In this episode, Marc Koska shares his journey as a social entrepreneur and healthcare innovator. He discusses creating the K1 auto-disabled syringe, which has saved millions of lives by preventing the spread of blood-borne diseases, and his transition to Apiject to advance healthcare delivery with new injection technologies. Marc also reflects on lessons from biomimicry and product design, the challenges of global health in developing countries, and the importance of firsthand experience, social awareness, and data-driven decision-making in driving meaningful innovation.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Marc Koska and His Innovations
05:03 The Birth of the K1 Auto-Disabled Syringe
12:09 Impact of the K1 Syringe on Global Health
17:50 Transition to Apiject and New Innovations
25:03 Future of Healthcare and Injection Devices
26:59 Empowerment Through Creation
29:20 The Birth of Biomimicry
32:12 Social Impact and Empowerment
35:24 Innovations in Design and Technology
39:35 The Journey of Social Entrepreneurship
45:55 Advice for Aspiring Innovators

Guest Information:

• Guest's Name: Marc Koska
• Guest's Title/Position: Co-founder and Head of Production Design
• Guest's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-koska-5761181a/
• Company / Affiliation: ApiJect https://apiject.com/
• Guest's Bio: The inventor of the Apiject Platform and its first BFS injection device is Marc Koska, a highly honored “social entrepreneur.” The Prefilled Apiject Injector is designed for simplicity: Just prior to injection, a fill-finished Blow-Fill-Seal container and intramuscular needle hub are push-twisted together by a healthcare professional. Leading Apiject R&D, Marc and his team design drug delivery system prototypes that can reliably serve both advanced and developing markets. Through feedback from patients and healthcare providers, Marc has a deep understanding of customers and in building healthcare partnerships. This feedback is the foundation of Apiject’s Platform to ensure our single-use prefilled injector and future devices meet the needs of all. The Apiject Platform of drug delivery devices is designed to optimize manufacturing, warehousing, and transportation, using advanced technology, deliver cost efficiencies and accelerating time to market, and most importantly, save lives.

Takeaways:

• Marc Koska invented the K1 auto-disabled syringe to prevent disease spread.
• The K1 syringe has saved approximately 12 million lives.
• Syringe reuse was a major transmission route for HIV.
• Marc's journey involved extensive research and learning about syringes.
• The K1 syringe design was a significant innovation in healthcare.
• Marc's work has had a profound impact on global health education.
• Apiject aims to provide safer and more accessible injection devices.
• The new injection devices are designed for self-administration.
• Environmental concerns are addressed with new syringe designs.
• Marc's career reflects a commitment to solving large-scale health problems. Empowerment comes from creating impactful solutions.
• Biomimicry is a study of nature's designs and interactions.
• Social entrepreneurship requires understanding the core truth of problems.
• Technology, like AI and 3D printing, enhances design processes.
• Traveling and seeing problems firsthand is crucial for entrepreneurs.
• Data and understanding all viewpoints are essential for success.
• Innovative design must consider social implications.
• Creating a supportive team culture is vital for success.
• Challenging the status quo is necessary for meaningful change.
• Success in social entrepreneurship requires a combination of passion and practicality.