Changing The Law To Fund Medtech with Thom Rasche

In this episode of The Crux of MedTech, Henry Norton sits down with Thom Rasche, Managing Partner and founding force behind Earlybird Health, the venture fund that literally changed German law to get public health insurers investing in early-stage medtech. Thom shares the unvarnished reality of European health VC: where the arbitrage lies, why the CE mark has lost its edge, and what separates the 5% of startups using AI meaningfully from the 95% just putting it in the business plan. From building a fund around patient outcomes to coaching founders through the painful moment their company outgrows them, this conversation is a masterclass in what it takes to back revolutionary healthcare technology in Europe and get it to the US market.Key Topics:The real cost advantage of developing medtech in Europe vs. the USWhy the CE mark has fallen behind the FDA as a regulatory pathwayHow Earlybird got public health insurers into venture (and changed the law to do it)What separates a better mousetrap from a game-changing technologyThe three phases a startup CEO must navigate, and why most can’t cover all threeRelated Insights:Why outcomes-based pricing could reshape pharmaceutical reimbursementHow AI is accelerating platform validation and clinical trial recruitmentThe role of collaboration over competition in European VCCore Challenges:European medtech startups face smaller funding rounds and a fragmented market, meaning the best companies must eventually flip to the US to access the world’s largest healthcare market and viable exit routes.Assessing founding teams remains the hardest part of due diligence. The biggest reason companies fail is not the technology, it’s that the people cannot execute through the shifting demands of growth, clinical validation, and commercialisation.Tune in now to hear how one of Europe’s most experienced health VCs backs revolutionary technology, navigates the transatlantic funding gap, and coaches founders through the moments that make or break their companies.The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠