When SmartTIVA first entered JHTV’s Venture Mentorship Program (VMP), it was still early in its journey. Armed with a compelling idea, provisional patents, and a clear clinical need, the company had yet to generate revenue or fully validate its market.
Today, SmartTIVA is gaining momentum through the structured, team-based mentorship that has helped refine its strategy at every step.
SmartTIVA is developing a closed-loop anesthesia delivery system designed to individualize dosing in real time using patient data, including EEG signals. The goal is to move beyond standardized dosing and toward a more precise, responsive approach that aligns with a broader vision in anesthesiology: that every patient’s brain activity should be monitored during general anesthesia. In addition, the company is building a simulation platform to train anesthesiologists in brain monitoring, reinforcing both adoption and education.
For founder and CEO Juan Fernandez, the transition from concept to company has been shaped as much by mentorship as by technology.
Unlike informal mentoring, VMP operates with a deliberate cadence. Meetings occur every two months, with founders required to circulate agendas in advance and follow up with detailed notes. For Fernandez, that structure has been critical.
“It creates what I think of as an ‘active pause,’” he explained. “You’re moving fast, but you’re also forced to reflect, organize your thinking, and come back with intention.”
This rhythm ensures that each session builds on the last. Fernandez described nearly every meeting as a “pivot point,” where new insights helped redirect or refine SmartTIVA’s approach.
Equally important is the program’s foundation of trust. Mentors participate without financial incentive, creating a neutral environment where feedback is candid and focused solely on the company’s success.
“It changes the tone of the conversation,” said Dave Jamison, a medical device consultant and one of SmartTIVA’s mentors. “There’s no agenda other than helping the founder make better decisions.”
A defining feature of VMP is its team-based model. Rather than relying on a single advisor, founders engage with a group of mentors who bring complementary expertise.
For SmartTIVA, that includes:
- Karl Grover, of BRAND Reservoir, who contributes insight into branding, company positioning, and broader business strategy
- Dave Jamison, a medical device consultant with deep experience in anesthesia systems, has guided organizational design and long-term development strategy
- Deepak Suri, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Drips, who has provided perspective on scaling, product-market fit, and the financial ecosystem—from reimbursement to hospital purchasing dynamics
This diversity of perspectives has proven valuable not only for Fernandez but for the mentors themselves.
Initially skeptical of the group format, Suri said the dynamic quickly became a strength. “You get a richer sounding board,” he noted. “Different viewpoints challenge assumptions in ways that wouldn’t happen one-on-one.”
Grover emphasized the importance of that range. “Early-stage founders are making decisions across product, market, and brand all at once,” he said. “Having multiple lenses in the room helps connect those dots faster.”
That collaborative environment also fosters learning among mentors, creating a shared sense of investment in the company’s progress and in the VMP community as part of the Hopkins innovation ecosystem.
For an early-stage company navigating complex regulatory and commercial pathways, small decisions can have outsized consequences. One of the most tangible benefits of mentorship, Fernandez noted, is the ability to anticipate and avoid costly missteps.
In one instance, discussions around licensing intellectual property surfaced risks associated with acquiring assets from bankrupt companies, particularly in the highly litigious U.S. market.
“That’s the kind of issue that can derail you later if you don’t catch it early,” Jamison said. “We’ve seen those scenarios play out before.”
More broadly, the mentors have helped Fernandez think holistically about building the company. From aligning product development with reimbursement realities to structuring the organization for long-term scalability.
“Each mentor brings different ‘nuggets’ of wisdom,” Fernandez said. “It’s not just advice; it’s pattern recognition from people who’ve seen these challenges before.”
SmartTIVA’s journey began in Colombia, where Fernandez first developed the concept and laid the groundwork for the company. When he came to the United States and began working toward his master’s in engineering at Johns Hopkins, he saw an opportunity to expand that foundation, particularly in navigating the complexities of the U.S. healthcare and regulatory landscape.
The university provided the critical ecosystem SmartTIVA needed at every stage by connecting Fernandez with resources across programs from the Pava Center, Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design, Carey Business School, and Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures. This created a direct bridge between technical development, clinical validation, and commercialization strategy.
Fernandez had not previously worked with formal business mentors and initially approached company-building from a different perspective. Through the program, he has adopted a more iterative, feedback-driven approach, balancing customer discovery with a growing understanding of regulatory pathways, reimbursement models, and market entry strategy.
Mentors consistently pointed to his openness as a defining strength.
“He listens,” Suri said. “Even when he doesn’t agree, he wants to understand the reasoning. That’s what allows him to evolve.”
Grover echoed that sentiment. “Juan does the work between meetings,” he said. “You can see the progression. Each session builds on real movement.”
That mindset has translated into tangible progress. SmartTIVA has moved from concept toward execution, recently securing dedicated office space and preparing for its next phase of development.
Stories like SmartTIVA’s illustrate the broader value of VMP. It’s not just a support system, but also a force multiplier for innovation.
“It’s not just that the mentors help you solve problems,” he said. “They help you see the problems you didn’t even know you had.”
As SmartTIVA continues to advance its technology, that perspective may prove just as critical as the innovation itself.