Originally Published MX July/August 2001

Cover Story

Percardia CEO Nancy Briefs says her company has the technology, talent, and tenacity necessary to be a leader in the cardiovascular marketplace.

Interview by Stacey L. Bell

Since its inception a mere three years ago, Percardia (Merrimack, NH) has raised a total of $32 million in funding—and the company is just getting started. Under the leadership of CEO Nancy Briefs, Percardia has built a solid patent portfolio, recruited an expert scientific advisory board and a top-notch management team, demonstrated proof of concept for its new technology, and reached several key milestones. These accomplishments have not gone unnoticed; Percardia counts among its key investors cardiac giant Medtronic (Minneapolis).

Not a bad beginning for a start-up. In fact, the story of Percardia's development is just as compelling to investors as its core technology. The company was founded by a