MEDICAL DEVICE INVESTORS

Investing in Novel Engineering

This panel focuses on investment in new medical devices from development stage through to early commercialization. Topics may include:

  • What are investors looking for?
    • Areas of interest
    • Overcrowded areas
  • How to approach an investor
  • Successful deals they’ve done before
  • Common mistakes/Red flags

Panelists will discuss how to meet the challenges of raising financing for a new device and advise startups on how to make the investment case for their novel technology. Panelists will also explore what technology areas are of top interest to them and how a startup can get them into dialogue regarding an investment or deal.

Panelists:

David Uffer, Senior Partner, Alira Health Ventures (Moderator)

David Uffer joined Alira Health with over 25 years of management experience in the medical device, products and clinical diagnostics field. He has lead strategy development, strategic planning and business development activities in these fields for mid and large cap public companies.

David has directed business development deals ranging from M&A, licensing, distribution and co-development for companies such as Medtronic (legacy Covidien) in their respiratory and medical products business, as well as Hologic and Boston Scientific. He has held management roles at Integra Lifesciences and Abbott Labs.

David has a BA from Clark University, Worcester, MA and an MBA from Thunderbird, School of Global Management, Glendale, AZ.

Kristin King, Member, Boston Harbor Angels

Kristin is an accomplished MedTech executive, serial intrapreneur, investor and strategic advisor to startups developing biotech solutions. With a distinguished career addressing commercial strategy over 20 years spanning technical, marketing, and business development disciplines, she offers multi-discipline expertise and repeated track record for high impact Medical Device development transforming technologies from early concept to successful global divisions at leading Medical Device companies and startups.

Kristin is recognized for her strategic development, business acumen, and her ability to build and lead talented teams to commercialize products that change patients’ lives. Starting her career designing stents, a patent inventor for Johnson & Johnson’s drug eluting stent and progressing through marketing and global commercial leadership roles, she has contributed to some of the world’s most meaningful programs at top healthcare firms including Ansell Healthcare, Becton Dickinson, Johnson & Johnson Cordis, Abbott Vascular, and Pfizer. Her category expertise includes advanced wound care, infection prevention, diabetes care, interventional cardiology/ radiology, and other surgical specialties in hospital, alternate site and consumer retail segments.

In 2017, after founding Ansell Healthcare’s advanced therapeutic segment, Kristin focused her career on the Boston startup community progressing MIT spin off Rogers Sciences to clinical trials, FDA submission as well as proud member of Boston Harbor Angels. Kristin holds a B.S. in bioengineering from Syracuse University, MBA in Finance & Marketing from NYU Stern. Outside of the office she is an avid scuba diver and volunteer for environmental organizations Beneath the Sea and Boston Sea Rovers.

Ruchi Dana, Board Member, DANA Group of Companies

Dr. Ruchi Dana is a qualified medical practitioner, who has transitioned successfully into a seasoned entrepreneur and Business Leader. Ruchi did her MD from AMU and her full-time MBA from Stanford University. Ruchi also received her PMP Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation from Stanford University. Ruchi is a frequent speaker at various industry conferences and sits on multiple Corporate, startup, non-profits and University boards including Dana Group of Companies, Dubai, Duluth Medical Technologies Inc, USA, NGO Aaroogya Foundation, India and the California State University, Chico Cybersecurity Advisory Board. Ruchi has been recognized by Forbes Middle East as the “Next Generation Business Leader, Arab World” for 3 consecutive years 2017, 2018 and 2019. She has also been recognized by Campden Wealth as the “Women to Watch” in September’18 issue, and was conferred with the Yuva Ratna Award, 2018. Ruchi has also been recognized as “Top 75 Family Business Leaders” 2019 by Campden Research (UK). Recently, Dr Ruchi was featured on the Forbes ME Top Power Businesswomen 2020. Since joining Dana Group, Ruchi has been instrumental in starting the Value-added Steel manufacturing division in 2008, Lubricants and Grease manufacturing division and also Retail, Hospital and Real Estate divisions for Dana Group in 2014. Dr. Ruchi is actively involved in strategic planning for Dana Group and manages the family office investments. Ruchi has also worked with Golden Seeds, an investment firm in New York and New Silk Route Growth Capital, a PE firm in Dubai, she has mainly focused on healthcare-related investments at both these firms.

Katherine Hill Ritchie, Director, Nottingham Spirk Family Office

Mrs. Hill Ritchie has worked internally and as an advisor to 8 family offices through her firm, Private Capital Investments, LLC. Her current role is Director and Board Member for Nottingham Spirk Family Office, and her past roles include: Simon Group Holdings, Eden Capital, PEX Global, and Wedge Alternatives. She spent 7 years in Switzerland where she was a Managing Director at Palladio Alternative Research and Senior Analyst and Investment Committee Member for the Saad family office’s $3.5 billion investment portfolio. She is an Angel Investor and is on the investment committee for University Impact, a social impact VC fund. Katherine received her MBA from Fordham University and her BS in Psychology from University of Maryland. Her Board member activities include: Chair of the ACG New York Family Office Committee, Board Member of ACG NY, and Family Office Advisory Board of TriState Capital. Her past philanthropic volunteer activities include: Global Co-Chair of The Guild, the Philanthropy and Education Committees of 100 Women in Finance, and Fordham MBA Overseers Board.

Sam Goldberger, Partner, Ambit Health Ventures

Dr. Sam Goldberger is an ophthalmologist in Newton, Massachusetts and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area. He has been in practice for more than 20 years. He is a healthcare and life science investor and the managing partner at Ambit Health Ventures, a boutique healthcare innovation venture capital firm focused on investments in early-stage digital health, healthcare services, and Medtech with the aim to improve healthcare through portfolio companies’ innovation while achieving financial gain for investors.