This year, the Bellmont Partners Health team is celebrating its 15th anniversary and we’re excited to be shining a spotlight on our health clients and the medtech community. As part of that, we’re introducing our Medtech Masters Q&A series.
First up, we are thrilled to feature Frank Jaskulke. Frank is currently the vice president of sales and business development at Avio Medtech Consulting. With nearly two decades at Medical Alley Association, he served in various leadership roles, most recently as vice president of innovation and head of Medical Alley Starts. Frank has been instrumental in advancing the medtech sector, connecting companies with partners, investors, and key talent. He has a proven track record in international business development and strategic services, particularly for startup companies. Frank holds a Master of Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. He is known for his dedication to fostering innovation and his deep connections within the medtech community.
What is your background in medtech? How did you get started? Twenty years ago, I got lucky and started at the front desk for the Medical Alley Association. My boss told me, “You’ll get paid to hang out with people who save lives. And if you do a good job, they’ll save more lives.” I’ve been hooked ever since! I spent 20 years at Medical Alley doing every job under the sun and learning from so many.
Tell us about your role with Avio Medtech Consulting – what are you working on these days? Avio is a small consulting group that wants to get bigger (but not big). My job is to help make that happen. I’ve got sales, marketing, and business development, so I work on finding new clients, telling our story, and helping to figure out what we should do next with a great team. Main focus right now is building our sales model (and executing it) while setting the stage for marketing efforts.
It’s no secret this year has been a rollercoaster for many industries, including medtech, with tariffs, FDA cuts, and economic uncertainty. What is your advice for organizations to navigate it all? First, it’s OK to feel down from time to time. Second, in times like this, doing the right things the right way is even more important. Third, deferring decisions or not making a decision IS making a decision. Inaction only works for so long.
How can communications strategies be helpful in navigating some of the challenges medtech companies are facing? EVERYTHING is communication. Work with the FDA is communication. Raising capital is communication. Sales is communication. Do it well and success is more likely. Do it poorly and even the best technology in the best market may fail.
Why is medtech such a big industry in Minnesota? We got lucky! Earl Bakken was born here. Truly. We got lucky, and then we didn’t mess it up. We got a win, and we doubled down on it. But of course, it was also because we invested in education, affordable cost of living, and good healthcare. That created the conditions to get lucky. A lesson for all of us – do hard work to make good things happen, and your luck will increase.
What are the top trends you’re noticing in medtech? Everyone talks about AI, and yes, it is interesting. I’m more interested in how our understanding of physiology and biology has advanced so that many therapy ideas are becoming therapy reality. Neuromodulation/bio-electronic medicine has exploded because science has advanced to the point where engineers are able to build solutions.
Any predictions or insights for the medtech industry? The challenging times we face will bear fruit with new business models and highly innovative companies. Be on the lookout for the next disrupter. It will probably seem like a dumb idea at first.
A huge thanks to Frank for taking the time to answer our questions and for sharing his wisdom — and for all he does for the medtech industry. Stay tuned for our next installment in this series – a conversation with Mark Gardner, founder and managing partner of Gardner Law and Chrysalis Incubator.
Do you have a life-changing innovation and are looking for help to bring it market? We’d love to hear more about it! Contact us for a complimentary PR strategy session and brainstorm.