Highlights & Happenings

Starting medara has been a journey of growth, learning, and unwavering dedication to advancing women’s health. As part of the Runway Startup Program at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, Kendra Batchelder, PhD, had the incredible opportunity to transition from a PhD research to a founder of a mission-driven company poised to make a meaningful impact.

In late 2024, Dr. Batchelder engaged in hands-on entrepreneurship training designed to guide founders through every stage of building a startup. She began by taking a deep dive into the Market Opportunity Navigator framework to evaluate and prioritize market opportunities. This was an essential step for ensuring that medara’s imaging-based cancer risk assessment technology addressed the right needs at the right time. Alongside this, she conducted National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps interviews, gathering invaluable insights from stakeholders across the imaging industry.

Workshops led by industry experts sharpened Dr. Batchelder’s understanding of commercialization, market analysis, and customer agreements, all crucial building blocks for launching a healthcare company. Additional training on attracting investment and preparing for business plan competitions further strengthened her ability to communicate medara’s value proposition to potential partners and investors.

The program also provided incredible opportunities to connect with mentors and peers. Events such as “Explore the Now, Near & Next in Health & Biomedicine” at Cure and networking sessions with investors and founders broadened her network and provided invaluable feedback.

One of the highlights of the program was Pitch Day, where Dr. Batchelder shared medara’s vision with the Runway community of investors, advisors, and fellow entrepreneurs. The experience brought together months of training in market strategy, fundraising, and customer discovery. It was an honor to showcase how medara’s AI-powered imaging technology can transform breast cancer screening and advance women’s health.

Since then, she’s continued to present medara at events including, such as JETRO and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Each opportunity has deepened her conviction in medara’s mission and strengthened the path forward.

The journey from scientist to founder has been both challenging and deeply rewarding and Dr. Batchelder looks forward to building on this momentum, expanding the team, advancing product development, and securing the partnerships and funding needed to bring medara to the patients and clinicians who need it most.