note: illustration AI generated
Let me start with some of my takeaways from MedTech World in Malta in November 2025:
👉 Too many startup companies focus too much on the product.
👉 Think about the business from the beginning! Who is going to pay?
👉 How big is your market? Are you able to penetrate this market?
If you want to gain real traction, plan the investment for your commercial structure from the outset. Do not assume that commercialisation will follow once the technology is “ready”. In practice, this delay often creates avoidable friction later on.
The question is not if you need commercial expertise, but when it adds the most value across your company’s lifecycle.
The transition from funding Series A to Series B marks a fundamental shift. Earlier, the emphasis is on feasibility and clinical validation. Approaching Series B, the expectation changes to evidence of commercial viability. This includes demonstrating real customer traction and increasing confidence in revenue generation. At this stage, commercial risk becomes the dominant variable. The core question is no longer “Does it work?” but “Can this scale as a business?” This shift often requires more structured and consistent commercial expertise, as assumptions must be replaced with evidence.
A Commercial Lead should be an early hire. Hiring does not necessarily mean recruiting someone for a full-time position. If you are afraid of hiring too early and burning cash on a sales function that cannot yet succeed, start with a commercial strategy consultant. However, if you leave it too late to hire, you will slow down growth when the market is ready.
The Commercial Lead owns the business, not just sales. They must:
✨ understand clinical workflows and hospital/ practice economics
✨ translate product value into outcomes (clinical, economic and operational)
✨ build early pricing, positioning, and the market entry strategy
✨ work closely with the product, regulatory, and clinical teams
✨ have experience of working in a startup environment
✨ have experience in MedTech
✨ be execution-driven / hands-on/ in the field !
Maintaining control over your corporate image is also important. From my experience, I know that early adopters want to be the first to share their experiences and results. Good customer relationships are essential so that you know who is publishing what, where and when. This doesn't mean you should influence your customers, they are free to publish whatever they want. However, you should be aware of every publication and prepare your response before the publication date, so that you can answer any questions potential customers may have.
Great products create potential. Focused commercial teams turn that potential into revenue and growth 🚀
While initial sales results are not necessarily the most difficult part, scaling the business and building relationships with repeat customers is.
Startups that establish a high-performance commercial team from the outset will grow more quickly, gain the confidence of investors, and establish a solid foundation for market leadership.