From a Surgeon's Experience to Medical Innovation: The Story Behind Octin Health
Introduction by Octin Health Team
Sometimes, innovation begins with a simple question: Isn't there a better way?
For Dr. Meghana Helder, a Mayo Clinic-trained cardiovascular surgeon, that question became deeply personal after her unique experience in going from a high volume academic training to a community practice and what that means in preventative aortic care.
Recognizing the need for better options, she founded Octin Health in 2024 with a mission to make aortic surgery safer and more accessible.
In September, we were honored to receive the 2026 MN Cup Grand Prize, one of Minnesota's most prestigious entrepreneurial recognitions. Selected from a competition that attracted more than 2,800 participants, our team received $76,000 in non-dilutive funding, along with valuable exposure and validation from experienced business and industry leaders.
Minnesota Cup Founders with Octin Health Team (Photo by Minnesota Cup)
We're particularly excited about the opportunities to build relationships with other entrepreneurs and businesses in Saint Paul. From participating in local entrepreneurial programming such as Strengthen the Strong to connecting with the Full Stack Saint Paul community, we've experienced firsthand the value of being part of a network that encourages collaboration and supports emerging businesses.
Discover how Octin Health is leveraging Minnesota’s deep medtech roots to bring the Elika Device™ to market.
Dr. Meghana Helder is a Mayo Clinic-trained cardiac surgeon and Founder and CEO of Octin Health. She has extensive experience in academic medicine, clinical research and surgical practice. Throughout her career, she has focused on advancing surgical techniques and improving patient outcomes. Her passion for innovation and patient care led her to establish Octin Health to develop technology designed to make complex aortic surgery safer.
Dr. Meghana Helder and Laura Walter at Octin Health's new office space at UEL. (Photo by UEL)
Thank You for Attending Innovation @ the Park and Minnedemo42!
Full Stack Saint Paul, the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, and Minnestar would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the attendees, vendors, partners, and leadership partners for creating a memorable afternoon of innovation in downtown Saint Paul!
We had over 20 vendors showcasing tech innovation and resources for businesses and tech talent, and delicious food and beverage trucks at Innovation @ the Park. Check out our recap reel here.
Thank you to Kate Hulse, Saint Paul Parks & Recreation, Dr. Paul Campbell, Federal Mashup Lab/Brown Venture Group, Nick Stumo-Langer, City of Saint Paul, and B Kyle, St. Paul Area Chamber who shared their vision for Saint Paul’s innovation ecosystem.
The fun didn't stop there! Minnedemo42 hosted an inspiring evening at The Ordway with hundreds of attendees watching 7 live demos on stage.
September in Saint Paul: Tech Scene is Buzzing with Innovation and Collaboration!
Saint Paul was proud to host multiple tech ecosystem events, bringing thousands of people into the capital city to collaborate, innovate, and be inspired!
Events like these connect innovators, showcase Saint Paul as a tech hub, and encourage growth amongst our tech ecosystem. Be sure to check out our Events page to find more tech events happening in and around Saint Paul!
Photos by Jeff Newcomer
Twin Cities Startup Week brought Investor Day to Macalester College, the Startup World Cup to the Great Northern, and the Mega Med Tech Social to UEL. Thank you to BETA, UEL, TCB Magazine, HealthcareMN, and Strangers Meeting Strangers for planning the Saint Paul TCSW days!
7 presenters demoed their products at Minnedemo42, hosted at The Ordway for the second year in a row. Thank you to the Minnestar team for producing this event!
Strengthen the Strong celebrated their 5-year anniversary at Osborn370. As part of the celebration, awards were given to three people whose impact reflects the values that have shaped this community from the beginning:
Leadership, Legacy, and Learning. Congratulations to Mary Rick, Rich Pakonen, and Simon Trautmann Cordova.
Full Stack wants to congratulate STS leadership on your 5-year celebration! Kelsey Joson and Garrio Harrison (pictured in middle) have brought a great group together in the heart of downtown for years, in such a welcoming environment.
Full Stack Saint Paul and Ramsey County have launched a pilot Tech Earn and Learn work experience. This 12-week paid program for young adults ages 18–24 offers 6 weeks of training at Saint Paul College and 6 weeks of internship placements at Ramsey County Information Services or the City of Saint Paul Office of Technology & Communications to apply the skills learned. The program includes professional development support throughout.
Please watch for cohort updates, and thank you to Right Track and Ramsey County Workforce Solutions for supporting this cohort and helping build Saint Paul’s future tech workforce.
The Saint Paul hub will support development and deployment of several products, including Tesio, a supply-chain intelligence platform; Ascend, an AI assistant that analyzes technical documents; and ACCEL Suite, software designed to speed military training curriculum development.
Wabasha Park is located at the corner of Wabasha & 5th Street, right outside of Osborn370. Public spaces like this do more than make downtown vibrant. They create opportunities for people to gather, exchange ideas, build relationships, and spark new collaborations. Plan your visit to Wabasha Park!
Full Stack Saint Paul is a public-private collaboration leveraging the power of tech and innovation to drive equitable, resilient economic development in Saint Paul.
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Full Stack Saint Paul, 15 Kellogg Blvd. West, Saint Paul, MN
