Wes Jones is the CEO of Vonova, a brain computer interface company that (unlike Neuralink) is enabling access to the brain without drilling a hole in your skull. Wes joins Brom Rector and Sam Tabone to discuss:
1:25 - how Wes got into neuro, background as a catheter engineer
6:30 - how Wes’s parachute malfunction and resulting paralysis made him focused on the brain
10:30 - how Wes met his cofounder
14:00 - Wes demonstrating how his device treats chronic subdural hematoma
18:00 - ancient Peruvian history of brain surgery + the problem of the skull
22:30 - how does Vonova’s device actually work
26:00 - Wes’s encounter with Lawrence Livermore National Labs
28:00 - how Vonova is different than Neuralink
35:00 - how Vonova could treat chronic pain
38:00 - could Vonova’s device be used for Neurodegenerative disease
41:00 - how long does Vonova's device stay implanted?
43:00 - Wes’s fundraising journey - the challenges of medtech 4
7:30 - why wes is excited about drug device combos and a primer on the blood brain barrier + how Vonova could be used for drug delivery
53:00 - could Vonova’s device be used for brain stimulation?
56:20 - how Vonova’s device could help “solve” the brain + digital twins
1:00:00 - Wes’s experience as a CEO + his first employee living on his couch for a year
1:05:00 - does Wes think you need an MBA to start a company (hot take)
1:08:00 - San Diego
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