In this episode of The Purposeful Strategist, Belden Menkus speaks with Dr Georgia Fleet, CEO and co-founder of Zonova, about the science and business sides of stopping hospital-acquired infections.

Zonova is a medtech company whose aim is to prevent healthcare-acquired infection, thereby reducing over-reliance on antibiotics. Georgia founded the company in 2023 after completing her doctorate at UCL, and the business now has a dedicated lab and a team working to bring their antimicrobial technology to market.

In their conversation, they discuss:

● Where hospital-acquired infections come from: not hospital failings, but the devices themselves, which are sterile in the pack and no longer sterile the moment they are opened.

● Zonova's antimicrobial technology which embeds into medical devices, differentiating it from the typical silver coating solutions.

● The pivot from manufacturing to intellectual property licensing, and how it brings revenue forward and speeds up regulatory approval.

● Growing the company: applying for patents, navigating FDA requirements, choosing to work in-person, and Georgia's shift from solitary scientist to leadership.

Zonova: https://zonovatech.com/

Menkus & Associates: https://www.menkus.com/

Supported by Norman Broadbent: https://www.normanbroadbent.com/

Belden Menkus is the Managing Director of Menkus & Associates, the strategy firm for businesses with a broader purpose. His McKinsey training combined with more than 30 years working at Board and ExCo level gives him both the analytical rigour and the relational experience that complex, high-stakes leadership situations demand.

Belden hosts The Purposeful Strategist, a weekly podcast. It explores how senior leaders bring purpose to life through strategy and reflects the same questions that drive the consulting work.