Tim Walz Has a Strong Track Record of Supporting Medtech

Updated to include comments from the Democratic rally in Philadelphia, PA Tuesday evening.

If Kamala Harris wins her bid for the presidency in November, the medical device industry will have a supporter in the White House.

Harris has tapped Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on the Democratic ticket. Walz, 60, has led Minnesota as a two-term governor, taking office in 2019.

While the mainstream media highlights Walz for his "folksy demeanor" and describe him as an "approachable Midwesterner," he also has a track record of supporting medtech innovation. It helps that so many medical device companies call Minnesota home.

The state, particularly the Twin Cities, has long been a leader in life sciences, going back to the late 1950s when Medtronic founder Earl Bakken tinkered with pacemaker technology out of his garage. Medtronic moved its corporate headquarters to Ireland after its 2015 merger with Covidien, but the company still maintains operational headquarters in Fridley, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis.

Other large-tier medical device companies with a notable presence in Minnesota include Abbott (thanks to its acquisition of St. Jude Medical), Boston Scientific, and Solventum (the 3M healthcare spinoff). A significant number of mid-size and smaller medtech companies also have roots in Minnesota.

People cheer as Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Governor Tim Walz departs from his temporary Governors residence for a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Aug. 6, 2024 in St Paul, MN. Walz was selected today by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris as her running mate. Image by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images.

Walz fought for the provider tax in Minnesota

Walz has shown an interest in healthcare and medtech in a variety of ways during his time as governor, beginning with his choice of Jodi Harpstead, a former Medtronic executive, for commissioner of the state's Department of Human Services (DHS). After she was announced for the job, Harpstead complimented Walz for working during the 2019 legislative session to win a budget that included the provider tax, a critical source of funding for DHS programs, according to MinnPost.

Showing love for Medtronic and Medtech

Walz also has proven to be a fan of Medtronic, making a number of appearances at the company's operational headquarters and even declaring April 29 "Medtronic Day" in Minnesota. He made the proclamation earlier this year as Medtronic celebrated its 75th anniversary. Medtronic was founded as a medical electronics repair business in a Northeast minneapolis garage on April 29, 1949, by Bakken and his brother-in-law Palmer Hermundsile.

"Great to hear his vision and passion for #OneMinnesota – attracting top talent, investing in medtech innovation, and the role Medtronic plays in the future of our great state," John Liddicoat, MD, a former Medtronic executive, commented on a Medtronic LinkedIn post four years ago after Walz spoke at the company's town hall meeting.

Last year, the Biden-Harris administration designated Minnesota MedTech Hub 3.0 as one of the 31 inaugural Tech Hubs in regions across the country that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors. Naturally, Walz applauded the designation.

“Minnesota leads the world in innovative medical technology, and as Governor I’ve made the case for critical investments in workforce development, education, research and more to bolster our position and keep us competitive,” Walz said. “The selection of our Minnesota MedTech Hub 3.0 in this highly competitive process is a recognition of our incredible ecosystem of private companies, regional economic development partners, healthcare providers, and world-class research institutions. I’m proud that Minnesota landed this federal investment to accelerate production of next-generation smart tech, creating jobs at home and improving healthcare around the globe.”

Minnesota MedTech Hub 3.0 is a consortium led by the Minneapolis Saint Paul Economic Development Partnership. It is aimed at positioning Minnesota as a global center for “smart medtech" by integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science into medical technology. Leveraging its medical technology ecosystem and concentration of hospitals, research institutions, and medical device manufacturers, the MedTech Hub 3.0 is working to capitalize on regional assets to drive innovative collaboration in the medtech sector.

Walz supports academic health

In August 2023, Walz issued an Executive Order establishing the Governor's Task Force on Academic Health at the University of Minnesota, further showing his support for healthcare and medical innovation. The goal of the task force is to develop recommendations to support world-class academic health professions education, research, and care delivery by the Health Sciences Programs that advance equity, center primary care, and ensure that Minnesotans can continue to receive the highest-quality care in a financially sustainable way.

Walz led medtech and ag trade trip to the Land Down Under

And finally, in November 2023, Walz led an eight-day trade mission to Australia focused on medical device technology and agriculture. He was joined by dozens of Minnesota business leaders, including representatives from Medical Alley, Zopec Medical, and Imricor Medical Systems.

For Walz, medical technology is personal

At a rally Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, PA, Walz talked about making personal healthcare decisions, including the choice to use IVF treatments.

“When my wife and I decided to have children we spent years going through infertility treatments and I remember praying every night for a call for good news, the pit in my stomach when the phone rang, and the agony when we heard that the treatments hadn't worked. So it wasn't by chance that when we welcomed our daughter into the world we named her Hope.”