From music to engineering, Kurt Smith, D.Sc., a pioneer in the medtech industry who recently joined the Fogarty team as an advisor, made a remarkable professional pivot that was incredibly fortunate for patients and the medtech industry as a whole.
Initially aspiring to be a singer and songwriter, he reevaluated his path when he recognized the challenges of achieving a sustainable and profitable career in the music industry. During a fortuitous meeting with his college counselor, Smith learned that thanks to his passion for math and the numerous related courses he had already completed, he was just a year-and-a-half away from obtaining an electrical engineering degree. This helped convince him to make the shift, and he went on to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees at Southern Illinois University as well as a Doctor of Science in electrical & biomedical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.
Engineering a long and storied career
Over the past two decades, Kurt went on to spend lengthy stints at Medtronic and other leading medtech firms, and founded 20 ventures—many of which are still active growth programs at Medtronic and other organizations. He holds more than 30 patents and has earned numerous awards and accolades, including being named an AIMBE Fellow and Medtronic Bakken Fellow. Along the way, he’s touched well over 10 million patients with products he’s invented and developed. He also has held numerous board appointments and been published extensively.
Eager to share his knowledge with the next generation, Smith started the Engineering Entrepreneurship program at the University of Colorado, Boulder, which is now one of only two minors in the engineering school. He also has served as an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Engineering, St. Louis University School of Medicine, and Southern Illinois University and developed and taught an Innovation Short Course in Shanghai for several years as part of the Jia Tong University and University of Michigan Engineering School Joint Program.
While his list of accomplishments is impressive, what Smith says he’s most proud of during this accomplished career is how he’s changed the lives of hundreds of young innovators and entrepreneurs through mentoring, leadership and teaching.
“I’ve always focused on creating a strong culture wherever I’ve gone, aiming to inspire a ‘can-do’ attitude where people support and really care for each other,” he says. “The heart of developing a culture is ensuring there’s an environment of safety where people feel confident they can fully be themselves.”
It’s an ethos he imparts in his work at Fogarty as a special advisor and transformation leader, focusing on innovation development, digital strategy and coaching. “At the end of the day, encouraging people to live authentically is how we can create an extraordinary team that can do extraordinary things,” he says.
Joining Fogarty Innovation
Smith first met Fogarty CEO Andrew Cleeland in 2018. “I fell in love with Fogarty’s education- and alliance-oriented framework and have a full appreciation for Andrew and the entire team, which made me excited to contribute. And now I feel like family,” he said. In fact, although he works remotely from Boulder, he feels that strong sense of camaraderie and visits the home office frequently.
While he has more than made his mark on the medtech industry, Smith didn’t abandon his musical dreams, having built and run a professional recording studio for fifteen years, and now he is in the process of putting out his second album as a singer-songwriter. Among other hobbies, he enjoys all the hiking and trail running that Colorado offers. With a certificate in Organizational Chaplaincy from Upaya Zen Center Chaplaincy Program, Smith has also continued practice and involvement with the center in Santa Fe.