MEET
BRETT & KIRK
Kirk Zeller, CEO and Co-Founder, has many years of experience in neurovascular at Micrus Endovascular and J&J’s Codman. He built the Micrus business in Asia, successfully launched many neurovascular products across the region, and integrated the business into J&J where he led international market development.
Kirk has 27 years of medical device experience in sales and marketing, market development, and business development.
His management experience and ongoing career executive education focus on the three largest markets – the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He has studied business in seven countries and traveled to 50 countries. He has a Doctorate of Business Administration from the International School of Management (Paris) and an MBA from Imperial College London (London) focused on Health Technology Entrepreneurship. His doctoral dissertation and master’s thesis were focused on the medical device industry and the topics were respectively, “European Market Entry Strategies for Venture Capital Financed Medical Device Companies” and “Financing and Beyond: The Role of Venture Capital in Silicon Valley Based Medical Device Companies.
Kirk is the founder of the Silicon Prairie Center which is an entrepreneur live and work incubator community with residences, office and innovation space. Progressive NEURO, Inc is incubated at the Silicon Prairie Center along with Assistive Technology Solutions, Inc, two market access firms, and two independent films.
Brett Follmer, CTO and Co-Founder, has designed and developed medical devices for numerous start-ups from funding through profitable exits.
His 25 years of medical device industry experience and cross-functional skills span the entire product development process including: product development from concept to market launch, post marketing surveillance and field support including: physician training, sales training and clinical support.
Brett has worked for 4 neurovascular companies including; Micro Interventional Systems, Lazarus Effect, Micrus Endovascular and Medina Medical. He has invented and designed several neurovascular devices including the co-development of the first generation balloon guide catheters and balloon micro catheters. These devices were the first of their kind and helped transform Ischemic and Hemorrhagic treatment methods.
He has also designed several micro catheters including the industry’s first a .027” ID micro catheter that has become an industry standard for neurovascular stent delivery. Additionally, Brett was a key design engineer for Fox Hollow Technologies for the development and commercialization of the world’s first atherectomy catheter that cut arterial plaque out of cardiac and peripheral arteries and removed it from the patient. Brett holds a BSBA from California State University, Hayward.
