Founding and Growing an Engineering Company with Dr. Olga Kubassova
Aug 2, 2024
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Dr. Olga Kubassova, a leader in the medical imaging sector, shares her insights on transforming from engineer to startup founder. She discusses the essential journey of understanding customer needs and fostering innovation through strong team culture. Olga highlights the challenges of adapting company culture in a post-COVID world, advocating for inclusivity and collaboration. She also addresses the unique obstacles faced by women in tech leadership, emphasizing the importance of self-identity and emotional openness in overcoming barriers.
Dr. Olga Kubassova's firm advances medical imaging in drug development by integrating sophisticated algorithms into clinical trials to enhance analysis.
As organizations scale, leaders must cultivate a culture of innovation and communication to foster team cohesion and work-life balance.
Deep dives
Identifying Market Gaps in Medical Imaging
A significant opportunity was recognized in the field of medical imaging, particularly in drug development, where traditional methods had become outdated and less effective. The reliance on radiologists to interpret imaging results often resulted in a loss of the sophisticated algorithms developed by engineers and researchers. Dr. Olga Kubasiligla founded her engineering company to bridge this gap by integrating advanced technologies and quantitative methods into clinical trials. This approach has been instrumental in introducing innovative methodologies to improve medical imaging analysis, a process that continues to face challenges in gaining acceptance within the clinical market.
Transitioning from Startup to Scale-Up
The transition from a small startup to a growing scale-up presents unique challenges and requires a fundamental shift in mindset and operations. Initially, individual accountability and technical expertise are paramount; however, as the organization grows, there is a necessity to implement structured processes that can facilitate scalable operations. Dr. Kubasiligla emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of innovation while establishing these processes, allowing team members to contribute collectively rather than relying solely on individual efforts. This evolution also includes recognizing the importance of work-life balance for employees, a shift that requires leaders to adapt their expectations.
Cultivating a Supportive Team Culture
Creating a cohesive team culture is essential as an organization grows, particularly in a post-COVID environment where remote work has become prevalent. Dr. Kubasiligla highlights the need for pride in the company and effective communication to foster a sense of belonging among team members, regardless of their physical location. This involves managers being attuned to the diverse needs of their teams and ensuring that everyone feels valued and engaged in the organization's mission. Encouraging open dialogue about challenges and ensuring recognition of individual contributions are key strategies to maintain a collaborative and innovative culture.
This is the Engineering Culture Podcast, from the people behind InfoQ.com and the QCon conferences.
In this podcast Shane Hastie, Lead Editor for Culture & Methods spoke to Dr Olga Kubassova about founding and growing an engineering company in the medical imaging domain.
Read a transcript of this interview: https://shorturl.at/EzXUI
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