From Finance to the Future of Cardiac Innovation: Ken Nelson on Building, Leading, and Investing in MedTech

Over the past two decades, digital health has evolved from a niche concept to a cornerstone of modern care—especially in cardiology, where MedTech innovations like remote monitoring and wearable devices are redefining how patients are diagnosed and managed. Yet behind every billion-dollar breakthrough is a leader who knew how to commercialize it. As cardiovascular startups surge and investor interest rebounds, there’s growing curiosity about the career paths of those shaping this space—not just as operators, but as strategic board members and mentors.

How does a former finance professional become one of the driving forces behind the top cardiac monitoring companies—and what does it really take to make the leap from sales leader to influential board investor?

This is the focus of the latest episode of CardioCatalyst, where host Joe Sasson sits down with Ken Nelson, former Chief Commercial Officer turned board chair, startup mentor, and venture fund partner. Together, they explore how Nelson transitioned from launching pacemakers with Guidant to scaling iRhythm, BioTelemetry, and Bardy Diagnostics—and now, to guiding the next generation of innovators as Board Chairman at CardiaCare, a venture fund partner at MedTech Advantage, and a strategic advisor across the cardiac digital health landscape.

Key takeaways from the episode…

• Boards as Catalysts for (or Barriers to) Success: Why Nelson evaluates board composition as carefully as the product—and how a strong board can unlock scale.
• What Founders Must Bring: Passion and purpose are key, but coachability is non-negotiable.
• Long-Term Vision Starts on Paper: Nelson’s practice of setting handwritten five-year plans has helped him stay aligned with both personal values and professional goals.

Ken Nelson is a MedTech commercialization expert with over 20 years of experience scaling digital health and cardiac remote monitoring companies, including leadership roles at iRhythm, BioTelemetry (acquired by Philips for $2.8B), and Bardy Diagnostics (acquired by HillRom). Known for building high-performing teams and cultures, he has raised over $100M in venture capital and played a key role in the successful IPO and acquisitions of multiple startups. Today,  Nelson serves as Board Chairman at CardiaCare, Partner at MedTech Advantage Fund, and a board member or advisor to several leading health tech organizations, specializing in sales strategy, venture growth, and go-to-market execution.

Article written by MarketScale.