Nov 11, 2024 
Evan Eckersley holds degrees in Bioengineering and Finance from Lehigh University’s IBE program with a strong focus on customer-centric design and innovation. Previously, he applied his experience in protein engineering and synthetic biology as founder and COO of Lytos Technologies. At Lytos, he led R&D and commercialization efforts of an engineered enzymatic fungicide for crop protection, biomanufacturing scale-up, fundraising, and regulation. At Icarus, he has applied his operational and biomanufacturing experience to scale Icarus’ digital and additive fabrication system to rapidly deliver highly customized devices on a mass scale while ensuring a high-quality customer experience from sales through manufacturing. He oversees company finance, marketing, regulatory, and clinical research efforts. Evan is passionate about Icarus’ mission to deliver better outcomes with functional, highly personalized devices through the combination of advanced digital and additive technologies while maximizing access to patients in need with innovative go-to-market strategies. Evan spoke at our recent event focusing on 3D printed orthotics and prosthetics.
When was the first encounter you had with 3D printing?
Evan: I first encountered 3D printing technology in a maker lab in high-school. The course was focused on innovations in biotechnology and may have set me on the course to study and pursue a career in bioengineering. I clearly didn’t understand the full implications of the technology at the time (and am still learning now). However, I understood that the technology would empower entrepreneurs and makers, providing a catalyst for innovation and invention in a broader sense. I remember envisioning a day when a 3D printer would be a common household appliance – maybe that day will come!
What inspired you to start your journey?
Evan: As an engineer, I always saw entrepreneurship as the most direct path to creating major impact. In college, I noticed that the field of bioengineering was, and still is, at the threshold of major innovations that will change the landscape in health, energy, and society as a whole. I went overboard on a capstone project to explore the current state and future of 3D bioprinting where possibilities like synthetic organs, lab-on-a-chip applications, and the ability of producing bespoke devices instantly at scale were coming into view. Less than 10 years later, these innovations have come to life ( e.g. the recent successful transplant of a 3D printed trachea). I am excited and honored to be pushing the boundaries of industrial printing in the orthopedics space with our technology at Icarus.
Who inspired you the most along this journey in 3D printing ?
Evan: Professor Pat Costa was an unconventional and inspiring mentor of mine from my entrepreneurship program in College. He wasn’t an academic but rather a self-made business owner that carved his own path. We spent many late nights in the printing lab developing prototypes for a local medical device company – and he ultimately inspired me to start my first business out of college instead of pursuing a graduate degree. I also have to give a shoutout to Dave, our CEO and founder at Icarus, who convinced me to make the jump from the world of synthetic biology to the world of medical devices. We have already pushed the boundaries of digital automation and 3D printing of custom devices at scale – and it feels like we’re just getting started.
What motivates you the most for your work?
Evan: Impact.
What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Evan: In addition to the challenges facing any startup, Icarus has challenges that may be unique to our business model. We are vertically integrated, having a direct sales force, engineering team, and managing 100% of our manufacturing locally in Charlottesville. With the uncertainty and lean conditions of a startup bringing a new technology to market, it is a constant challenge to balance the workings of every department to scale together and at a fast-pace (nearly doubling annually). Throw in the challenges of delivering custom devices with leading patient outcomes within one week to anywhere in the country while meeting the high standards of orthopedic practices. On top of that, we are fundamentally changing the habits in an industry that has not changed in decades.
One solution to many of these challenges is in the digital approach. We have developed automation software that reduces custom design time from 8 hours to 5 minutes. We have created systems, including a custom ERP, to automate workflows, streamline communications, and provide data to make better business decisions quickly. We also constantly collect data from our customers and our team to operate a continuous feedback loop that improves our performance across the board. This has been the key to our ability to scale a relatively complex business process.
What do you think is (are) the biggest challenge(s) in 3D Printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Evan: Challenges specific to our industry are the cost and strength of the materials. In dealing with orthotic devices, you are competing against traditionally manufactured devices that are assembled at massive scales overseas and from durable materials, such as metal or carbon fiber. We have been able to compete in certain niches by differentiating our product, offering substantially improved outcomes through the unique functionality of our device, and leveraging software to automate the design and manufacturing process. As technology advances and as competitors enter the industrial 3D printing space, the hope is that the baseline costs of industrial printing will come down in the future. Until then, it is important to position our products based on value and service rather than price.
If you are granted three wishes by a higher being, what would they be?
Evan: One could wish that our company was instantly successful or that all of society’s problems could be solved. However, the real value is in the climb to achieve that success and the lessons gained along the way.
What advice would you give to a smart driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advices you heard should they ignore?
Evan: This world has no shortage of problems to be solved. If you truly want to have an impact, invest in yourself early and often. It is easier to take a risk earlier in life, learn and keep moving forward. You will inevitably encounter real failure if you seek to find and break your own limits, and that failure can sting a lot more than those you may experience in college. However, the battle scars you gain along the way by challenging yourself to “do the impossible” might give you the opportunity do something truly important in the lives of others – to have a real impact. There, you can find real fulfillment.
What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all times you read and why?
Evan: The Hard thing about Hard things by Ben Horowitz was a good recent read. It provides a real glimpse into the highs and lows of growing a business: and the moments that decide whether a business will succeed in the face of great adversity.
Related Links:
Interview with Melanie Shelton: 3D printing adoption in O&P
Biomaterials for 3D Printing Bioprinting (On Demand, 2024)
3D Printing for O&P (On Demand 2023)
Interview with Brent Wright: 3D Printed Orthotics and Prosthetics
Interview with Chris Baschuk: Partial Hand Prosthetics
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