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Robert Cohen has spent four decades on both sides of the MedTech table — founding companies, selling them, and now evaluating billion-dollar acquisitions as Stryker's VP of Innovation and Technology for Orthopedics. In this conversation, he shares exactly what a global company looks for when it decides whether a startup's technology is worth acquiring.

Cohen's career reads like a timeline of modern orthopedic innovation. He co-founded Implex, the company behind trabecular metal, which was acquired by Zimmer. He then built a 3D printing company that worked closely with Mako Surgical, and when Stryker acquired Mako in what became one of its most successful acquisitions, Cohen came with it — returning to Stryker 23 years after he'd originally left. That rare vantage point, having been the founder pitching and the executive evaluating, shapes every insight in this episode.

From the reimbursement pressures reshaping which innovations get funded, to why founder ego can quietly kill an acquisition, to the 15-minute pitch structure that actually gets a company's attention, this is a conversation for anyone building a medical device and wondering what happens when a big company comes knocking. Cohen also looks ahead at where he'd put $10 million today and why the convergence of digital, AI, and enabling technology makes this the most exciting era in orthopedic innovation.

⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 Four decades of MedTech innovation at Stryker
01:29 From startup founder to global acquisition leader
04:29 How Stryker evaluates technology for acquisition
05:38 Reimbursement challenges in medical device innovation
09:35 Assessing MedTech startups at different stages
12:11 Rising patient expectations and implant engineering
15:18 Why C corporation structure matters for startups
17:44 How founder ego affects acquisition negotiations
20:25 What large companies look for in acquisition targets
24:07 Post-acquisition integration and retaining talent
29:08 How Mako changed orthopedic robotics at Stryker
34:36 Where to invest $10 million in MedTech today
38:17 The 15-minute pitch that gets a company's attention

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Homepage: https://anteriorhipfoundation.com

This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

The content discussed does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional judgment. Clinicians should rely on their own training, experience, and clinical decision-making when applying information from this discussion.

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FITM: The Full Conversation with Robert Cohen