Pathways for Small Patient Populations with Andre Bessette

In the latest Impact1 Voices Podcast, we speak with Hanna Sjöström, CEO of Neola Medical, about Neola®, a non-invasive device using innovative GASMAS technology and infrared light to continuously monitor lung conditions in preterm babies.Hanna shares Neola Medical's journey from pioneering research at Lund University to its first clinical pilot study in preterm babies, the challenges of bringing pediatric medical devices to market, the thoughts behind the move of going public, and the leadership and commercial strategies needed to translate promising technology into clinical impact.Learn more: https://neolamedical.com/This episode is co-hosted by Kunj Sheth and Marisa Borja, and produced by Antje Kirschner.

Dr. Josh Bress, President of Global Strategies and Medical Director of NoviGuide, shares the story behind NoviGuide—a clinical decision-support platform designed to help frontline clinicians make evidence-based decisions at the point of care.Josh reflects on how experiences in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, and California shaped the platform’s development, and why humility, local context, and learning from clinicians on the ground remain central to how NoviGuide is built and deployed.Co-hosted by Sophia Brodsky and Marisa Borja, and produced by Antje Kirschner.

Content note: This episode discusses infant loss, grief, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and the experiences of families in neonatal intensive care. Please take care whilst listening!In this episode of Impact1 Voices, Jennifer Canvasser shares the deeply personal story behind the NEC Society and how the loss of her son Micah became a driving force for research, prevention, and change. She reflects on grief, trust, the urgent need for better diagnosis and preventative therapies, and why families must remain at the heart of NEC research. Learn more: https://necsociety.orgMusic licensed through Soundstripe.Code: V65WSORJGVTEW5WV, 1OCJ3DJYGVW1DZZ9

"We do these things because they're hard!" Right after college, John Parker  moved to Japan… with no plan, no experience in banking, and no idea what he was doing. Then the market collapsed.Suddenly, he wasn’t learning anymore—he was leading. Turnarounds. Crisis situations. Even stepping in as an interim GM in Australia.That mindset—running toward hard problems—never left.Today, he’s building a new model at the intersection of philanthropy and venture—because the system forces a false choice:Either give money away…Or make money.But what if you could do both?

“You know where we need to put funding? Pediatrics.” Dr. Alison Curfman has spent her career proving it. After a defining moment in a rural ER, she moved beyond clinical care to build solutions—from shaping pediatric telehealth policy to founding Startup Physicians and launching a value-based Medicaid model serving tens of thousands of children nationwide. In this episode, Alison shares how physicians can turn problems they see every day into meaningful innovation.

“We should be investing in the children and we're not! Instead, we're investing in [someone like] me from a medical perspective.”We enormously enjoyed catching up with none other than @ Paul Hooper, a longtime supporter of Impact1. Paul's wealth of knowledge, insights, and also humility made him a fantastic guest and we could have chatted forever, but here are few topics that stuck with us:Pediatric innovation is still massively under-capitalized - When capital gets “sucked out” by outsized AI valuations, it leaves less room for health tech—especially pediatric health tech.Miniaturization isn’t just a constraint—it’s a strategic advantage - Innovating for smaller patients can create a “knock-on” value proposition that later scales to adults.AI: hype cycles vs. real clinical value (first wave / second wave) - The “AI on every slide” moment is real—but the second wave is about where AI is actually powerful and additive in medtech.Sign up to present https://biodesign.stanford.edu/programs/impact1.html 

In this episode of Impact1 Voices, we are chatting with our very own Alyssa Abo, MD, MBA, FAIUM, Real-World Evidence Lead here at Impact1 and VP of Clinical Innovation at DeepSight Technology. Hear Alyssa's thoughts on how to increase data access, reduce data silos, and her work with DeepSight Technology, which makes a sensor that uses ultrasound for needle guidance.

In this episode, Dave discusses why they deliberately avoided traditional VC funding at first to protect their cause and the strategy behind their chosen business model of driving profitability that can ultimately fund multi-year innovations. This is an excellent case study to demonstrate that business sustainability and growth in the pediatric innovation industry is very possible. You can't miss this story! 

Emma Moran, Head of CobiCure Medtech, shares insights into the pediatric medtech ecosystem and the mission of CobiCure—a nonprofit focused on bringing innovative devices to pediatric patients. With a background in biomedical engineering and strategy at Cook Medical, Emma has become a key leader in the space. She discusses the challenges the ecosystem faced prior to CobiCure, the organization’s initial and evolving strategies, and the strengths of her team. The conversation also explores persistent barriers in pediatric medtech, innovative business models, and the structural changes needed to ensure impactful solutions reach patients. Emma offers practical advice for entrepreneurs seeking funding from impact investors, including where to find them and what alternative funding opportunities exist beyond traditional venture capital.

Andre Bessette is the CEO of Eclipse Regenesis, a company developing a mechanical solution to short bowel syndrome. In this episode, Andre highlights the regulatory pathways available to solutions addressing needs in small patient populations. He also discusses clinical study site selection, payor engagement, and the current challenges of short bowel syndrome and necrotizing enterocolitis care.