Bridging the Gap Between Clinical Trials and Commercial Success

Rob Ball, the CEO of Shoulder Innovations, has dedicated more than two decades of his professional life to advancing medical device technologies, making a significant mark in the field of orthopedics. 

His journey began in the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Having a proclivity for engineering, Rob pursued his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Kettering University, formerly known as the General Motors Institute (GMI). In Rob’s early career days, he was engaged in the automotive industry, working with SPX Corporation, where he was instrumental in building a large-scale casting and machining facility in Warsaw, Indiana.

Rob’s career took a dramatic turn when he crossed paths with Dane Miller, the founder of BioMet, and Rob’s neighbor in Warsaw. Dane, a GMI alumnus himself, introduced Rob to the striking differences in profit margins between the automotive and medical device industries. This realization spurred Rob to transition into medtech, marking the beginning of an exceptional journey.

Rob initially joined DePuy, a division of Johnson & Johnson, as a product development engineer in the extremities group. During his time there, he developed significant relationships and gained critical insights into product development and the inner workings of the medical device industry. Rob then transitioned to a small startup in Southern California called Kinetikos Medical, where he applied the skills and knowledge he had amassed at J&J.

After a few years, an opportunity presented itself through Warburg Pincus, who invited Rob to join the Tornier team, where he worked for about eight years. At Tornier (now Wright Medical), Rob led research and development and managed clinical and regulatory functions. Under his tenure, Tornier witnessed a significant boost in revenue, growing from $40-50 million to $300 million, mostly through organic growth.

During his time at Tornier, Rob had the opportunity to live in France for five years, an experience that broadened his global perspective. In 2013, Rob returned to the United States and co-founded Genesis Innovation Group together with Jeff Onderla and Don Running.

Genesis was founded as an early-stage advisory firm for medical device technology. Today, its operational capacity encompasses R&D, engineering, regulatory, quality systems, financial operations, and governance. It also operates a separate subsidiary, Genesis Software Innovations, focused on software development, and Revelation Medical Devices for small-scale manufacturing and prototyping.

Rob eventually transitioned to Shoulder Innovations, one of the portfolio companies under Genesis, where he took on the role of CEO. Shoulder Innovations is known for its inset glenoid fixation technology, one of the most robust and stable glenoid platforms in the industry. Under Rob’s guidance, Shoulder Innovations has made significant strides in rectifying a major problem in shoulder arthroplasty – unreliable fixation of the glenoid implant.

Over the past two decades, Rob has been dedicated to bringing medical device technologies to market, and holds more than 30 issued or pending patents. His vast experience, ingenuity, and commitment to excellence have made him a pivotal figure in the medtech space.

Key Learnings From Rob’s Experience

• Engineers naturally excel at spotting technical problems and finding solutions for them. However, entrepreneurs should always try to balance their technical focus with the commercial aspects when developing a new product. 

• Clinical trials are crucial, so set them up in a way in which they answer pertinent questions from clinicians while aligning with the key regulatory requirements.

• Capital efficiency is critical during a startup’s early stages. If done the right way, you can both attract further investors and ensure early-stage financial partners a good return on their investments.