In this podcast episode, Eudaemon's co-founders, Rob Gorkin and Simon Cook, discuss their journey from academia to entrepreneurship and their challenges in bringing their next-generation hydrogel condom to market. The conversation covers topics such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's call for a better feeling condom, the unique challenges of building a Medtech business, and disrupting the 100-year-old industry of latex condoms.

You will also learn about the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach, a no-assholes policy, and professional advice from serial entrepreneurs for others considering entrepreneurship.

About Eudaemon Technologies

Eudaemon is a company focused on providing superior Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) products. Their flagship project, Geldom, aims to produce a condom made from innovative tough hydrogels, which will revolutionise the safe sex industry by providing enhanced feel and lubrication, no adverse odours or tastes, no allergic reactions, and an unprecedented ability to customise sensual experiences. With the aim is to disrupt the $28B contraceptive market, $13B fertility market, and $100B+ STD diagnosis and treatment markets.

Their mission is to provide superior SRH products to every person for every situation. They are bridging internal and partner-based next-gen capabilities in Advanced Manufacturing, Material Science, and Human Centred Design to benefit consumers, manufacturers, brands, and health agencies.

Eudaemon has recently received $4 million in funding from the NSW Medical Devices Fund (MDF) and $1.5 million from the Australian Government’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program, delivered by MTPConnect, to advance the clinical trial of their next-generation hydrogel condom project.

About Dr Robert Gorkin

Rob Gorkin is a biomedical engineer and serial entrepreneur who is passionate about bringing innovative concepts to commercial reality at the intersection of Industry 4.0 and social good. He is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Eudaemon Technologies. Rob is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wollongong's SMART Infrastructure Facility in Australia. He holds a PhD and a MS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine, as well as an MBA from the University of Wollongong's Sydney Business School.

About Dr Simon Cook

Simon Cook is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Eudaemon Technologies. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Wollongong and has previously worked as an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology and as a Visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Kinsey Institute in the USA as a Fulbright Future Scholar. With his expertise in science and technology, Simon plays a key role in developing and implementing Eudaemon's platform technologies, including producing next-generation hydrogel condoms.

Chapters

0:00 Intro Eudaemon

1:28 Intro Rob Gorkin & Simon Cook

2:45 Serendipity & becoming a co-founder (Simon’s background)

6:00 Rob’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship

08:53 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & the call for a better feeling condom

11:47 BBFH Challenge, Funding and the gap to commercialisation

15:35 The complexity of brining a condom to market

17:40 Skin-like feeling condoms thanks to hydrogels

20:05 The start of Eudaemon

22:07 The risks&struggle as a founder in academia

24:16 The importance of family&friends

25:39 Nick Northcott, third co-founder

26:28 Why the switch into entrepreneurship is hard but rewarding

29:55 Academia can be tough for founders

32:48 The birth of Eudaemon and the next-generation condom

36:58 Unique challenges building a Medtech business

41:41 Disrupting a 100-year old industry

45:08 Challenging each other is progress

46:43 Multi-disciplinary approach

48:36  Importance of a no-assholes-policy

49:53 Advice for others thinking about going into entrepreneurship