Why Tech Alone Won’t Build a Viable Ortho Business
In the ortho startup world, the journey from innovation to success often follows a predictable arc—one that’s beautifully illustrated by […]
In the ortho startup world, the journey from innovation to success often follows a predictable arc—one that’s beautifully illustrated by […]
I hunt for game-changers—technologies that don’t just nudge the needle but rewrite the rules. VISIE is one of those rare
The spine industry is buzzing with futuristic ideas—AI-crafted implants, robotic precision, and augmented reality guiding surgeons’ hands. These concepts, spotlighted
Sharing a quick example from S. Korea that has a small US office in Irvine. CG MedTech is a South
This message is addressed to company leaders. You may not realize that your company has an industry-wide reputation, not based
Not all “AI” in orthopedics is what it seems. As you wander the halls of AAOS, “AI” buzzwords will be
In orthopedics, the term “nano” has become a buzzword, promising revolutionary changes at the smallest scales of material science. However,
I just read a nice article in BoneZone about how the TKA market is ballooning, thanks to our aging population,
We may be on the cusp of a new upgrade with robotics. We’re not just talking about a little tweak
Warning – This is a very technical article about the top technology trends to watch in 2025. Very few ortho
This case study offers valuable insights for orthopedic surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and entrepreneurs interested in developing medical devices. By walking
Technological advancements are supposed to create massive improvements in efficiency — think about the wheel, which revolutionized transportation; the plow,
This is a BoneChat discussion #49 between Bill Hunter and the BoneChat members. Bill Hunter is the founder and CEO
Treace Files Patent Infringement and Unfair Competition Suit to Protect Lapiplasty® Bunion Technology (press release) Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. (“Treace” or the
You heard it here first. Every surgical robotics company needs VISIE, they just don’t realize it yet. VISIE™ Inc. Announces Continuous
AI’s growing influence on the medical device company’s value chain (MedTechDive) With the rise of interest around AI since the
Alright, let’s cut through the noise and get real about what’s going on in the orthopedic space. We’re standing at
Isn’t all technology supposed to be enabling? Yet, this term is being thrown around to justify adding layers of complexity
In general, game theory is a mathematical framework used to analyze strategic interactions between players or decision-makers, where the outcome
Kyphon was a great startup that created a brand new treatment category and grew it exponentially. Look at these sales
Early results for these knee cartilage defect patients are impressive in that the patients achieved early weight bearing. website –
Sharing this excellent body of work for the biologics geeks out there. Calcium Orthophosphate (CaPO4) Containing Composites for Biomedical Applications:
website – https://www.tracpatch.com/ As you know, I have written about TracPatch many times on the blog. I am a big
website – https://www.intellijointsurgical.com/video – https://youtu.be/eDpTU9TEVyE?si=JEZgDjeGlrvs1rA0press release – Intellijoint Surgical opens access for free use of its most differentiated product in
In orthopedics, have you ever wondered why some of the most brilliant minds in science struggle to translate their genius
In the quiet outskirts of the Orthopedic Capital of the World, a powerhouse was stirring. Red Star Contract Mfg., a
Though the details of its work in AI and robotics have been kept under wraps, Mendaera also sees its new
Artificial intelligence is making critical health care decisions. The sheriff is MIA. (Politico by RUTH READER) Doctors are already using unregulated
For the first time in the history of spine surgery, an abundance of motion-preserving options compels US surgeons to consider
Phil Sayles shared “How Digital Sets and Trays Maximize Orthopedic Rep Efficiency, Service, and Income”. Watch the discussion with Phil here
In the imminent evolution of orthopedic patient care, the advent of blockchain technology stands poised to revolutionize established paradigms and
website – https://www.novarad.net/visar World’s first pediatric deformity case using immersive augmented reality surgical navigation (press release) Dr. Scott Luhmann, an orthopedic
Friction may be the most underrated concept in creating a sustainable profitable orthopedic business. In a previous “push-versus-pull” article I
According to MedicalDesign & Outsourcing the ranking are: Below are the Med Device stats for each state. 1. California The
from HealthCareBrew Orthopedic surgeon Richard Bransford used the technology to operate on a patient with a slipped disc. Surgeons in
At the first NASS meeting in the 1980’s, Dr. George Bagby introduced a groundbreaking innovation to the world of spine
In the fast-paced world of ortho technology, innovation knows no bounds. Meet Phil Sayles, the visionary founder and CEO of
It’s inevitable. Today’s mechanical robots will become smaller and smaller… until one day they just disappear. Imaging and navigation will
Wireless treatment: No-cord cameras help hospital staff quicken surgery process (Pacific Coast Business Times) For decades, arthroscopic surgeries have been
Orthopedic companies possess a unique blind spot that sets them apart from their counterparts in the software industry. In this
Sharing this quick interview with my fellow Ortho Engineers. There is great wisdom in here from Elon, and many Engineers
The emergence of AI into orthopedics has brought a wave of bold claims and ambitious promises. However, distinguishing genuine advancements
Digital Surgery Planning: An Interview with TECHFIT’s Co-founder and CEO Mauricio Toro By Charles Goulding on August 17th, 2023 The combination of
Could Reverse Hips Change the Total Hip Game? (SmarTrak blog) Hip Innovation Technology is betting on its Reverse HRS Hip
Below are 8 technology based trends in the ortho industry this year. 1/ The rise of robotic surgery: Robotic surgery
AI Is Poised to “Revolutionize” Surgery (written by Jim McCartney for the American College of Surgeons) The daily barrage of
Augmedics was first to bring AR to spine back in 2019. The system has now been used on 4,000 patients.
(Guest article by Jason Murphy, President/CEO Next Chapter Manufacturing + NXCMED) In the field of orthopedics, additive manufacturing has emerged
1/ Osiris Therapeutics Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris_TherapeuticsCountry: USA | Funding: $95MOsiris Therapeutics is a stem cell company, which focuses on developing and
Sharing the history of Wright Medical up to the 2000’s. This history will set the table for my next article
Remote Monitoring using Wearable Technology after Knee Arthroplasty Using a Joint-Specific Wearable Device: A Prospective Cohort Study of 435 patients
Orthopedic Implant Manufacturer, As a leader in the orthopedic industry, you know the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest
1/ Is funding of AI-based startups hype or is this the new future ? 2/ Will AI systems based on
Summary Researchers at the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics have developed SyntheX, a system for creating realistic synthetic X-ray
Innovation is essential for any orthopedic company looking to stay ahead of the curve in a fast-changing landscape. Yet, innovation
(according to Tracxn Jan2023) Globally there are 146 Surgical Navigation Systems companies, but here is the list of the 10
1/ Additive Manufacturing is enabling the future of implant design – (eg: Nuvasive’s Modulus below) 2/ Cementless fixation is the
Proprio’s OR navigation system could improve orthopedic surgeries (Medical Design & Outsourcing) Proprio is rolling its AI-powered surgical navigation system
Just my opinion. 1/ Arthroscopy without wires – Lazurite 2/ The world’s only compression staple that turns into bone…. and
REX Ortho is an exciting new start-up company developing novel expandable screws for orthopaedic applications. It is a platform technology
Pre-clearance, Pre-commercialization, €13.3M raised in 4 rounds so far, located in Ireland. Website – https://www.lociorthopaedics.com/ BIG PROBLEM We all have
OSSIOfiber® Compression Staple Answers Surgeon, Patient Demand inFastest Growing Product Category in Extremities OSSIO, Inc., a fast-growing orthopedic fixation technology company, today
Problem: Stem cell treatments have issues. Stem cell treatments are plagued by lack of efficacy and zero clinical outcomes data.
There is alot of hype out there. Allow me to try to shamelessly guess which technologies will be the most
New Zealand orthopedic surgery planning startup raises $5M and partners with Zimmer Biomet for global distribution (MedCityNews) Website – https://www.formuslabs.com/
Insert pedicle screws more precisely and safely without a robot or navigation system? Which are the alternatives? (SMG) Precision, speed,
FDA clears Pristine Surgical single-use arthroscope (MassDevice) Pristine Surgical announced today that FDA has cleared its Summit 4K single-use surgical
A quick look at the unintended consequences of orthopedic product design. In orthopedics, I lead R&D teams for decades and
(Adapted by Jason Andrews at https://twitter.com/PersuasionRisng) There are two types of AI: – those trained on human examples- those given
Shared by Jeroen Kraaijenbrink on LinkedIn Why do strategies fail? And why do they fail to be effectively executed so
Two key points: Predictive AI are only useful if they are correlated real outcomes in Orthopedics. Predictive AI will require
CEO LEADERSHIP SERIES: HOW FLEXIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY GOT THIS STARTUP THROUGH TOUGH TIMES (Ashton Tweed) Falling and breaking a hip
The following argument is made by Dr Frederick Matsen, Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Washington;
We all know that implants are becoming commodities with a downward spiral in pricing. The device companies copy each other
Let’s talk about another killer app for orthopedic companies, SPEED. I have already written about Risk and Iteration. Let me share how startups
There are already dozens of global medical conferences focused on the topic of VR, AI, and AR (like this one
website – https://curvafix.com/ IM IMPLANT USED IN 100TH PELVIC FRACTURE PATIENT (by ELIZABETH HOFHEINZ, M.P.H., M.ED at Orthopedics This Week)
QUICK PROFILE – Lazurite | Cleveland, Ohio, US | Founded: 2015 (as Indago; rebranded in 2021). To date, raised a
I Wish I Was a Little Bit Taller (GQ) Website – Nuvasive Precise Stryde John Lovedale is feeling pretty good, despite
https://www.medtechpulse.com/article/infographic/25-orthopedics-startups-to-watch-in-2022 When industry experts discuss the most promising innovation in the context of MedTech, they often refer to trends such
https://www.medtechpulse.com/article/insight/roam-robotics-introduces-a-soft-knee-exoskeleton Website – https://www.roamrobotics.com/ The story Roam Robotics, a San Francisco-based robotics company, unveiled a $7,000 fabric exoskeletal knee brace
Robotics and automation are the future of healthcare (MedCity News) Advanced technologies, such as AI-guided robotics and automation, offer a
Robots are everywhere! Robots are now used in 5% of knee and hip procedures. MAKO has installed 1,500 robots in
Transformers, Rise of the Orthobots! An interview with Ganymed’s CEO; Sophie Cahen (LinkedIn Pulse interview by Henry Norton) Last week,
Research: What Happens to a Startup When Venture Capitalists Replace the Founder (HBR) Summary. When a startup founder seeks external funding, they
Amazon Makes Moves In Healthcare With Plans To Acquire One Medical (Forbes) We OrthoStreamers tend to think that disruption will
Yes, there are Monopolies in Orthopedics, and they are fantastic! A few savvy orthopedic companies create a new category or
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. This is not legal advice. These are just observations. “Individuals change jobs in orthopedics
There is no question that we are in a recession now. We have all been reading about the consumer tech
Tiger commentary – This is the wrong application for smart glasses, but at least S+N is trying. The winning application
FUTURE OF MEDICINE: Magnetic bandages with stem cells to be used to repair worn joints and mend broken bones (The
Companies see a future for smart implants. Doctors are waiting for proof. (MedTechDive) Zimmer Biomet and Canary Medical are rolling
Proximie just raised $80M to accelerate it’s full-service connected surgery platform. This future is all about smart ecosystems, not devices.
Back in 2016, Stryker acquired Stanmore Implants for $52M – read here Onkos Surgical to acquire Stryker’s Juvenile Tumour System
Expands portfolio of trauma and deformity systems for pediatric orthopedics, including the Fassier-Duval Telescopic IM System™ websites – https://www.pegamedical.com/ ,
(written by Bill Hunter, MD, President & CEO, Canary Medical for OrthoStreams) After a little over a decade of participating
Digitizing Surgery (LinkedIn article by Peter Verrillo, CEO @ enhatch) Imagine, as a total joint replacement orthopedic surgeon today, that
I am seeing too many Ortho companies promoting their AI, their AR and their robots. Remember that these are just
It’s early, but very promising. 50 surgeries so far in EU, with 20 of them more than one-year followup. No