The Medtech Innovation Podcast

I'm joined by Mark Norton, former Apple Manufacturing Manager and now Founder and CEO of Adele Health, as we explore the journey from tech giant to medtech startup and the challenges of building an innovative diabetes management solution.


In this episode, we breakdown:


  1. The Apple Manufacturing Experience 


→ Transitioning from oil rigs to the cutting edge of tech manufacturing 


→ Insights into Apple's meticulous approach to product design and quality 


→ Lessons learned from managing global supply chains during unprecedented events


  1. Applying Big Tech Principles to Medtech 


→ Translating Apple's attention to detail into medical device development 


→ The importance of user-centric design in healthcare technology 


→ Balancing aesthetics with medical-grade reliability and accuracy


  1. Navigating the Medtech Startup Landscape 


→ Challenges of developing FDA-regulated devices vs. consumer electronics 


→ The critical role of regulatory strategy in product development 


→ Importance of aligning incentives with suppliers and partners


  1. Building Adele Health: A New Approach to Diabetes Management 


→ Creating user-friendly glucose monitoring solutions 


→ Leveraging AI and machine learning for personalized insights 


→ Balancing privacy concerns with data-driven health management


  1. From Concept to Market: The Medtech Journey


 → Importance of early regulatory planning and pre-submission meetings 


→ Strategies for iterating on hardware and software designs 


→ Building a team that bridges the gap between engineering and healthcare


Best Quotes:


 "When your products are used every day, almost all the time… you have to have that elegant usability, the ruggedness, the durability, the reliability."


"We have a phrase we keep using: we'll just figure it out. And I think that's startups to a tee. You just figure it out."


"Always have a second source of supply. Never be sole-sourced."


Want more insights on medtech innovation?


Press the subscribe button to unpack hot takes and insider tactics from the trenches of medtech startups.


📈 My FREE 5-day course for Medtech Innovators to create successful ventures: https://xomedtech.com/free-course


🤝 Join the #1 network for medtech innovators on the internet. Become a member to accelerate your journey, collaborate and build valuable ventures. Try 7-days completely free: https://xo-medtech.circle.so/checkout/xo-membership


FIND SPENCER JONES ON SOCIAL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-jones-5a008672/ XO Medtech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xo-medtech


FIND MARK NORTON ON SOCIAL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-norton-adele/ Adele Health: https://adelehealth.com


Episode Timestamps: 


0:00 - Introduction to Mark Norton and his journey 


2:54 - How to Strategically Approach Product Design 


8:38 - Applying Big Tech Principles to Medtech 


13:42 - Navigating the Medtech Startup Landscape 


18:03 - From Concept to Market: The Medtech Journey


What is The Medtech Innovation Podcast?

Medtech Innovation Podcast: Spencer Jones dives deep into winning medtech startup strategies. Each episode unpacks hot takes and insider tactics from the trenches of medtech innovation. Join physician inventors, founders, engineers, and healthcare market makers as they share actionable insights to navigate the FDA, secure medtech funding, and drive medtech breakthroughs. No-nonsense advice to be a change maker in medtech.