Behind EchoVice are engineers Ajithan Christian Emmanuel (left) and Jeppe Olesen, as well as medical doctor Kristian Bach Laursen. Photo: DTU Science Park
As a newly founded company straight out of school, EchoVice had plenty of drive—but also the realization that there was still much they didn’t know. That’s why it made sense to join the DeepTech Mentoring program at DTU Science Park, where experienced professionals could contribute with insight and expertise. For Ajithan Christian Emmanuel, CEO and co-founder of EchoVice, the six-month program became an important step in bringing their ideas closer to the market through honest feedback, new perspectives, and clear direction for the startup’s next moves.
“As a new startup straight from the school desk, it made sense for us to join DeepTech Mentoring because we could get input from professionals with extensive experience in our field,” says Ajithan Christian Emmanuel.
EchoVice is part of the MedTech Growth program, run by DTU Science Park and supported by the Danish Industry Foundation. The program targets medtech startups and gives participants access to mentoring from experienced professionals through DTU Science Park’s DeepTech Mentoring program. Here, companies have the opportunity to work closely with mentors who can shed light on aspects the participants may not have considered themselves:
“The most important thing we learned was that we had to define for ourselves what we wanted to use our mentors for. After all, they’re not the ones with their hands on the hot stove—we are. So it requires us to come prepared and articulate the dilemmas or challenges we want feedback on. If you do that, you can gain truly valuable insights and become aware of aspects you hadn’t thought of yourself,” says Ajithan Christian Emmanuel.
What is DeepTech Mentoring?
DTU Science Park’s mentoring program, DeepTech Mentoring, is Denmark’s largest deep tech mentoring scheme. It is a six-month program that helps startups in DTU Science Park get to market faster through focused and confidential mentoring. Participants are matched with a team of three selected, certified mentors—typically serial entrepreneurs, investors, or subject matter experts—who meet with the company approximately once a month.
The meetings are led by a lead mentor and follow a fixed structure with an agenda and meeting minutes. The mentoring is based on the company’s current challenges and can, for example, cover product development, strategy, patents, organization, or financing. The entire program takes place in a 100% confidential setting, and all mentors have signed a Code of Conduct. The program is free of charge for companies in DTU Science Park.
Strong expertise and clear structure
For Ajithan Christian Emmanuel, the structure of the mentoring program was a clear strength. The fixed format—with preparation and clear framework—meant that meetings became more targeted, and the mentors could provide concrete and useful input:
“We had to send an agenda three days before each meeting—and that actually worked really well. It meant that the mentors could prepare thoroughly, and then we could dive into topics like product development, testing, and next steps together. That structure has been incredibly valuable because it made the mentoring both relevant and concrete.”
The composition of the mentor team plays a central role in DeepTech Mentoring, where each company is matched with professionals whose experience fits their specific needs. For EchoVice, that meant access to three highly skilled individuals with very different perspectives, creating a solid foundation for developing both product and strategy:
“Our mentor constellation was quite unique. We had an experienced product developer, a vice president from a larger company who provided insights into advancing a product in a business and leadership context, and a clinical expert who could focus on how we generate evidence in practice. That gave us input from multiple angles,” says Ajithan Christian Emmanuel, who highly recommends that other startups say yes to DTU Science Park’s mentoring program.
EchoVice develops medical equipment that stabilizes ultrasound probes during cardiac examinations. The device holds the probe in place in the esophagus and acts as an extra hand for the cardiologist by reducing unwanted movements from muscles, the heart, and the lungs. This improves image quality, shortens procedures, and makes the interventions gentler on the patient. Behind EchoVice are engineers Ajithan Christian Emmanuel and Jeppe Olesen, as well as medical doctor Kristian Bach Laursen.
About EchoVice
EchoVice is a health tech startup working to revolutionize cardiac diagnostics by improving echocardiographic imaging through stabilization of ultrasound probes. With their innovative medical device, EchoVice aims to make clinical workflows more efficient, shorten procedures, and increase diagnostic precision. Their ambition is to contribute to a more efficient, patient-centered, and innovative healthcare industry.
About MedTech Growth
MedTech Growth is DTU Science Park’s growth program tailored for startups developing products that require approval as medical devices—whether it’s software, hardware, or a combination. In MedTech Growth, you take part in an intensive and ambitious program with a dedicated expert team specializing in regulatory strategy, QMS, supply chain, product development, EU funding, market access, leadership, and everything else relevant for building a solid medtech startup. MedTech Growth is supported by the Danish Industry Foundation.
