Two Industry Veterans Join Synchron as Company Prepares for Global Expansion

Synchron, a brain-computer interface (BCI) company, has appointed Andy Rasdal as Chief of Staff and Mark Brister as VP R&D. Rasdal has over 30 years of experience in the medical device industry, leading companies from breakthrough innovation to market leadership. Brister has over 38 years of experience pioneering medical device technologies and has held senior engineering and R&D leadership roles at various companies. The appointments position Synchron to advance its Stentrode BCI through U.S. clinical trials and prepare for global market entry.

Synchron, a leading brain-computer interface (BCI) company, has bolstered its executive team by appointing Andy Rasdal as Chief of Staff and Mark Brister as VP R&D. These appointments bring extensive experience in launching and scaling medical devices, positioning Synchron to advance its Stentrode BCI through U.S. clinical trials and prepare for global market entry.

Andy Rasdal, who joined Synchron’s Board of Directors in 2023, will transition into a full-time executive role while continuing to serve on the Board. With over 30 years in the medical device industry, Rasdal has led companies from breakthrough innovation to market leadership. As CEO of DexCom, Inc. (NASDAQ: DXCM), he oversaw FDA approval, IPO, and the launch of the company’s first continuous glucose monitoring system. He later served as founding CEO of Obalon Therapeutics, guiding the company through FDA PMA approval, IPO, and commercialization of its novel obesity treatment device. Earlier in his career, Rasdal was President of Medtronic Vascular and Vice President of Global Marketing at Arterial Vascular Engineering, acquired by Medtronic for $4.3 billion [1].

Mark Brister, who joins Synchron with over 38 years of experience pioneering medical device technologies, has held senior engineering and R&D leadership roles at Guidant Corp., Arterial Vascular Engineering, Medtronic, DexCom, and Obalon Therapeutics. Brister has launched over 100 products and holds more than 450 patents. His innovations have helped define multiple device categories, from vascular interventions to diabetes care and gastrointestinal devices [1].

Rasdal and Brister’s appointments highlight Synchron’s commitment to advancing its Stentrode BCI, which is designed to restore autonomy and improve lives. The company’s implantable BCI is now powered by Chiral AI™, a proprietary foundation model of cognition. Synchron has completed two human clinical trials since 2019 and is preparing for a larger-scale study. The BCI market is projected to reach $400 billion by 2030, with Synchron leading the field while prioritizing ethical development grounded in Cognitive Liberty and the protection of fundamental rights [2].

The appointments of Rasdal and Brister come as BCIs are nearing commercialization, with estimates suggesting a market launch as early as 2030. Major developments in BCI technology, including clinical trials by Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech, and Neuralink, indicate that BCIs are on the verge of becoming a transformative reality. The future of BCIs appears promising, with Morgan Stanley estimating an early total addressable market (TAM) of $80bn across three million US adults, potentially reaching $320bn with further advancements [2].

References:
[1] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/DXCM/synchron-expands-executive-team-with-appointment-of-andy-rasdal-as-wuy9r8xrym8h.html
[2] https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/analyst-comment/brain-computer-interfaces-closer/