In this episode of Walk the Valley, Kata talks with Mads Vad Kristensen, a central figure in Denmark’s innovation ecosystem with a background in venture capital and university spinouts.

Mads shares hard-earned insights on why so many health tech startups get stuck in the valley of death, and what could be done differently. From the importance of building multidisciplinary teams early, to avoiding the trap of sequential development, he explains why working on R&D, regulatory, and commercialisation in parallel is key to survival.

The conversation also dives into the funding gap that leaves startups stranded between early angels and cautious VCs, and why resilient, well-prepared teams are ultimately the biggest predictor of success.

Whether you’re a founder, researcher, or part of the innovation support system, this episode offers practical wisdom on how to strengthen teams, extend runway, and increase the odds of making it to market.

DTU SkyLab - https://www.skylab.dtu.dk/

Open Entrepreneurship Program - https://open-entrepreneurship.com/about-oe/