About ZeroTo510
ZeroTo510 is the MedTech program of Epicenter. Epicenter exists to promote and activate Memphis innovation and high-growth entrepreneurship, which are critical to successful economic development. Our vision for our community and for each project is a vibrant, inclusive Memphis, where innovation and entrepreneurship fuel individual and family wealth for the founder, transformational success for the business, and growth for the regional economy. We envision an entrepreneurial community that reflects our citizens.
Advancing the Next Wave of MedTech Innovation
Navigating the complexities of the highly regulated healthcare industry while matriculating from concept to commercialization is often a challenging path for medical device and health-tech startups. That's why we offer a robust, intensive 3‑month curriculum that provides a complete overview of the healthcare, reimbursement, product development, and regulatory landscape that gives founders a more defined strategy for commercializing their technology.
Our focus on fine-tuning critical business development components ensures founders can de‑risk their venture and be better suited for future investment.
Setting Entrepreneurs
up for Success
With a hybrid of in‑person and online course offerings, we pair our entrepreneurs with expert mentors and help them achieve critical de‑risking milestones along with providing an investment of up to $50,000 to set them up for success. We also leverage our expansive alumni and mentor network along with regional strengths found in our city—including biomedical research and medical device manufacturing—for the benefit of our participants.
Meet the Team
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Jan Bouten
Partner
Jan’s experience includes serving as founder and executive of two startups, 10+ years of high‑tech industry engineering, marketing and sales, as well as more than 15 years as a seed and early-stage VC He spent seven years at Aurora Funds, a $235M seed- and early‑stage venture capital firm based in Research Triangle Park, NC. Here, he was involved in negotiating, structuring, and monitoring 11 investments, and three IPOs and acquisitions in the healthcare and technology fields. He serves on the board of the FedEx Institute of Technology and is active on several other boards, including DEVCON, Glanris, Preteckt, SOMAVAC, SweetBio, and Swinetech. Jan received his MBA from Duke University, holds a master’s degree in Human-Computer Systems (AI & UX), and a bachelor’s in Computer Science.
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Olaf Schulz
Director of Venture Development & ZeroTo510
Olaf Schulz is a biomedical engineer with over 25 years in the medical device industry. Using his expertise in product development, he has overseen 27 product launches which contributed to approximately $250+ million in sales. He spent more than a decade at a mid‑sized orthopedic company followed by work at several startups where he helped to build the company from the ground up. Olaf has extensive experience in drug and device R&D, scale‑up manufacturing, project management, quality systems, regulatory strategy, and business development. Since 2019, Olaf has been actively involved in ZeroTo510, exercising his passion for mentoring startups and entrepreneurs as well as fostering growth and innovation in Memphis’ regional MedTech ecosystem.
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Nate Smith
Director of Startup Services
Nate is Epicenter’s Director of Startup Services. He has been working with venture capital, angel investors, and startups for almost a decade. Nate is an expert in equity investment and capital structure and loves helping startups get ready to raise capital. He is also a musician and artist, and you can find him performing with various artists around Memphis.
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Ela Emami
Manager of Startup Services
Ela’s entrepreneurial journey began with founding Care2Manage, an online platform catering to caregivers, which evolved into a consulting practice. Her strategic planning ensures the success of every project she undertakes, guiding clients from inception to execution with precision and foresight. Drawing on her extensive experience in healthcare coordination, Ela identifies and nurtures promising innovators, while her active approach to community engagement amplifies Epicenter’s influence as a catalyst for entrepreneurial success. Ela holds an MBA degree in Marketing and Management.