Ren Menon of OrthoFX
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Ren Menon (co-founder and CEO) of OrthoFX, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of OrthoFX – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
The mouth is our gateway to overall health and wellness. Dentists are visited by US consumers twice more than their primary care physicians. Yet, dentistry today exists as a disconnected system from the overall healthcare system. OrthoFX is bridging this gap by providing a platform and an ecosystem for dentists to create programs and solutions to manage not just the aesthetics of teeth and oral health, but also overall health and wellness.
In an industry where one-trick pony solutions are the norm, OrthoFX is striving hard to become the one stop, lifetime-care solution for all dentists and consumers alike.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
Raising capital. It was hard to find investors for us early on. Finding the right talent was a close second.
What does the future hold for OrthoFX?
The present and the future looks very promising for OrthoFX. We are likely the fastest growing privately held aligner business in North America. We expect our care modality to become the standard of care in the coming decade.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Fremont?
We love the real-estate and tech infrastructure that the city offers. It is also a great place for those who are ambiverts in terms of their living preferences – you are not too far from the city way of life and yet you are close enough to nature and have space for yourself.
We do feel a bit lonely here at times. We wish that there were more networking opportunities.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Strong convictions, loosely held