AssureCKD Team Spotlight: Harrison Ross, CEO
Background & Path to AssureCKD
I started my career as an equity research analyst, working across investment management firms and family offices. That environment taught me the power of disciplined capital allocation and long-term thinking. It also forced me to understand businesses from first principles like how incentives are structured, how competitive advantages are built, and how capital drives outcomes.
Over time, that evolved into direct investing and advisory work with early-stage companies, where I supported strategy, financing, and execution. That combination of analytical rigor and hands-on problem solving ultimately led me to entrepreneurship, and to co-founding AssureCKD.
Why AssureCKD
What drew me in was the clarity of the problem and the scale of the opportunity.
Chronic kidney disease is massively underdiagnosed, despite clear evidence that early detection changes outcomes. Historically, there wasn’t much you could do with a diagnosis, but today that’s changed. In fact, there are therapies that can slow or even halt progression, and leading organizations (KDIGO, NKF, ADA) are all aligned on the importance of screening high-risk patients.
When I met our clinical and technical founders, it was clear they had been living this problem for years. They brought deep clinical insight, early technology, and credibility. I saw an opportunity to pair that with disciplined strategy, capital planning, and execution to help turn a strong idea into a scalable company.
Building a Strong Financial Foundation
At the early stage, it comes down to balance:
Financial discipline: absolute clarity on burn, runway, and capital efficiency—while always building in margin for the unexpected
Strategic sequencing: raising capital in phases aligned with de-risking milestones
Investor alignment: bringing in partners focused on long-term value creation, not short-term momentum
Non-dilutive funding: leveraging grants and partnerships (IRAP, CIHR, provincial programs) to extend runway
A strong foundation isn’t just about capital, it’s about staying fundable, credible, and ready to scale when the technology is ready.
The Investment Challenge in MedTech
Medical technology is inherently high-risk, high-reward.
You need significant upfront capital to navigate technical development and regulatory pathways, and revenue only comes post-clearance. It’s clinically serious, technically complex, and heavily scrutinized.
But the flip side is powerful, because once you break through, the barriers are real: IP, regulatory approvals, technical know-how, and often a strong first-mover advantage.
The key is sequencing and hitting milestones in a way that consistently builds confidence without overpromising. Investors don’t just fund technology, they fund teams they trust to execute.
Key Milestones & Momentum
2025 was a foundational year.
We transitioned MATLOC from an academic concept into a technically grounded, commercially focused product. Along the way, we:
Completed early feasibility work
Refined our regulatory strategy and drafted our FDA Q-Submission
Secured over $1M in non-dilutive funding
Began engaging key stakeholders across value-based care and primary care
Just as importantly, we built out a strong team of individuals and partners aligned with the mission.
On the commercial side, the most rewarding signal has been consistent enthusiasm from clinicians and care networks. They see the same thing we do in that MATLOC addresses a real and urgent gap.
From Innovation to Commercialization
As we hit key milestones, the company will continue to scale, both in capital and talent. We’ll evolve from a startup into a fully operational organization with dedicated functions across engineering, quality, regulatory, clinical, and commercialization.
From there, the path is clear:
Prototype → Product
Achieve design lock, complete V&V, and prepare for regulatory submissionDevelopment → Deployment
Run structured pilots with primary care groups and value-based care organizations to demonstrate clinical and economic impactSingle-site → Scalable platform
Build manufacturing partnerships, strengthen quality systems, and expand software/data capabilities
The long-term vision is to build a category-defining diagnostic platform. One that makes early CKD detection routine, accessible, and actionable across healthcare.
Looking Ahead to 2026
2026 is a pivotal year. The milestone I’m most focused on is design lock and completion of V&V testing. That’s the inflection point where MATLOC transitions from a prototype into a true product.
From there, we’re off to the races.
You can learn more about Harrison and AssureCKD by following us on Linkedin!
