From Classroom to Clinic: Neopenda’s Global Health Journey with CEO Sona Shah
Release Date: 05/11/2025
From Classroom to Clinic: Neopenda’s Global Health Journey with CEO Sona Shah
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this episode of BioTalk, host Rich Bendis welcomes Sona Shah, CEO and Co-Founder of Neopenda, for an inspiring conversation on innovation, impact, and scaling medical technology in underserved markets. Sona shares how a formative experience teaching in rural Kenya ignited her passion for global health, leading to the creation of neoGuard, a wearable vital signs monitor tailored for low-resource settings. They discuss the engineering challenges of building clinical-grade hardware for hospitals with limited infrastructure, the company’s growth from Maryland’s Relevant...
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BioHealth at a Crossroads: Alex Philippidis on Policy Shifts, Investment Trends, and What’s Ahead
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this timely episode of BioTalk, returning guest Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor at Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, joins host Rich Bendis to explore how sweeping changes in U.S. regulatory policy, workforce dynamics, and economic pressures are affecting the biotech industry in real time. Alex breaks down the potential consequences of FDA workforce cuts, particularly for small and mid-sized biotechs that depend on regulatory guidance, and offers perspective on how HHS and NIH budget proposals could reshape the national innovation infrastructure. The conversation covers...
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Investing in BioHealth: Dr. Deborah Hemingway on Building Maryland’s Commercialization Hub
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
What does it take to establish Maryland as a powerhouse for biotech commercialization? In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Dr. Deborah Hemingway, Founder and Managing Partner of Ecphora Capital, shares her insights on the current investment landscape in the BioHealth Capital Region. She discusses the strategic advantages that make Maryland uniquely positioned for success, the critical gaps that must be addressed, and how state and local governments can provide essential support through tax credits, grants, and economic incentives. Dr. Hemingway also highlights Ecphora Capital’s...
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AI and Health Innovation: Leading the Future of Tech and Collaboration with UMD Dean Amitabh Varshney
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
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Pioneering Pediatric Innovation: Dr. Kolaleh Eskandanian on Transforming Child Healthcare
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Dr. Kolaleh Eskandanian, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Children’s National Hospital, discusses her work driving pediatric healthcare innovation. Dr. Eskandanian introduces the BARDA SPARK Accelerator, a groundbreaking initiative focused on advancing medical countermeasures for children, and explains how it aligns with Children’s National’s mission to lead in pediatric healthcare innovation. She also highlights the unique challenges in developing pediatric medical countermeasures and the importance of partnerships with...
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Building Montgomery County’s Future: Economic Growth and Innovation with MCEDC’s Bill Tompkins
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this episode of BioTalk, Bill Tompkins, President and CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), discusses the strategies driving Montgomery County’s position as a leading bioscience hub. Bill highlights MCEDC’s role in reinforcing the region’s standing as the third-largest bioscience cluster in the U.S. and shares insights into the new Institute for Health Computing. He also introduces two new venture funds—the Technology Innovation Fund and the Founders Fund—designed to accelerate innovation and support local entrepreneurs. Bill outlines MCEDC’s...
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Revolutionizing Respiratory Care: Linshom Medical's Journey to Innovation and Recognition
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this episode of BioTalk, host Rich Bendis welcomes Ric Hughen, CEO of Linshom Medical, and Talia Feldman, Software Engineer at Linshom Medical, to discuss their groundbreaking advancements in respiratory monitoring technology. As the main winners of the 2024 Crab Trap Competition at the 10th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Week, Ric and Talia share Linshom’s mission to improve patient safety through their innovative and accessible respiratory monitoring devices. Ric explains how Linshom is addressing critical gaps in respiratory monitoring by bringing operating-room-quality...
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Transforming Emergency Medicine: Dr. Eric Edwards and MedPhlow’s Life-Saving Innovations
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Dr. Eric Edwards, Co-Founder and CEO of MedPhlow, shares how his innovative company is reshaping emergency medicine through cutting-edge drug delivery systems. Dr. Edwards discusses his journey from co-founding Kaléo, where he helped develop life-saving products like AUVI-Q, to leading MedPhlow, a subsidiary of Phlow Corp. Based in Richmond, VA, MedPhlow is dedicated to addressing critical challenges in essential medicine delivery, with its first product focused on improving outcomes during sudden cardiac arrest. Dr. Edwards explains the...
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Cracking the Code of Microbiome Research with Cerillo’s Eric Mayton
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
Join us for an insightful episode of BioTalk as Rich Bendis speaks with Eric Mayton, CEO of Cerillo, one of the recent winners at the Crab Trap competition during the 10th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Week. Cerillo, based in Charlottesville, VA, is making waves in microbiome research and biological product development with its innovative tools designed to tackle variability challenges and enhance data collection efficiency. In this episode, Eric shares Cerillo’s mission to combat Eroom's Law—the increasing cost and time in drug development—through affordable and accessible...
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Connecting Innovation to Opportunity: A Conversation with Rachel Rath, Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC
BioTalk with Rich Bendis
In this episode of BioTalk, Rich Bendis sits down with Rachel Rath, the Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, to discuss her journey and insights on building a thriving ecosystem for life sciences innovation. Rachel shares her academic and professional background, from roles at PCORI and BARDA Blue Knight to leading JLABS @ Washington, DC. She offers an in-depth look at JLABS’ national and international footprint, and the significant partnerships with organizations like Children’s National, Virginia Tech, and BARDA that strengthen the innovation landscape across the mid-Atlantic. Tune in...
info_outlineIn this episode of BioTalk, host Rich Bendis welcomes Sona Shah, CEO and Co-Founder of Neopenda, for an inspiring conversation on innovation, impact, and scaling medical technology in underserved markets. Sona shares how a formative experience teaching in rural Kenya ignited her passion for global health, leading to the creation of neoGuard, a wearable vital signs monitor tailored for low-resource settings.
They discuss the engineering challenges of building clinical-grade hardware for hospitals with limited infrastructure, the company’s growth from Maryland’s Relevant Health accelerator, and the deployment of over 350 devices across East and West Africa. Sona also talks about Neopenda’s next wave of products, lessons in balancing cost and quality, and the importance of community, resilience, and mission-driven entrepreneurship.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.
Sona Shah is the CEO and Co-founder of Neopenda, a company dedicated to improving healthcare access in emerging markets. Neopenda develops innovative medical technologies—such as the neoGuard system—designed to help healthcare providers deliver high-quality care in low-resource settings. The company's mission is to make life-saving technology available where it’s needed most.
Sona’s path into global health innovation began during a semester teaching primary school in Kenya, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by under-resourced healthcare systems. That experience, paired with her background in biomedical engineering, inspired her to co-found Neopenda in 2015. Since then, the company has focused on delivering scalable, impactful solutions to countries including Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana, with a long-term goal of reaching the next billion people who could benefit from better access to care.
She remains committed to advancing tech-driven healthcare solutions that make a meaningful difference in the world’s most underserved communities.