Founder Spotlight: Dan Clark, Co-Founder & CEO of Linear Health Sciences
In this Founder Spotlight, we talk to Dan Clark, Co-Founder and CEO of Linear Health Sciences, about the journey behind creating life-saving medical devices like the Orchid Safety Release Valve. From navigating complex regulations to the challenges of commercialization, Dan shares his insights and advice for entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry.
- What inspired you to start Linear?
It would be unfair to take credit here. Linear’s beginning was built on a vision from a hospitalist that tubing management across all of healthcare could be managed better. When we were introduced, my suggestion was the focal area to launch the ‘Safety Release Valve’ product category in vascular access, or IV’s. It’s here where we could touch the most lives, and, theoretically, have the cleanest path to market entry. The reason I decided to be a cofounder of Linear was predicated on the want to do more in healthcare, to help fix a broken healthcare system, and to continue to strive for improvement in the space. Personal experiences drove me to make the leap.
- What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when launching Linear?
There are so many challenges to be faced when starting a medical device company:
– Is it a cool solution looking for a problem, or does it actually solve a need?
– Product development and innovation is a long road.
– Regulatory clearances, FDA collaboration is a difficult space to navigate, and ultimately derives validity for product deployment or not.
– One of the largest: the right team. In an arena driven by Quality and Regulatory it’s imperative the company is set up for success in this respect, and the right people are supporting the effort. - What advice would you give to someone starting a business in the healthcare industry?
First off, if there is a need for what you’ve envisioned, then you have an obligation to try. But planning is crucial. There are more red tape and regulatory requirements now than ever before. Understanding the amount of time, effort, money, and approach is critical to success. - How has Plains Ventures contributed to your company’s growth and success?
In terms of Plains impacts: It stretches far beyond the financial support. Plains’ vision on being a complete resource is critical to any collaborative investment – from extending financial resources where we may be limited, to stepping out from a commercial standpoint and supporting introductions to hospitals as a user base, Plains has set up as a whole-house support system. As Linear grows and evolves, we have opened up conversations on valuable new-hire potential to round out the teams’ needs with the Plains’ team, understanding that their network is vast.
Moral of this story is that they have influenced the potential of success by stepping outside the bounds of traditional VC and have made significant strides in working to bring value across all aspects of an evolving company. - Can you share a memorable moment or experience that reaffirmed your decision to pursue this career path?
There are a lot of these, but it always comes down to feedback from our users: both the patient and the clinician. I’ve received messages and calls from both that continue to validate the need for what we have created. Specifically, a call from a dad who’s 4-year-old has leukemia. Without the Orchid SRV attached, that 4-year-old would have lost her continuity of care, setting her treatment back and causing more pain and suffering. He called to say thank you. As a father myself, having seen my 5-year-olds IV come dislodged, it brought me to tears. And reignites my passion for what we do every day. - Looking back, is there anything you wish you had known before starting your entrepreneurial journey?
So much I’m not even sure where to start. If I were to pick, I would say that you’d be surprised with how much grit, how much turmoil, how much pressure a person can endure. When you know you’re doing something for the right reasons, it’s amazing what you can accomplish.
Secondarily – the importance of mentors and coaches. I didn’t start with that, and had to fight to find it, and now I try to repay that to the industry. We have an obligation to help see amazing people do incredible things, and there’s no reason mistakes should be remade. - What strategies do you use to overcome setbacks and obstacles?
Obstacles occur every day in every business. For that reason, we’re a solutions-focused company. Yes, we need to address if there is an issue right away, but the expectation comes with 2-3 solutions and a suggestion of a path forward. Simply stating there’s an obstacle doesn’t help the situation. How will we overcome it, and how can we make the effort more valuable to Linear in the long run? That’s what we require to address issues that arise.