In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Kaitlin Maier, co-founder and CEO of Reia. Reia has developed a self-managed pessary — a collapsible device that empowers women to treat pelvic organ prolapse comfortably and independently.

A mechanical engineering graduate of Dartmouth, Kaitlin previously worked at Sherpa Technology Group, developing patent strategies for leading life science and technology firms. 

In this conversation, Kaitlin shares how she and her co-founders turned a student project into an FDA-cleared product using resource constraints as a design advantage. She explains how to turn FDA feedback into forward momentum, why running an NIH-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT) strengthened both credibility and confidence, and how non-dilutive funding can buy the time and control founders need to build on their own terms.

Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:

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Lastly, if you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Kaitlin Maier.