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S5 E5 Founders Who Finish: Building Real Businesses Without Burnout or BS with Dave Saunders
Dave Saunders is the definition of “built different.” He helped shape the early internet (commercial software, dial-up infrastructure, and the first commercial Wi-Fi hotspot), then spent three decades bringing 40+ products to market across software, hardware, early AI, SaaS, medical devices, surgical robotics, and green tech.
He co-founded Galen Robotics, raised $25.5M, earned FDA De Novo clearance for a first-of-its-kind microsurgical robotic assistant, and built an IP moat of 35 granted patents—all while partnering with major med-tech players.
But here’s the twist: after years in Silicon Valley, Dave walked away from the unicorn mythology and hustle culture. Now he helps founders build sustainable, revenue-generating businesses by focusing on three numbers—revenue, costs, runway—and removing bottlenecks with smarter systems and cleaner execution.
If you’re tired of hype and ready for traction, this episode is your reset button.
