Build For Impact

What does it take to turn decades of experience in MedTech investing, entrepreneurship, and leadership into the next healthcare breakthrough?

In Episode 2 of Build For Impact, host Chris Danek welcomes Renee Ryan, Co-Founder and CEO of Pinprint, for a conversation about the many sides of healthcare innovation and the experiences that shape successful founders and leaders.

From investment banking and her time investing at Johnson & Johnson to her involvement in Verb Surgical and her current work at Pinprint, Renee has experienced MedTech innovation from nearly every angle.

Now she's helping advance a new generation of precision-manufactured microneedle technology with potential applications in drug delivery, vaccines, and tissue sampling.

Together, Chris and Renee explore how Pinprint is leveraging advanced 3D printing technology, why strategic partnerships can give startups access to expertise far beyond their internal resources, and how rapid innovation must be balanced with the discipline required to deliver reliable results.

But this conversation goes well beyond technology.

Renee shares a powerful story about supporting an early-stage healthcare innovator, discusses what separates effective board members from disruptive ones, and explains why mentorship and peer support are essential to sustaining the next generation of MedTech entrepreneurs.

Whether you're a MedTech founder, investor, executive, or aspiring innovator, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on building companies, supporting people, and creating breakthroughs that sustain and scale.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Build For Impact: Meet Renee Ryan

00:41 Introducing Pinprint and Its Origins

02:05 Microneedle Technology and Precision 3D Printing

03:25 Finding the Right Healthcare Applications

06:35 From Drug Delivery to Tissue Sampling

08:00 Why Focus Matters for Startups

09:10 Rethinking Diagnostics and Patient Experience

10:20 Strategic Partnerships and Startup Growth

12:30 Rapid Innovation and Manufacturing at Scale

14:45 The Importance of Disciplined Execution

15:55 Building the MedTech Innovation Community

17:15 A Mentorship Story That Made a Difference

20:45 What Makes a Great Board Member?

24:20 Advice for the Next Generation of Innovators

27:20 The Importance of Following Through

28:35 Advice for First-Time Founders and CEOs

30:40 Final Thoughts and How to Connect

31:35 About Build For Impact and Bessel

What does it really take to build a MedTech company that creates lasting impact?

In the inaugural episode of Build For Impact, we explore why founders need to look beyond their next fundraising round and focus on building sustainable, scalable companies that deliver meaningful results for patients, clinicians and the broader healthcare ecosystem.

Joined by moderator Ryan Ruff, we discuss the three cultures that drive high-performing teams, the importance of strategic alignment, and the realities of navigating some of the most difficult moments in a startup's journey.

Through real-world stories, including a founder facing the sudden loss of grant funding and another navigating a complex financing round, we explore what it means to be a trusted advisor when the stakes are high.

We also introduce our Build for Impact program, including its three sprints focused on strategy, rapid innovation and fundraising, along with the growing community we're building through our accelerator cohorts and annual Showcase.

Whether you're a MedTech founder, investor, startup executive or innovator, this episode is an invitation to rethink what it means to build a company worth funding.

Because the ultimate goal isn't simply raising capital. It's creating healthcare breakthroughs that sustain and scale.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Build For Impact

00:43 Why We Launched the Show

01:39 What Does Building for Impact Really Mean?

03:00 Why Sustainability and Scalability Matter

04:50 The Call to Excellence

06:00 Three Cultures of High-Performing Teams

09:00 Helping Struggling Startups Get Back on Track

12:35 When a Founder Loses Critical Funding

17:30 Helping a Founder Close a Financing Round

21:40 Office Hours: Becoming a Trusted Advisor

25:10 The Build for Impact Program: Three Sprints

29:50 Building a Community of MedTech Innovators

32:25 Advice for Founders and the Build for Impact Showcase

36:15 The Mindsets Behind Lasting Impact