Episode 40 | Dvir Cohen and Jan Baekelandt MD, PhD at Memic | How to Evaluate an Unmet Clinical Need

In this episode, Dvir, Jan and I discuss Memic, robotic surgery, how to evaluate an unmet clinical need, how they chose their first market, fundraising tips and more.  Bio: Dvir Cohen has served as Chief Executive Officer at Memic since October 2013.

Mr. Cohen has been a leader in the Company from its inception and also serves as a president of our U.S. subsidiary, Memic Innovative Surgery Inc. Mr. Cohen brings more than 15 years of experience in innovative robotic systems. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Cohen served in various positions in the Israeli Ministry of Defense as an awarded officer specializing in robotic systems for various applications. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Cohen held the positions of research and development manager and robotic project specialist in an elite technology unit of the Israel Intelligence Force. From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Cohen led several opto-mechanical disruptive solutions in the Ministry of Defense, one of which won the Israel Defense Award. Mr. Cohen has experience at all stages of product development, from the early conceptual stage through prototyping to production line implementation and final market. Mr. Cohen earned an M.B.A in 2013 from the Recanati Business School at Tel Aviv University with a major in Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship. He also earned B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Technion as part of the “Brakim” excellence program in 2007.  

Prof. Dr. Jan Baekelandt is currently a consultant for the Department of Gynaecological Oncology and Endoscopy at Imelda Hospital in Bonheiden, Belgium. He is guest professor at the University of Leuven, department of development and regeneration in urogenital abdominal and plastic surgery. He specializes in gynecological oncology, and robotic and endoscopic surgery. Dr. Baekelandt qualified as a Medical Doctor (1999) and specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics (2004) at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. He subspecialized as a gynecological oncologist (2004-2006) in Pretoria, South Africa and Köln, Germany. He is a pioneer in the emerging field of Natural Orifice Surgery and has written his PhD on transvaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (vNOTES), of which he has performed over 1500 cases. He introduced vNOTES in Europe, developed the technique of total vaginal NOTES hysterectomy and of vaginal retroperitoneal sentinel node dissection. He also introduced transvaginal robotic surgery as part of his PhD research.