Stuart Broyles on What’s Next: Medtech, Materials, and Making It Happen in Arizona

Stuart has always had a strong affinity for science and math, which led him to pursue a degree in materials engineering. After college, he joined the Navy and became a nuclear engineer, building, testing, and operating nuclear reactors on aircraft carriers. Eventually, he went back to school and earned a doctorate in materials engineering with a biomedical minor. That combination of disciplines brought him to W. L. Gore & Associates in Flagstaff, best known for its implantable medical devices and GORE-TEX® Fabrics.

He spent nearly 29 years at Gore, primarily in the medical division, while also spending three years in Germany working in the fabrics division. He was involved in launching new business ventures within the company, helping develop new products for both existing and emerging applications. His work spanned everything from product design and manufacturing to regulatory strategy and intellectual property. There is so much talent in Arizona, and he believes we can build a sustainable MedTech innovation growth engine here.

Q: Your career spans corporate leadership at W.L. Gore, innovation consulting, and angel investing. How have these diverse roles shaped your approach to driving innovation in medtech today?

A: They've given me the ability to connect the dots. Many first-time entrepreneurs have a lot of questions—some of which they don't even know to ask yet. My experience allows me to understand those situations, empathize, and offer relevant insights.

While I may not be an electrical engineer, for instance, I know how to ask the right questions that help people uncover what they need to think about. It’s less about having every technical answer and more about applying past experiences to guide others through unfamiliar territory.

Q: At W.L. Gore, you led the Component and Materials Supply (CaMS) division—how did working on the supply side influence your understanding of the full MedTech value chain?

A: It gave me a broader view of the ecosystem. Working in CaMS, we supplied components and materials to companies that built the final devices, similar to how our fabrics division supplies textiles to clothing brands. It’s a different business model that is a step removed from finished products, but still deeply involved in the needs of the final product.

That role taught me the importance of understanding how your materials are used and what your customer’s actual needs are. For example, we had a client using our high-fidelity video cable. We knew it was the best on the market and that they could only get it from us, but we also knew they could survive without it and tolerate lower performance. Understanding that nuance—how deep their need was and how our product could solve their problem—was key. That thinking applies across the entire value chain, whether you're designing a raw material or a finished device; it all comes down to understanding the problem and building a product that solves it.

Q: What trends are you currently watching in the medical device industry that you believe will have a major impact over the next 5–10 years?

A: Arizona is uniquely positioned at the intersection of semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence, and medical devices. That convergence opens incredible possibilities, particularly in devices that can sense, detect, and respond to patient conditions. We're starting to see this with startups like Ayushi’s Censyn, where the device isn't just hardware—it also relies on a powerful database and intelligent analytics. Combining electronics with AI can lead to better diagnostics and more personalized therapies. That’s a big opportunity for Arizona.

Q: As the current Program Manager for MDM2, what are some of the key opportunities you see in accelerating commercialization for emerging medical device technologies?

A: Arizona already has thousands of people with experience in MedTech, engineering, manufacturing, clinical research, and regulatory strategy. That’s a huge asset. We may need to add some capabilities, but the foundation is here. The challenge is bringing all the pieces together focusing on the right opportunities and nurturing them into successful, scalable businesses.

Engaging Arizona’s large, established MedTech companies like Medtronic, BD, Abbott and, of course, Gore is also crucial. These incumbents have a wealth of knowledge and resources. If we can involve them meaningfully, they’ll benefit just as much as startups will. It’s not a zero-sum game. It's a rising tide situation.

For anyone at an incumbent MedTech company in Arizona, I encourage you to reach out to me on LinkedIn. Let’s talk about how we can build the future together.