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Valeska Schroeder, Ph.D., is CEO of Cerapedics, an orthopedics company that developed a bone graft replacement for use in the cervical spine. Before joining Cerapedics, Dr. Schroeder was Managing Director of the investment firm KCK MedTech, held senior positions in numerous medtech companies and earned her Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in materials science and engineering.
Dr. Schroeder recently shared her thoughts on opportunities in the spine market, the importance of supporting women leaders and why you’ll likely find her enjoying the great outdoors when she’s not in front of her computer.
What drew you to the healthcare field?
I’ve always been interested in medicine, having grown up around physicians. My grandfather was a radiation oncologist and was very involved in the community. At one point, I even applied to bioengineering for graduate school but ultimately decided to stick with materials science. I’ve eventually found my way back to where I’ve always wanted to be. Working on technologies that benefit patients and physicians is incredibly motivating.
Why is Cerapedics focused on developing biologic products for use in the spine?
Spinal fusion has been performed for a long time with significant advancements in hardware and physician training. However, the overall failure rate remains around 14% and for high-risk patients, it can be as high as 50%. We see significant opportunities for products like ours that are backed by strong clinical evidence and are superior to the current standard of care. There are opportunities for biologics to play a crucial role in improving spine surgery results.
How does the perspective you developed at KCK Medtech help you in your current role?
In 2018, I led the investment in Cerapedics. That experience allowed me to become well-acquainted with the company from the board and investor perspectives. I have a solid understanding of what it takes to make a medical device company successful and recognize the importance of delivering value to all stakeholders: patients, surgeons, payors, hospitals and investors. My investing background also provides me with insight into the broader medtech landscape and how various parties — strategics, investors and bankers — view the industry.
In what ways does your materials science background inform your day to day?
It feels like I’ve come full circle. In my Ph.D. program, I learned to delve deeply into problems and think critically about evidence. This approach is essential for examining the clinical studies we conduct. It’s a crucial part of our R&D efforts. We apply the same rigorous questioning approach to the commercial side to understand our market performance.
Why is it important to promote women’s leadership opportunities in the spine industry?
Spine has a low representation of women leaders, so I’m committed to lifting other women and helping them advance their careers. I recently attended a Women in Spine event where many inspiring surgeons and industry professionals were able to connect. Meetings like that are a fantastic step forward for the profession. I enjoy networking with my peers to make sure we’re all going in good directions in our careers.
Why is your love of the outdoors important to you?
The Eastern Sierras, close to Yosemite, is my favorite spot for hiking, stand-up paddleboarding and skiing. I recently hiked the Flatirons near Boulder, Colorado, with my daughter Bridget (pictured). That was a truly wonderful experience. It’s great to get outside, if only for a couple of hours. I find it uplifting and it makes a huge difference in my life. Combining time outside with exercise provides a refreshing change of pace from Zoom calls. I love it.
