Joris van der Heijden
Concept Development Lead @Starfish Medical
Signup · Get unlimited contacts
WORK HISTORY
Concept Development Lead @Starfish Medical
Victoria, BC, CA
I lead design and product development programs from concept to market entry making sure that we employ the right team, that we solve the right problems and that we develop the right product. Starfish Medical is Canada’s largest medical device design, development and contract manufacturing company. We helped design and develop hundreds of products that are used as medical devices, analytical equipment and manufacturing tooling for the purpose of improving health care. In the BioServices department, we are focused on developing products in:1. Diagnostics 2. Specimen collection/handling 3. Ingestibles/Implantables/Drug Delivery4. Equipment for Bio-manufacturing.
EDUCATION
University of Melbourne
Exchange program MSc, Engineering
Leiden University
MASc, Life Science & Technology
The University of British Columbia
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Microbiology and Immunology
Delft University of Technology
Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), Life Science & Technology
ABOUT JORIS VAN DER HEIJDEN
The best product development advice says to start with a clearly defined user need. And for good reason: successful products solve real problems for real users. In Life Science and Medtech, though, innovation often starts somewhere else. Many companies begin with a novel technology emerging from university research or deep technical innovation, and with a strong belief that it can make a meaningful difference in the world. That is often the right starting point. But technology alone does not create a successful product. Commercial success comes from shaping the technology and the product vision in parallel, with technical capability informing product design just as user need and market reality shape the opportunity. That is where I work best. I help science-led companies translate technical innovation into product strategy, development plans, and commercially relevant product visions. My work includes defining Target Product Profiles, sharpening value propositions, identifying complementary technologies, mapping competitive landscapes, structuring Voice of Customer activities, and turning technical differentiation into development programs that strategically de-risk technical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial challenges. My approach combines technical depth with strategic breadth. I am comfortable diving into technical and architecture discussions, while also stepping back to integrate customer insight, market perspective, and product strategy into stronger product decisions. In short, I help science-led companies turn promising technologies into products built around real user needs and positioned for market success. Areas of Expertise: Product Strategy | Technical Leadership | Product Development | Program Leadership | R&D Strategy | Regulatory Strategy | Voice of Customer | Competitive Strategy | Design Thinking
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.