarketresearch.com/videos/keynote-w-gary-s-guthart-phd-ceo-and-member-of-the-board-of-directors-at-intuitive-lsi-usa-25

[lsiusasummit]

Avitus Orthopaedics’ Acquisition: From Invention to Exit

For medtech entrepreneurs, the road from invention to acquisition is anything but straightforward. Few companies navigate it successfully, and even fewer first-time founders make it to the finish line. Avitus Orthopaedics, co-founded by Neil Shah and Maxim Budyansky, is one of those rare success stories. For more information visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/avitus-orthopaedics-acquisition-from-invention-to-exit/277917641

[lsiusasummit]

Medical Technology Investment: Trends Shaping Cardiovascular Innovation

Cardiovascular innovation has entered a transformative era. The convergence of devices, digital tools, and data is no longer on the horizon—it’s here, reshaping how stakeholders invest, acquire, and scale. During a panel at LSI USA ’25, leaders from GE HealthCare, Mayo Clinic Ventures, Medtronic, and the American Heart Association broke down the three major forces influencing medical technology investment strategies across cardiovascular care: convergence, collaboration, and commercialization. For more information visit here: https://medium.com/@lsiusasummit_14639/medical-technology-investment-trends-shaping-cardiovascular-innovation-600227ea8695

[lsiusasummit]

Corporate VCs: What They Want and How They Invest

The world of corporate VCs is complex and rapidly evolving, with top decision-makers from multi-billion-dollar strategics continuously evaluating how they invest and align their efforts with medtech M&As and business development. During the LSI USA ’24 panel, titled Corporate VCs: What They Want, and How They Align With M&A and Business Development, industry leaders from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Intuitive Ventures, Dexcom Ventures, and Orchestra BioMed shared valuable insights into their investment strategies and how they align with broader corporate goals. For more details visit here: https://medium.com/@lsiusasummit_14639/corporate-vcs-what-they-want-and-how-they-invest-9e5b9612c3d4