荔枝视频

Being an entrepreneur is just business as usual for Virginia Goetz.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had an entrepreneurial spirit,鈥� says Virginia Goetz (MBT鈥�18), a graduate of the Cumming School of Medicine鈥檚 Master of Biomedical Technology (MBT) program. 鈥淏oth of my parents have their own business. At a young age I knew you could work for yourself and build what you wanted.鈥�

As an undergrad, Goetz started a window-washing business with her sister. It gave her a taste of calling the shots, and planted a seed.

As a master鈥檚 student, the MBT program provided the building blocks to expand her entrepreneurial foundation. It also helped her better understand herself.

鈥淵ou need to know your strengths and weaknesses to build the right team, which is essential to being an entrepreneur.鈥�

With an existing interest in pediatrics, Goetz spent her year-long capstone project working on a prototype for a mouth splint to help kids with juvenile arthritis in their jaw joints.

She found the ideal mentor in Dr. Marinka Twilt, a pediatric rheumatologist at the Alberta Children鈥檚 Hospital (ACH). Dr. Twilt suggested the project and Goetz ran with it.

鈥淪he was a fabulous mentor; her network of colleagues helped bring together the interdisciplinary team of experts we needed.鈥�

For Goetz, there鈥檚 a natural connection between health care and entrepreneurial thinking.

鈥淔rom the patient perspective, when you鈥檙e innovating new medical devices or drugs, I think that gives people optimism, hope, about whatever they鈥檙e going through.鈥�

Currently a first-year medical student at the University of Alberta, Goetz is planning to continue her research this summer and explore where that takes her. The opening of a new jaw clinic at the ACH means there could be an opportunity to see how her prototype fits into the clinical care pathway.

鈥淢y two biggest passions are entrepreneurship and medicine,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 hope I can continue to combine them in the future.鈥�

What a difference a month can make. Just ask Jacob George.

When biomedical engineering masters student Jacob George signed up for a volunteer make-athon in August 2016, he set in motion what he calls the defining experience of his graduate program.

Armed with a mechanical engineering background, plenty of design competition know-how, and the support of his supervisor Steven Boyd, PhD, director of the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, George worked with his teammates to create a device to assist people with their at-home stroke rehabilitation.

鈥淲e were paired up with Zhao, the father-in-law of one of my teammates,鈥� says George. 鈥淗e had a stroke and, living in rural China, he didn鈥檛 have consistent access to rehab facilities or clinicians.鈥�

The team built a robot that moved Zhao鈥檚 arm back and forth around the elbow joint.

The following year, they took their design to the TENET i2c (innovation to commercialization) business pitch competition.

After connecting with Dr. Sean Dukelow, lead of the 荔枝视频 Stroke Program, they realized there was a similar need for at-home rehab in places like Alberta.

鈥淲e wanted to step up, to fill this gap; that鈥檚 where our company came from.鈥�

Now George is building on his experience and hopes to facilitate affordable, accessible stroke rehabilitation at home through Re-able, the company he co-founded with former teammate and 荔枝视频 alumnus Riley Booth (BSc鈥�14, MSc鈥�18).

鈥淚 always thought it would be cool to run my own thing,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 got involved in design projects because I thought I could make impactful changes.鈥�

Re-able is developing a smartphone app and wearable activity tracker designed to integrate stroke recovery movement into daily life.

Both Goetz and George credit great advice from mentors and support from the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, and Innovate 荔枝视频 as a vital part of their experience.

鈥淭he entrepreneurial community here is extremely supportive,鈥� says George.

Entrepreneur essentials 

Tips from Virginia Goetz

• Mentorship is really important. Don't just be open to the support and input of others, go out and seek it. 
• Be honest and ask for what you want, graciously and confidently. The worst people can say is no.

Tips from Jacob George

• People tend to be naturally better at one thing; the entrepreneurial journey is really about filling in the gaps for everything else.
• Make sure you connect with your market really, really well.