Duane Mancini bridges the valley of death for MedTech innovation
Project Medtech founder Duane Mancini helps startups navigate the "Valley of Death" by bridging the gap between medical discovery and commercial success. His Cleveland-based firm provides the regulatory, clinical, and financial strategy needed to turn Ohio into a global entry point for health tech.
Medical technology has the power to save lives, but too many promising innovations die in the "Valley of Death" — the critical gap between scientific discovery and commercial viability. Duane Mancini has spent his career ensuring they don't.
As CEO and Founder of Project Medtech, Mancini brings more than 15 years of go-to-market strategy experience to medtech startups navigating regulatory approvals, reimbursement structures, biocompatibility testing, and clinical trial design. With a Master of Science in Medicinal Chemistry, he's a self-proclaimed "nerd" of the medtech industry who understands both the innovative science and the complex business landscapes that determine whether breakthrough technologies reach patients.
Startups often fail not because their science is flawed, but because they lack the capital and expertise to navigate the complex commercialization journey. Project Medtech bridges this gap through a unique ecosystem approach that functions as a "guiding light" for innovators. Unlike traditional firms that offer only high-level advice, Mancini embeds his team directly into startups to execute hands-on strategies across critical areas like regulatory pathways, QMS implementation, reimbursement strategy, financial models, and commercialization.
This immersive partnership gives founders access to executive-level expertise without the heavy overhead of full-time hires, creating intentional blueprints for growth from ideation to exit. By combining this deep consulting with a global reach, Project Medtech connects innovators with the networks and knowledge they need to accelerate medical technology and improve patient lives.
Beyond direct client work, Mancini amplifies Ohio's medtech ecosystem through his podcast, also called "Project Medtech," and events platform. Broadcasting to listeners in over 114 countries, he's proving to the world that you don't need to be on a coast to build world-changing medical technology.
Duane's vision for Ohio innovation
Mancini's work bridges the critical gap between scientific brilliance and commercial success. While Ohio invests heavily in research, too many startups die in the Valley of Death due to a lack of commercial expertise. Project Medtech provides the ecosystem — consulting, network, and education — that ensures these companies survive and scale right here in Ohio.
Beyond direct economic impact, Mancini is strengthening the state's reputation globally. While his consulting team works with companies all over the world, they're proudly anchored in Ohio, leveraging their industry-leading podcast and events platform to bring attention to the state from all corners of the globe.
In 2050, Mancini envisions Ohio as the gold standard for how deep tech ecosystems function, proof that you don't need coastal rent prices to build world-changing technology. By integrating media, education, and hands-on commercial execution, the state will have created a blueprint where scientific brilliance rarely fails due to business errors. The landscape will be vibrant and self-sustaining, with success stories from the 2020s spawning second and third-generation founders who reinvest in the community. Ohio will be known globally not just for manufacturing, but for commercializing complex innovations.
Picturing Ohio's next moonshot
Mancini's boldest idea: transform Ohio into the mandatory "Global Entry Point" for international health technology.
The concept targets the thousands of European and Asian medtech companies trying to enter the US market. Currently, these companies scatter to Boston or San Francisco and get lost in the noise. Ohio should offer a subsidized, all-inclusive "US Market Entry" package — including consulting, hospital pilot programs, and office space — in exchange for establishing US headquarters here.
By proactively solving the massive headache of US market entry for the rest of the world, Ohio would instantly become the most international and diverse tech hub in the country. The state would prove that the future of healthcare is being written in the Midwest.
This profile is part of the OhioX and Ohio Tech News Next25, a series highlighting the leaders, 35 and under, driving the state's innovation economy. From responsible AI to medtech breakthroughs, discover the full class of 2025. Meet the Next25.
