I know Product Development because I led PD for 35 years. People in organized ortho companies call me asking:
“Why has our once-blazing-fast innovation engine turned slow, bureaucratic, and way too expensive — just like the big companies we used to beat?”
This is the classic growing pain of orthopedic startups that have successfully raised real money, hired 50–200 people, and are now trying to act like an “organized growth company.”
You’re no longer five engineers in a crappy rental office — but you’re also not Smith & Nephew (yet). These are the danger years.
The rules that got you from $0 to $20M WILL NOT get you from $20M to $200M.
10 Rules for orthopedic companies in the awkward adolescent phase.
Rule #1 - Right Team, Right Project
Keep matching team weight to project ambition (but now you can actually afford the heavyweights) You used to throw everyone at everything because you had no choice.Now you have choices — use them.Keep the 2×2 matrix (Complexity vs Strategic Impact).Line extensions and me-too products still deserve lightweight teams.Your next platform technology still needs a true heavyweight team with dedicated project managers, regulatory specialists, and s...
