Panels

return to panel list

Medical Devices: Medical Devices in a Global Marketplace - Viewpoints from start-ups, VC's and the Fortune 500

Panelists will discuss the globalization of the device market. As each country has unique reimbursement policies, pricing issues, and distribution systems, panelists will share their insights on the challenges and opportunities that are present in each region. The audience will have the opportunity to learn about new technologies that are being developed in these countries. Additionally, as many industries are tapping into high-growth developing economies such as Brazil, India, and China, part of the discussion will concentrate on how the medical devices industry in these emerging markets will grow over the next several years. This panel will include speakers from a startup company, a venture capital firm, and Fortune 500 companies.

Confirmed Panelists:

Moderator & Panelist Bios

Kern Bhugra, CEO, Tibion Corporation
Mr. Bhugra is a founder & CEO of Tibion Bionic Technologies, a medical device company developing bionic devices for the mobility impaired. During his career, he has had broad responsibilities within operations and technology development while serving in senior management and executive roles at large corporations, including IBM and Maxtor, as well as within the startup environment. He has also led organizations nationally as well as in Europe and Asia and has had responsibility for a broad range of business issues. Recent positions include Vice President & General Manager, Storage Systems Business; Executive Consultant, NetApp Corp; Senior Director, Maxtor Corp. Mr. Bhugra received a BSEE from the University of Michigan and a MSEE from Stanford University, with emphasis in bioengineering.

Adam Elsesser, CEO, Director, Penumbra
Mr. Elsesser was most recently the President of Boston Scientific SMART and prior to that the President and CEO of Smart Therapeutics. As President of Boston Scientific SMART, he led the successful development of Wingspan, the first self-expanding stent to treat intra-cranial atherosclerotic disease as well as the development and commercialization of subsequent generations of Neuroform, the first aneurysm stent. At Smart Therapeutics, he helped found the company, led it through development, regulatory approval and commercialization of its first product as well as the funding of Smart Therapeutics with over $15 million raised in three rounds. He currently sits on the board of Directors of Acumen Medical, Inc., a start-up medical device company. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at the San Francisco Day School. Mr. Elsesser received a B.A. from Stanford University and a J.D. from Hastings College of the Law.

Matt Schmidt, Group Manager - Global DES Marketing, Abbott Vascular
Matt Schmidt is the Global Drug Eluting Stent Group Marketing Manager for Abbott Vascular. Prior to this role, he worked as the Group Marketing Manager for Market Intelligence and as a Senior Associate supporting Investor Relations. Matt started his career with Guidant Corporation and joined Abbott Vascular as part of the Abbott acquisition of Guidant.

Matt holds and MBA from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Accounting from Goshen College. Prior to business school, Matt worked as a Certified Public Accountant with Ernst and Young where he supported financial services clients.

Amy Belt, Senior Associate, Advanced Technology Ventures
Amy started in venture capital in 2006 joining Advanced Technology Ventures' healthcare practice, where she focuses on investments in the medical device sector.

Prior to joining ATV, Amy was a Group Manager in Global Marketing at Guidant Corporation (now Abbott Vascular) and led product launches in the US, Europe and Asia. While at Guidant, Amy also held positions marketing drug eluting stents, brachytherapy and angioplasty products. Prior to Guidant, Amy was an intern in Bristol-Myers Squibb's Latin America division working on marketing of various cardiovascular and neuroscience products. She was previously a management consultant in the healthcare practice at CSC (formerly APM) where she worked with hospitals, physicians and payers on strategic, clinical and operations initiatives.

Amy holds an M.B.A from the Haas School of Business and a B.A. from Yale University.

Martin Dieck, Director, ePlanet Ventures
Martin Dieck is a Director in the Silicon Valley office of ePlanet Ventures. Founded in 1999, ePlanet Ventures was the first venture capital firm that utilized a global model with offices in Asia, Europe and the United States. Prior to joining ePlanet, Mr. Dieck was president and CEO of CardioVasc and Co-Founder, president and CEO of Concentric Medical. Mr. Dieck also served as senior executive at a medical incubator where he evaluated early-stage medical device opportunities and participated in the formation of four companies. Mr. Dieck was also a co-founder of Micro Interventional Systems, a manufacturer of medical devices to treat pathologies in the brain, which was acquired in 1996. In addition to his operational and deal evaluation expertise, Mr. Dieck is also an inventor with numerous issued and pending patents. Martin received his B.A. in Biological Sciences from Willamette University and M.B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.