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What’s the Buzz?! | How to Build a Medtech Company That’s Naturally Fundable
EPISODE 62 [LIVE]
What’s the Buzz?! | How to Build a Medtech Company That’s Naturally Fundable
Most early-stage medtech companies stall in the same place: after the idea, before the money. Chris Danek of Bessel works with founders to cross that seed-stage gap, and he thinks the answer starts with how you build, not how you pitch.
Ahead of JPM, Danek joins BioBuzz CEO Chris Frew for a candid conversation on what makes a startup worth funding and worth acquiring.
Tune in if you’re a medtech founder raising early capital, an investor or partner who backs them, or you’re heading to JPM and want to know what to catch.
You’ll learn:
What “naturally fundable” means: how to build a sustainable, scalable business that investors and acquirers come to
How to close the seed-stage gap: what gets early-stage medtech companies from idea to funded
Why dual use is worth a look: the role military medicine can play in building and scaling a medtech breakthrough
What to catch at JPM: Bessel’s workshop at the QNova/MTEC Partnering Forum, plus its Build for Impact Showcase + Reception and how founders from its accelerator get there
Bessel is a Platinum Sponsor of the Partnering Forum and an MTEC M-Corps Service Provider, working with startups from Silicon Valley to Maryland, Alabama, San Diego, Europe, and Australia.
Streamed on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.
13th Annual Partnering Forum At JPM Healthcare Week
January 11-14 @ Hilton Union Square (San Francisco, CA)
Cost: FREE
QNova LifeSciences is hosting the 13th Annual Partnering Forum during the JP Morgan Healthcare Week at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square hotel on-site from January 11-14, 2027.
The annual Partnering Forum is an exclusive partnering and networking event that provides companies the opportunity to:
Meet strategic investors, key life science service providers, strategic partners, and decision-makers.
Engage economic development organizations, industry associations, and trade partners to identify financial incentives and build connections with high-level government officials.
Learn more about non-dilutive funding and partnership opportunities at the National Institutes of Health, US Department of War, US FDA, and the National Cancer Institute.
About the Guest
Chris Danek, PhD, MBA
Medtech Leader | 3X 9-Figure Exits | Helping medical device startups build, scale impact, and fund | Founder @ Bessel | Educator & Speaker
Chris Danek is a builder, strategist, and mentor in the world of medtech innovation. With a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford and a career that spans decades in engineering, executive leadership, and founder roles, Chris has helped shape some of the most impactful medical technologies of the past two decades. He led the development of the first FDA-approved interventional treatment for asthma, co-founded AtheroMed (developer of the Phoenix Atherectomy System, later acquired by Philips), and has guided dozens of medtech startups through critical phases of product development, fundraising, and go-to-market readiness.
As the CEO of Bessel and creator of proprietary Bessel frameworks for startups and development teams, Chris teaches how to innovate with speed, integrity, and clarity. He specializes in aligning cross-functional teams, building high-impact product strategies, and helping early-stage companies avoid costly missteps by focusing on what matters most.
Chris developed the Bessel Origin program that combines real-world project-based learning with expert team mentorship. This program has achieved success for dozens of teams in industry, the classroom, and advanced research settings. Bessel's train-the-mentor program helps companies identify, develop, and retain emerging leaders.
A frequent speaker, educator, and advisor for medtech accelerators and founders across the country, Chris brings a rare combination of technical rigor, strategic insight, and human-centered leadership. A simple belief drives his work: care deeply, stay disciplined, aim high.
About the Host
Chris Frew
Chris is the Founder of BioBuzz Networks, Inc, a life science talent community and hiring platform, and CEO of Workforce Genetics, LLC (WGx), a prominent life science recruitment firm. He has been supporting companies in the regional life sciences industry with recruiting and marketing solutions for 20+ years.
Previously serving as the Vice President of Sales at Breezio, a leading innovator in cloud-based online communities, and the Vice President of Tech USA’s Scientific Division, which he founded and grew into a national practice. Chris has almost two decades of experience successfully leading teams, projects and fostering engaged communities within the Life Science industry.
He is a Maryland native and a graduate of Towson University.
About the Program
What's the Buzz?!
This weekly podcast, broadcast live, features life sciences leaders and regional ecosystem builders who share bold ideas, real stories, and what’s ahead for our industry.
Hosted by our CEO, Chris Frew, and powered by Heffron, this 30-minute virtual series is streamed across LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook — reaching thousands of professionals every episode.
The show highlights one-on-one conversations with founders, executives, strategists, and ecosystem builders. While focusing on the biohubs where we are most active, What’s the Buzz?! also explores emerging regions, trends, and innovations shaping the future of life sciences.
Topics include:
➡️ Biotech growth & investment trends
➡️ Workforce development & talent strategies
➡️ Emerging tools & technologies
➡️ Policy & ecosystem influence
➡️ Public-private collaboration
Powered By
QNova Life Sciences
QNova LifeSciences is a global, innovative regulatory consulting group. They specialize in advancing therapeutics and medical devices through development and regulatory approval offering customized solutions that mitigate risk, time, and expense to support the U.S. market goals of your company.
The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC)
MTEC is a nonprofit that funds medical technology development. We operate under a government-awarded Other Transaction Agreement (OTA)—a flexible contracting vehicle that allows us to move faster, collaborate more freely, and engage a broader range of innovators.
We drive military-civilian partnerships and foster collaboration within an extensive ecosystem of small and large businesses, federal agencies, academic institutions, and more. We rapidly deploy funding and drive innovative medical technologies that improve military and civilian health globally.