A decade ago, incuabators were seen as the best medicine for what then ailed the medical device industry, most notably a complex regulatory pathway and a difficult venture financing climate. Perhaps not surprisingly, as both the regulatory path and venture financing grew easier in the mid 2000s, incubators began to struggle, victims of their own financing problems. More recently, two huge acquisitions, Abbott's purchase of Evalve and Medtronic's of Ardian, suggest that at least one incubator, The Foundry, is proving that incubation works.

A decade ago, during the device industry's first financing crisis, medical device incubators played a crucial role in keeping small start-ups viable. But incubators themselves soon ran into problems, most notably in finding a sustainable financing model for themselves. California-based Intersect Partners has been one of the most successful incubators but it, too, needed to find a new model to make incubation viable.

A decade ago, during the device industry's first financing crisis, medical device incubators played a crucial role in keeping small start-ups viable. But incubators themselves soon ran into problems, most notably in finding a sustainable financing model for themselves. California-based Intersect Partners has been one of the most successful incubators but it, too, needed to find a new model to make incubation viable.