For episode 85 of Entrepreneur Rx, John welcomes Courtney Williams, co-founder and CEO of Emagine Solutions Technology. Emagine is tackling the U.S. maternal health crisis with remote patient monitoring. The podcast starts off with Courtney touching on her diverse background and then she moves to how her sister’s high-risk pregnancy inspired her to get into healthcare entrepreneurship. This experience opened her eyes to the dangers of pregnancy and the lack of access to safe healthcare for pregnant women. 

Inspired to make a change, Courtney and her team developed a handheld ultrasound device called VistaScan that is FDA cleared and aimed at low-resource settings. However, they soon realized that the lack of access to healthcare is not just a problem in developing countries but also in their own community. This led them to where Emagine Solutions Technology is today - a maternal health focus. Shortly after, Courtney and her team developed The Journey Platform which is geared towards better connecting providers and patients.

Courtney then moves on to discussing challenges in the femtech industry and funding for female entrepreneurs. She wraps up the podcast by sharing her biggest challenge she has faced as an entrepreneur, Emagine’s potential exit in the future and her hopes for the future of Emagine. Courtney's unwavering commitment to leveraging technology to enhance maternal health outcomes is a testament to her visionary leadership and dedication to making a meaningful impact.

For this episode of Entrepreneur Rx, John sits down with Dom Messerli, the President and CEO of Lenoss Medical. Lenoss Medical is disrupting the treatment of spinal fractures with their OsteoPearl Vertebral Body Augmentation (VBA) System. This minimally invasive and epoxy-free technology delivers a fully biological solution to stabilize spinal fractures and utilizes the natural healing properties of healthy bone.   

The episode starts off with Dom explaining his background in mechanical engineering and his rise within Synthes, a company specializing in spine technology that was later acquired by Johnson & Johnson. He discusses the inspiration behind Lenoss Medical's innovative implant, the OsteoPearl, which treats spinal fracture and allows for bone healing as opposed to the current stand of care. 

Dom goes on to speak about the shortcomings of traditional kyphoplasty using epoxy (such as complications like intravenous embolism) and points out the advantages of Lenoss Medical’s OsteoPearl implants. He emphasizes that bone materials do not carry the risk of rejection like organ transplants because they contain no living cells.  

John and Dom then move to talk about the business side of Lenoss Medical, including raising funds, startup valuation, and the importance of networking in entrepreneurship. They conclude the podcast discussing Dom’s tips for people who want to become an entrepreneur where Dom touches on the importance of partnership. 

For episode 83 of Entrepreneur Rx, John welcomes Ross Bundy, CEO of CRISPR QC. CRISPR QC is a biotechnology company aimed to equip scientists and researchers with data to improve their CRISPR assay design by using its sensor technology to analyze gene editing processes.  

Ross starts off the episode by discussing his background in gene therapy and his experience founding Cardea Bio. He also talks about the challenges of introducing new ideas in a field dominated by experts and the importance of regulatory guidance. He goes on to explain more about how Cardea Bio and CRISPR QC are related, ethical issues in the field, challenges gene editing faces and his excitement of where CRISPR QC is headed. 

He concludes the podcast by emphasizing the importance of building a strong team and finding people's strengths to create a successful startup. He also shares his advice for those considering starting their own startup: build a support network, learn how to translate their expertise into value, and take responsibility for supporting and leading others.