This Houston medical device innovator plans to lead a 'paradigm shift' in vascular surgery
HOUSTON INNOVATORS PODCAST EPISODE 199
Commercializing a health tech innovation is a long game — fraught with regulatory obstacles, cyclical rounds of funding, and continuous improvement — all fueled by the desire to enhance treatment and save lives.
That's Tim Boire's plan. And it's a thorough one at that. On this week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast, Boire — president and CEO of VenoStent, a medical device startup that’s designing a unique material for hemodialysis patients — shares his roadmap for his company.
"We believe we can be pioneers of a paradigm shift in vascular surgery — to not just treat problems after they've already occurred, but actually prevent them from occurring in the first place," he says in the episode.
VenoStent's most recent hurdle cleared is closing a $16 million series A round of venture funding. Two Charleston, South Carolina-based firms — Good Growth Capital and IAG Capital Partners — led the round. The TMC Venture Fund also contributed.
Now, VenoStent is headed for a 200-patient trial in the United States, with an ultimate goal of product launch in 2026. The company's unique medical device is a bioabsorbable wrap that reduces vein collapse by providing mechanical support and promoting outward vein growth.
Boire had the idea for VenoStend when he was completing his PhD at Vanderbilt University. He completed the program, and then joined the HealthWildcatters accelerator in 2017 in Dallas. After that, Boire and his co-founder, Geoff Lucks, decided to take the leap and move to Houston to join JLABS at TMC. The rest, as they say, is history.
“Houston’s been a great place to hire,” Boire says. “We've been I think very fortunate to find our employees who are stellar, true believers in the technology — amazing engineers, and amazing people.”
And, of course, Boire has a plan to continue this hiring success. He says the goal is to grow to a team of 16 by the end of the year. Marketing and sales roles will likely be filled in 2025 ahead of product launch.
“When we think about what our mission is at VenoStent, it’s to ultimately improve patient care — and we are very passionate about this specific problem that patients experience and go through,” Boire says.
“That's what drives everything we're doing as a company to improve quality and length of life for patients who have chronic kidney disease that progresses to a point where they need dialysis to sustain life," he continues. "We believe that we can become the standard care for vascular surgery starting with hemodialysis access."
As VenoStent's trials and growth goes according to plan, Boire says this product can be used for other implications.
Boire shares more on his grand plan, plus how he weathered the storm that is fundraising at a time where so much venture capital activity has slowed. Listen to the interview here — or wherever you stream your podcasts — and subscribe for weekly episodes.