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S03|09: From Brain Surgery to MedTech Innovation with Dr. John Wong
What does it take to move from treating brain aneurysms in the operating room to founding a medtech company that could transform how these conditions are treated worldwide? In this episode of The Founder Mindset, Leah Sarich sits down with Dr. John Wong, neurosurgeon and CEO of Fluid Biomed, to explore this remarkable journey.
John shares how his partnership with Co-Founder Dr. Alim Mitha led to the development of a next-generation stent, one that diverts blood flow, heals aneurysms, and then dissolves safely over time. He opens up about the challenges of fundraising, navigating the infamous “valley of death,” and the eventual triumph of closing a $27M Series A with global investors. As John likes to say, “running a company is the hardest thing I've ever done. And I'm a brain surgeon."
About John Wong
Dr. John Wong is a practicing neurosurgeon and the Co-Founder & CEO of Fluid Biomed, a Calgary-based medical device company developing bioabsorbable stents to treat brain aneurysms without invasive surgery. Trained at the University of Alberta, Dr. Wong specialized in aneurysm treatment and learned innovative methods for treating the brain through blood vessels rather than traditional open-skull surgery.
Alongside his clinical career, he has grown Fluid Biomed from a research idea into a venture-backed startup with 25 employees, international clinical trials, and $27M USD in Series A funding. John also holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, giving him a unique perspective at the intersection of medicine, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Creative Destruction Labs - Calgary
- Creative Destruction Labs - Rockies
- Life Sciences Innovation Hub (University of Calgary)
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute
- Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania)
The Founder Mindset is Sponsored By:
- ATB
- API
- Artemis
- OCIF
—
Contact Thin Air Labs:
- Website: ThinAirLabs.ca
- LinkedIn: Thin Air Labs
- X: Thin Air Labs
- YouTube: Thin Air Labs
Contact John Wong:
- Website: Fluid Biomed
- LinkedIn: Fluid Biomed
- Linkedin: John Wong
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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By Leah SarichWhat does it take to move from treating brain aneurysms in the operating room to founding a medtech company that could transform how these conditions are treated worldwide? In this episode of The Founder Mindset, Leah Sarich sits down with Dr. John Wong, neurosurgeon and CEO of Fluid Biomed, to explore this remarkable journey.
John shares how his partnership with Co-Founder Dr. Alim Mitha led to the development of a next-generation stent, one that diverts blood flow, heals aneurysms, and then dissolves safely over time. He opens up about the challenges of fundraising, navigating the infamous “valley of death,” and the eventual triumph of closing a $27M Series A with global investors. As John likes to say, “running a company is the hardest thing I've ever done. And I'm a brain surgeon."
About John Wong
Dr. John Wong is a practicing neurosurgeon and the Co-Founder & CEO of Fluid Biomed, a Calgary-based medical device company developing bioabsorbable stents to treat brain aneurysms without invasive surgery. Trained at the University of Alberta, Dr. Wong specialized in aneurysm treatment and learned innovative methods for treating the brain through blood vessels rather than traditional open-skull surgery.
Alongside his clinical career, he has grown Fluid Biomed from a research idea into a venture-backed startup with 25 employees, international clinical trials, and $27M USD in Series A funding. John also holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, giving him a unique perspective at the intersection of medicine, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Creative Destruction Labs - Calgary
- Creative Destruction Labs - Rockies
- Life Sciences Innovation Hub (University of Calgary)
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute
- Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania)
The Founder Mindset is Sponsored By:
- ATB
- API
- Artemis
- OCIF
—
Contact Thin Air Labs:
- Website: ThinAirLabs.ca
- LinkedIn: Thin Air Labs
- X: Thin Air Labs
- YouTube: Thin Air Labs
Contact John Wong:
- Website: Fluid Biomed
- LinkedIn: Fluid Biomed
- Linkedin: John Wong
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.