21 December 2017

Here In Mesa Who's Thrilled About This??

Arizona Commerce Authority 14 hours ago
We're thrilled to announce the six Fall 2017 Arizona Innovation Challenge awardees! Congrats to GT Medical Technologies, @Life365inc, Paradox Olivia, Renewlogy, Resonea and SimpleWANinc!
Website for ACA Fall 2017 AZ Innovation Challenge Awards > http://www.azcommerce.com 
 
Matt Likens,  a serial startup CEO
with a track record of impressive success.
Here in Mesa Matt Likens might be both thrilled and excited about GT Medical Technologies Inc. receiving the award for innovation from the Arizona Commerce Authority. . . and so might Bill Jabjiniak, Director for the city's Office of Economic Development  
Matthew E Likens is not new to commerce - he's been 'an innovator' in medtech for a long time.
For good reasons a couple of years ago, the site selection to locate here in Mesa for Ulthera produced excellent results for the costs-of-doing business in a competitive industry.
President/CEO Matt Likens comes to  GT  previously leading Ulthera from pre-commercial with revenues of over $100M and a $600M exit. His prior experience includes five years as President of GMP Wireless Medical and a 23-year career at Baxter in units both in the U.S. and Europe.
Your MesaZona blogger had the pleasure to meet and talk with Matt Likens earlier in the year at one of the early-morning monthly meetings of the Economic Development Advisory Board when he noticed that yours truly frequently was one of few members of the public to attend these sessions about economic development here in Mesa.
On Thu 09 November 2017 Rosenman Institute Director Christine Winoto interviewed Matthew Likens, a serial startup CEO with a track record of impressive success.
Readers can track down the conversation by going to this link > http://rosenmaninstitute.org
How do you lead a startup from its founding to IPO or acquisition?
How do you keep investors on your side through the hard times?
Likens is currently President and CEO of GT Medical Technologies, the makers of GammaTiles, with the goal of improving the lives of brain tumor patients.
After graduating cum laude from Kent State University, Mr. Likens began his professional career with Johnson & Johnson Corporation. He then spent more than twenty years in domestic and international sales, marketing and general management roles at Baxter Healthcare Corporation, culminating in the position of President, Baxter Biotech North America, followed by President of Baxter’s Renal Division in the U.S.
In July of 2006, Mr. Likens became President and CEO and the second employee of Ulthera, Inc., a venture capital-backed start-up company in energy-based aesthetics in Phoenix, AZ.
After filing for an initial public offering in early 2014, Ulthera was acquired by Merz Pharma GmbH for $600M, an amount representing 6.6x trailing 12-months’ revenue.
> The Arizona Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) recognized this as Transaction of the Year for 2014.
> Phoenix Business Journal honored Mr. Likens in 2012, naming him one of Arizona’s Most Admired CEOs.
> In June of 2015, Ernst & Young presented Mr. Likens with the Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mountain Desert Region Award.
Mr. Likens is a member of the board of directors of Luma Therapeutics, an early-stage company with a promising treatment for psoriasis, and an adviser to Genteract, an early-stage genetics company.
He is a member of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Healthcare Innovation committee and a member of the City of Mesa Economic Development Council.
 
GTMedTech https://www.gtmedtech.com/  has developed an innovative approach to the treatment of brain tumors by combining a conformable collagen matrix with brachytherapy (radiation) seeds.
The company's first product, GammaTile™, is protected by 10 issued US patents and has the promise to revolutionize treatment for 175,000 patients/year in the US alone.  At this time, the technology is only available for investigative uses and has not yet received FDA clearance.
Bill Jabjiniak in image to the left  
 
 
 

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