Kurt Smith
- ATLAS Partnership Development
- ATLAS INSTITUTE
From music to engineering, Kurt Smith, D.Sc., a pioneer in the medtech industry, made a remarkable professional pivot that was incredibly fortunate for patients and the medtech industry as a whole. Initially aspiring to be a singer and songwriter, he reevaluated his path when he recognized the challenges of achieving a sustainable and profitable career in the music industry. During a fortuitous meeting with his college counselor, Smith learned that thanks to his passion for math and the numerous related courses he had already completed, he was just a year-and-a-half away from obtaining an electrical engineering degree. This helped convince him to make the shift, and he went on to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees at Southern Illinois University as well as a Doctor of Science in electrical & biomedical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.
Engineering a long and storied career over the past four decades, Kurt went on to spend lengthy stints at Medtronic and other leading medtech firms, and helped found 20 ventures—many of which are still active growth programs at Medtronic and other organizations. He holds more than 30 patents and has earned numerous awards and accolades, including being named an AIMBE Fellow and Medtronic Bakken Fellow. Along the way, he’s touched well over 10 million patients with products he’s invented and developed. He also has held numerous board appointments and been published extensively.
Eager to share his knowledge with the next generation, Smith started the Engineering Entrepreneurship program at the University of Colorado, Boulder, which is now a minor offered in the School of Engineering. He also has served as an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Engineering, St. Louis University School of Medicine, and Southern Illinois University and developed and taught an Innovation Short Course in Shanghai for several years as part of the Jia Tong University and University of Michigan Engineering School Joint Program.
While his list of accomplishments is impressive, what Smith says he’s most proud of during this accomplished career is how he’s changed the lives of hundreds of young innovators and entrepreneurs through mentoring, leadership and teaching. “I’ve always focused on creating a strong culture wherever I’ve gone, aiming to inspire a ‘can-do’ attitude where people support and really care for each other,” he says. “The heart of developing a culture is ensuring there’s an environment of safety where people feel confident that they can fully be themselves.”
While he has more than made his mark on the medtech industry, Smith didn’t abandon his musical dreams, having built and run a professional recording studio for fifteen years, and now he is in the process of putting out his second album as a singer-songwriter. Among other hobbies, he enjoys all the hiking and trail running that Colorado offers. With a certificate in Organizational Chaplaincy from Upaya Zen Center Chaplaincy Program, Smith has also continued practice and involvement with the center in Santa Fe.