Medtech and Digital Health technology increasingly have more and more in common.
After all, technology is technology, and healthcare is healthcare. And start-ups that want to introduce new tools to change how healthcare is delivered must clear many of the same hurdles.
In this Medtech Talk Podcast, Robert Mittendorff, MD, MBA, a partner at Norwest Venture Partners, explains how Digital Health companies are facing many of the same challenges that vex Medtech start-ups, including the need to obtain approval under new FDA guidelines and to secure reimbursement payments from insurers.
But Mittendorff – the co-chair of our
Digital Healthcare Innovation Summit – says the Digital Health sector is strong. As Exhibit A, he introduces
iRhythm, the device-digital hybrid that is performing well in hospitals in addition to on public markets.
Robert Mittendorff, MD, MBA
Partner
Norwest Venture Partners
Current Co-Chair of the Digital Healthcare Innovation Summit
Robert Mittendorff brings to Norwest Venture Partners more than a decade of operational and medical experience. Based in Norwest’s Palo Alto office, Robert focuses on investing capital in venture and growth opportunities in the healthcare sector, including digital health and healthcare IT, technology enabled healthcare services, medical devices, diagnostics, and specialty pharma. He currently serves on the board of iCardiac, and is a board observer at Crossover Health, iRhythm, and Telcare, and was involved with the initial investments in Misfit Wearables and Health Catalyst. He has also been involved in Norwest’s follow-on investment in Basis (acquired by Intel). Robert was a previous board observer at Intersect ENT (Nasdaq: XENT).
Prior to Norwest, Robert was the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Hansen Medical Inc. (Nasdaq: HNSN). During his tenure, he launched multiple products, including the Magellan and Sensei X robotic systems, and was involved in leading products from concept to first commercial shipment. As a corporate officer, Robert also led the Company’s partnerships with GE, Siemens, Philips and St. Jude Medical and executed transactions totaling over $100M. He created the Scientific Advisory Board and participated in two public financings.
Prior to Hansen Medical, Robert worked in the device, pharmaceutical and biotech industries with experience at a number of companies, working in strategic, business development and marketing capacities.
Robert is also a board certified emergency physician who completed his residency training at Stanford. Robert received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He received his B.S. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University where he played on the soccer team. He has completed fellowships under the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (neuroscience), MIT Sloan School of Management, and Harvard Business School.
