Book a Call
Senior engineer mentoring a younger engineer at a workbench over a circuit board
Solutions · Free Mentorship

Mentorship Program

Free, one-on-one guidance for medical and wellness device founders. Real engineering input from people who have built devices for over 25 years.

The Hardest Part Isn't the Device.

Most founders we talk to don't fail because their idea was bad. They fail because they made expensive technical decisions before they had the right information, picked the wrong regulatory path, or burned through their runway trying to figure out what they should have asked someone six months earlier.

Mentorship exists to make sure that doesn't happen to you. It's not a sales funnel. It's not a freemium tier. It's free, ongoing access to a medical device engineer who has built devices like yours and is willing to think through the hard questions with you.

No equity. No retainer. No catch.

What You'll Walk Away With.

Clarity on What to Build First
Most early-stage devices have 2-3 technical risks that determine whether the rest of the project is even worth doing. We help you identify those risks before you spend money on the wrong things.
A Realistic Picture of What This Will Cost
Real numbers, real timelines, and a real sense of what your runway needs to look like to make it from concept to clinic. No vague "it depends" answers.
Clarity on Your Regulatory Path
Class I, II, or III. 510(k), De Novo, or PMA. We help you understand which one fits your device so you don't accidentally build the wrong product for the wrong pathway.
Honest Feedback on Your Idea
If we think something won't work, we'll tell you. Founders waste years building things mentors should have pushed back on at the start. We'd rather have an awkward early conversation than help you discover the same thing in 18 months.
Someone in Your Corner
The hardest part of being an early founder is not having someone to call when a question comes up. Mentorship gives you that person.

How Mentorship Works.

01
Apply

Tell us about your idea, where you are in the journey, and what you're trying to figure out. The application is short and helps us understand whether mentorship is the right fit.

02
Discovery Conversation

If we're a fit, we set up a first call to dig into your device, your goals, and the questions on your mind. By the end of the call, you'll have a clearer picture of what's ahead.

03
Ongoing Mentorship

From there, we meet on the cadence that makes sense for you. Some founders check in monthly. Others have ongoing threads going as questions come up. Either way, you have a real expert in your corner.

What Makes This Different.

Medical device engineer working at an engineering bench inspecting electronic hardware in a modern lab
Built on Engineering, Not Sales

Your mentor is a working medical device engineer, not a business development rep. The advice you get is grounded in 25+ years of actually building products.

Hands reviewing a technical engineering blueprint and schematic of a medical device on a desk
"We Own Nothing"

Your ideas are yours. We don't take equity, we don't claim IP, and we sign an NDA so your concept is protected from day one.

Relaxed mentorship video call between an engineer and a medical device founder
On Your Schedule, In Your Format

Monthly calls, ongoing email threads, quick text exchanges when something comes up. The cadence and channel are up to you. We adapt to what's most useful for where you are.

Person operating a sleek handheld medical wellness device, looking at its display
No Strings to a Paid Engagement

Plenty of founders use the Mentorship Program and never become C3 clients. That's the design. We help founders early because the medical and wellness device space needs more good ideas to actually reach the people who need them.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Do you work with founders who don't have funding?+
Yes. Mentorship doesn't require funding, a team, or a fully formed product. If you have a real medical or wellness device concept you're trying to move forward, you're a fit.
Is mentorship really free?+
Yes. There's no cost, no obligation, and no equity ask. We built the program because the medical and wellness device space needs more good ideas to actually reach the people who need them.
How much time will I get with my mentor?+
The cadence is up to you. Some mentees check in monthly for an hour. Others have ongoing email threads or text exchanges as questions come up. We adapt to what's most useful for where you are.
Is my idea protected?+
Yes. We sign an NDA before any conversation about your device. Your ideas stay yours.

Hear From Our Mentees

Reel Free is a medical device founded by Austin Pollock. C3 mentored Austin through the early stages of development, helping him navigate technical decisions, identify the right development partners, and build the foundation he needed to move forward with confidence.

I felt supported from an engineering perspective. Having a mentor that helps me learn the really technical details behind the product helps me immensely to produce the product and find the right talent that will be able to make the product. Craig is always very helpful and willing to meet with me whenever I need some help. Overall it has been great, 10/10.

— Austin Pollock, Founder, Reel Free

Ready to Get Started?

Apply for the Mentorship Program and take the next step on your device journey. Not sure if mentorship is the right fit? Book a call and we'll help you figure out where to start.