Inventing the Metaflex Glove: How Téa Phillips Turned Grit Into Healthcare Innovation

In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Téa Phillips — founder of ATS Innovations and inventor of the Metaflex Glove — a breakthrough wearable that helps people with arthritis improve hand function, reduce pain, and regain strength.Inspired by her grandmother’s struggle, Téa shares how she turned an idea from a college pitch competition into an FDA-registered medical product.🧠 How customer empathy drove innovation that no market research could🩺 What it really takes to navigate the FDA (hint: she did it without a consultant)💸 Why she cashed out her savings and 401K to fund the mission🚀 How building without a playbook made her smarter, faster, and more resilient🌍 Why healthcare innovation has to start outside the systemThis episode is a must-watch for product builders, healthcare innovators, and anyone who believes necessity — and heart — can fuel the greatest breakthroughs.Thanks for tuning in to Breakthrough Innovation! Want to subscribe to the podcast? Have feedback to share? Connect with us on Spotify or iTunes and leave us a review—we’d love to hear from you!