Keeping your team motivated when FDA approval isn’t guaranteed
Surviving the long road to FDA approval isn’t just about building great technology — it’s about keeping your team motivated, finding the right investors, and learning how to operate when timelines are uncertain. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Robhy B

AI & ML·FDA·Keeping·Surviving·TechCrunch
30 Sec Summary
- Surviving the long road to FDA approval isn’t just about building great technology — it’s about keeping your team motivated, finding the right investors, and learning how to operate when timelines are uncertain.
- In this episode, they break down what it really looks like to build a medtech startup, including where you can’t “move fast and break things” and that every milestone takes time, coordination, and trust.
- Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP.
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: We’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt on October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage.
- Use codebuildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.
Key Highlights
- ✓Surviving the long road to FDA approval isn’t just about building great technology — it’s about keeping your team motivated, finding the right investors, and learning how to operate when timelines are uncertain.
- ✓In this episode, they break down what it really looks like to build a medtech startup, including where you can’t “move fast and break things” and that every milestone takes time, coordination, and trust.
- ✓Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP.
- ✓TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: We’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt on October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage.
- ✓Use codebuildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.
Surviving the long road to FDA approval isn’t just about building great technology — it’s about keeping your team motivated, finding the right investors, and learning how to operate when timelines are uncertain.
Inside the move
This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Robhy Bustami, co-founder and CEO of BioticsAI, a Startup Battlefield-winning company building an AI copilot for ultrasound to help detect fetal abnormalities. From a $100,000 prototype to FDA clearance, Bustami shares what it actually takes to build in one of the most regulated industries in the world.
In this episode, they break down what it really looks like to build a medtech startup, including where you can’t “move fast and break things” and that every milestone takes time, coordination, and trust.
The numbers behind the story
Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. Watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself). Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast. Apply here.
What this changes
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: We’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt on October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with thousands of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.
Use codebuildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.
Content Courtesy
TechCrunch
Source: https://techcrunch.com/video/keeping-your-team-motivated-when-fda-approval-isnt-guaranteed/
This article has been rewritten and curated by Blogy News from the original source above. All credit for the underlying reporting belongs to the original publisher. Read the full original piece via the link.
