In 2005, Mike Hess led a team of innovators at Medtronic to identify a medical device modification they believed would result in better outcomes for patients. A key customer pushed to try the modification, and after it was completed, patented and integrated, the results for patient improvement prove to be outstanding to this day. Mike and his team received Medtronic’s Patent of Distinction in 2020 for their contribution to patient well-being. Now, as Medtronic innovators look to “overcome inertia” in current product designs, they face similar challenges with the addition of new technologies, regulations and risk tolerances. Mike will show how he and his team push through the inertia and prevent valuable innovations from getting “squashed” on their way to fruition.