Bio Break: Finding the Path to MedTech Innovation with the Pathfinder Program

Laboratory Developed Tests vs. In Vitro Diagnostics
Resources

Bio Break: Finding the Path to MedTech Innovation with the Pathfinder Program

Authors: Nick Allan
Topic: Bio Break

Pathfinder Program MedTech Innovation

In this Pathfinder Program MedTech Innovation episode of Bio Break, Nick Allan and Joris explore one of the most dynamic early-phase services at StarFish Medical: the Pathfinder Program. If you’re a medtech innovator with a promising concept or prototype, Pathfinder helps you identify the right path forward—before you invest millions in development.

Nick explains that Pathfinder projects focus on structured, interdisciplinary exploration to de-risk early innovation decisions. Whether it’s a new diagnostic platform or a novel therapeutic device, these short, intensive engagements are designed to define your target product profile, investigate regulatory and IP strategy, and uncover unmet user needs—all before a single part is manufactured.

The episode discusses how the Pathfinder team collaborates across human factors, industrial design, systems engineering, and sometimes even early prototyping to assess feasibility and market alignment. The outcome? A comprehensive Pathfinder Report. This document helps clients understand competitive positioning, reimbursement potential, freedom to operate, and how to prioritize the product’s unique value in the clinical space.

Joris and Nick also reflect on how Pathfinder enables clients to avoid costly pivots later in the process. By bringing in industrial designers and regulatory experts early, teams can explore device form factor, usability constraints, and even conduct basic visualizations or 3D-printed proofs-of-concept.

Whether you’re preparing for a funding round, seeking to understand your market fit, or building a go-to-market strategy, the Pathfinder Program can give your team clarity and confidence. Tune in to see how this process sets the foundation for successful medical device commercialization—and why it’s one of the most rewarding project types at StarFish.

Learn more about StarFish Medical.

A hospital patient lies in bed with a blurred background of medical equipment; bold text reads “Empathy in Design” across the top.

Translating Emotion into Empathetic Medical Design

What does empathetic medical design really look like in practice? Eric and Paul discuss how emotional insight from field research can profoundly impact the design of medical devices

A disposable medical syringe is pointed toward a small pile of pennies, with a red dotted arrow connecting them. The text overlay reads, “So cheap. So complex.”

How Syringe Engineering Enables Precision at Scale

Despite costing just pennies, syringes pack an extraordinary amount of design and manufacturing complexity. From precision-molded barrels to breathably sealed packaging, these tools are more than meets the eye.

A healthcare professional in a sterile gown and gloves holds an endoscope, with a red arrow pointing toward the device. Beside it, a handheld cleaning brush is shown, symbolizing the manual cleaning process. Text overlay reads “Not sterile. Just safe?”

Understanding Endoscope Reprocessing

Ariana and Mark examine the complexities of endoscope reprocessing, one of the most difficult tasks in medical device hygiene.

Technician operating a custom aluminum-framed drop test rig with a white platform and green background wall.

Medical Device Drop Testing in Action

Medical device drop testing helps ensure that products and packaging survive real-world handling. We demonstrate in-house drop testing on an actual device and its packaging using a custom-built drop tester.