We’re excited to be back for another episode of the Life Sciences Today Podcast by Healthcare IT Today. My guest today is Erez Lampert, Founder and CEO at PathKeeper Surgical! I talk with Lampert about his journey from Israel’s aerospace industry and Invisalign’s Itero scanner to founding PathKeeper in 2018–2019. We dig into the core problem in spine surgery—surgeons “flying blind” between low‑cost, high‑radiation fluoroscopy and ultra‑expensive robotics—and how PathKeeper offers a third way using optical 3D imaging and AI. Erez explains their dual business model (capital + disposables, plus a “razor blade” model via implant partners in a $10B US spine market), and how strategic deals with High Ridge Medical (Zimmer Biomet spine) and Vizient unlock scalable US commercialization without a 50‑person direct sales team. The conversation challenges the myth that Israelis don’t know how to sell in the US, reframing success as understanding gatekeepers, GPOs, and distribution science rather than just raising $50M and hiring a big sales force.
Check out the main topics of discussion for this episode of the Life Sciences Today podcast:
- What problem are spine surgeons facing today, and why is “flying blind” so dangerous?
- How does PathKeeper’s 3D imaging + AI platform actually work in the OR, and how is it different from fluoroscopy and million‑dollar robots?
- What is PathKeeper’s business model, and how does the implant “razor blade” model create leverage in a $10B US spine market?
- How did the High Ridge Medical and Vizient deals come together, and what do they change for commercialization?
- Why is the common investor advice, “raise $50M and build a huge US sales team’ the wrong playbook here?
- What are the biggest anti‑patterns in the spine/med‑device industry today?
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