Starting a new project can be an exciting time for medical device developers as they are eager to test a new idea or concept and potentially address a serious clinical condition. Unfortunately, moving too quickly without the right partners in place can create challenges later in the product lifecycle. These issues can delay a project, add expenses, or significantly derail the venture.

As such, it’s important to ensure the ideal supply chain partners are aligned early in a new project. Getting their input on a variety of factors, such as material selection, prototyping, design for manufacturability, testing, and regulatory, early can help ensure a smoother pathway to market. Considering multiple aspects of the full production before design freeze helps to optimize the undertaking.

To help further explain why it’s so important to have a key development and manufacturing partner at the table for early design work, John Freedman, VP of Sales and Marketing at Innovize, responded to several questions on the topic. In the following Q&A, he expands on the factors mentioned while also outlining the benefits of working with a company like his.

Sean Fenske: When starting a new medical device project, when should a partner like Innovize be brought in? Why?

John Freedman: As early as possible, ideally in the early design stage before design freeze. Early involvement allows design for…