Building Beyond the Classroom: Cassidy Wang on Teamwork, Mentorship, and the Ethos Journey
For many students, GT BME Capstone is their first chance to work side-by-side with clinicians and industry mentors on a real-world healthcare problem. For Cassidy Wang, that opportunity became the launchpad for a company. His story offers valuable lessons for current Capstone students who might be dreaming of taking their projects further.
Wang’s Capstone team began with a clinician-identified problem: challenges with bedside spinal tap procedures. Like many Capstone teams, they quickly learned that the first problem isn’t always the right one to build a company around. By stepping back, interviewing stakeholders, and testing assumptions, Wang’s group discovered a broader need—guiding regional anesthesia, vascular access, and spinal procedures with greater accuracy. Their prototype evolved into a platform-agnostic ultrasound attachment, capable of helping clinicians navigate needles into any part of the body in real time.
The journey from class project to startup was anything but linear. Wang explained that while engineering and R&D came naturally, the real learning curve was in fundraising, regulatory strategy, and commercialization. The team was initially self-funded, then secured angel and friends-and-family support before landing federal SBIR grants. Along the way, they had to pivot multiple times—sometimes due to technical challenges, other times because of market realities or clinician receptivity. Wang’s advice to students: think like an investor. Map out the risks standing between your idea and commercial success, and plan how you’ll systematically de-risk them.
He also emphasized one piece of advice he considers most important: cultivate a reliable, knowledgeable, and diverse network of mentors and peers. Ethos Medical wouldn’t be where it is today without its support system of clinicians, technical experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders—and without the close partnership between Wang and his best friend and co-founder, Lucas Muller (GT ME 2018). Every milestone and major decision was shaped by collaboration and crucial introductions through that network. For students, the lesson is clear—don’t be afraid to seek outside help. You’ll learn faster and go further by surrounding yourself with the right people.
For potential partners and sponsors, Wang’s journey highlights the value of Capstone as an investment. Students aren’t just building prototypes; they’re developing technologies that can evolve into funded startups, attract grant and investor support, and ultimately improve patient care. We’re proud to spotlight Cassidy Wang and Ethos—a company now raising a bridge round and actively seeking new funding resources to accelerate their mission. If you or your network know of small VC funds, angel groups, family offices, or state/federal grant opportunities, this is a chance to support a Georgia Tech-born innovation with the potential to change healthcare.
