The TMC Innovation (TMCi) Biodesign Program provides individuals from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to embark on an entrepreneurial journey with the task of developing a medical device startup. This one-year, full-time, paid program combines mentorship, immersive experiences, multidisciplinary collaboration, access to a community of battle-tested founders and advisors, etc., in the most advanced device prototyping facility – CDI at TMC – that encompasses 26,000 square feet of collaborative workspace.
Founders will be equipped with expertise to foster the transformation of ideas into tangible medical device products and, ultimately, new startup companies. The program is seeking individual men and women, from medical device engineers to business leaders and clinicians, who embrace the qualities of a team player, portray an entrepreneurial mindset, have strong communication skills, and are problem-solvers.
As we continue to follow the entrepreneurship journey through our founders, Bairitone Health’s co-founder, Meagan Pitcher, shares her most notable moment as receiving an investment from Supermoon Capital, a San Francisco VC specializing in the what’s next sleep technology or “night market.” “We think Supermoon Capital’s support affirms that the product and services we are building at Bairitone are worth building and have huge market potential,” says Pitcher.
She met her co-founders in the Biodesign Program and provided advice for future applicants and founders. “I think team cohesiveness is paramount. I think the most important thing is to be able to share your ideas with your team without fear, and having this level of comfort is rooted in mutual respect. My advice is to avoid petty infighting and drama, and people predisposed to those traits wherever possible.”
Matthew Kuhn, originally from El Paso, TX, commuted daily across Juarez, MX, to work at the Ethicon Endo-surgery manufacturing facility. Kuhn moved to Houston, where he eventually stepped into the founder role for Taurus Vascular after participating in the Biodesign Program. “With the network of mentors, advisors, and investors I’ve been fortunate to build – as well as a knack for thinking outside the box and finding innovative solutions to the challenges that come with medical device innovation – I felt confident that I was well-prepared to take on the exciting challenges of entrepreneurship.” Kuhn was also impressed with Biodesign’s uniqueness, prominence for fostering innovation, and ability to form groundbreaking ideas into startups. Learn more about their story and mission here.
NeuraStasis Founder Joe Upchurch grew up in North Carolina, where he completed his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering and then went on to receive an MBA at UCLA. In 2019, he moved to Texas and applied to the Biodesign Program because it resonated with his engineering background process of coming up with neat findings in healthcare. His advice for those going through the program is to have an open mind and identify different needs, then do something about it. “The most challenging task was trying to build up evidence and find an approach that works when taking on something new, but being at CDI has been helpful, and I’ve gotten the support needed to be successful,” said Upchurch.
Registration for 2024 will open on September 15, 2023, and close on December 31, 2023. All applicants submitting before November 2023 are guaranteed a first-round interview. Founders who join this program will embrace the opportunity of being surrounded by some of the brightest minds and resources in the world at the largest medical campus. Together, we can culminate innovations to change health care.
If you or anyone you know aligns with the qualities listed above, please apply here. Inquire about this opportunity today by emailing our Head of Biodesign, Jason Sakamoto, at JSakamoto@tmc.edu.