Today, I had the opportunity to meet with Christine Winoto at the Rosenman Institute, an initiative at UCSF that helps health technolog entrepreneurs by connecting them to resources such as mentors, workshops and investors. Rosenman Institute is part of a broader organization at UCSF called QB3.
Christine and I had a great conversation. She shared an analogy that resonated with me -- she said (I'm paraphrasing) the medical device entrepreneurship world is like a neighborhood, and one of the goals of the Rosenman Institute is to create a sense of community within that neighborhood. They help the newcomers feel welcome, introduce them to other members of the neighborhood, show them around, etc. I was happy to hear this and truly felt welcomed there.
Towards the end of our meeting, Christine invited me to join the Rosenman Institute Founders Pledge Group. This is a select group of medical device entrepreneurs who make a pledge to support the Rosenman Institute if and when they have a liquidity event. Members of the group are invited to special events, including meetings with investors and other entrepreneurs. I was honored by the invitation and excited to be part of the group. I look forward to learning, connecting and contributing more to the medical device community as we get settled into the neighborhood.