CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 1 2024 21 Fergal Ward: Leading a Bioelectronics Startup to Success Incorporated in 2018, Capri Medical believes that every person deserves the ability to access the latest developments in medical technology. Aiming to make this vision a reality, the company was created to deliver the most promising and anticipated frontier in bioelectronics and neurostimulation: ACCESS. Currently, it is developing a new platform that will enable non-surgical physicians to inject hermetically sealed neurostimulation implants and leads within an office environment. By migrating procedures out of the operating room and into the office, Capri Medical will save the payor approximately $20,000 per patient per procedure, increasing the number of individuals who will be able to receive the treatment they need. Having witnessed the suffering of people who are not only grappling with chronic pain but also enduring compromised Quality of Life, Capri Medical is passionate about improving lives across the world by harnessing the power of minimally invasive neurostimulation, focusing on Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. However, Capri Medical aspires to be more than a healthcare entity, aiming to provide patients with a glimpse into a life filled with vitality and joy. This has inspired its name, a nod to the picturesque island in Italy’s Bay of Naples, embodying a vision of an alternate reality with no pain but instead sea breezes, sandy shores, exquisite dining, and rich culture. As CEO at Capri Medical, Fergal Ward is responsible for the ideation and incubation of its innovative bioelectronic platform, as well as developing its commercial strategy and driving its funding efforts. At the helm of the company, he employs a leadership style that has been honed, developed, and altered over the course of his entrepreneurial journey. After founding Capri Medical, Fergal soon realised the insufficiency of empowerment culture alone in leading a MedTech startup. Thus, his leadership style entered a new stage of evolution. He explains, “Presently, it incorporates a nuanced blend of pacesetting, a fast analytical and democratic decision-making, a robust ethical foundation, and a coaching-oriented approach. This shift has proven instrumental in enhancing engagement at Capri and, notably, strengthening our intellectual property strategy and overall employee engagement which I believe achieved more in 2023 than all previous years combined.” Whilst he has a wealth of managerial experience under his belt, Fergal has found that assuming the role of sole entrepreneur adds an additional layer of responsibility to leadership. In this, he has embarked on a steep learning curve, discovering the importance of preserving organisational culture. To do so, in recruitment, Fergal is tasked with ensuring that new additions to the team contribute positively towards the existing cultural momentum and values. “Fortunately, I believe we have successfully navigated challenges in scaling our team, and I am confident that our culture is more robust as a consequence,” he comments. “However, we won’t become complacent. As our team grows, it’s imperative that we maintain our innovative culture and values. Transitioning from a pioneering startup to a mature, clinically focused organisation requires a concerted effort to ensure that our innovative spirit remains the driving force for unlocking the full potential of our platform.” For his outstanding entrepreneurship and exceptional leadership of Capri Medical and its team, Fergal Ward has been named MedTech CEO of the Year, ROI, in the CEO of the Year Awards 2023. Moving forwards, he is prepared to face a number of challenges, including human feasibility studies, biocompatibility assessments, product development, and human clinical trials, all of which are typical for any MedTech startup. Nevertheless, Fergal remains optimistic about the future. He shares, “I firmly believe that we are still in the early stages of exploring the vast potential of bioelectronic and neurostimulation medicine. Despite numerous instances where neurostimulation has demonstrated greater efficacy than pharmaceutical therapies, it remains a lastresort treatment. However, I am inclined to believe that, in the long run, the distal placement of Capri’s devices will prove more advantageous and economic.” Contact: Fergal Ward Company: Capri Medical Web Address: www.capri-medical.com Nov23035 Based in Dublin, Capri Medical is a MedTech company working to develop highly innovative implantable bioelectronic medical devices designed to treat chronic neurological diseases. The organisation is headed by Founder and CEO Fergal Ward, an esteemed engineer, researcher, inventor, and entrepreneur. In the CEO of the Year Awards 2023, he was named MedTech CEO of the Year, ROI. Here, we speak to Fergal to find out more about the company’s work.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==