It only takes one defining moment to change the rest of your life — and for Sanjana Singh, that moment came during an internship while earning her bachelor’s degree in engineering in India. Through an elective course on medical device development, she interned at a small medical technology startup that developed a non-invasive fetal heart rate monitor — an opportunity that ignited her passion for the medical device industry.
“I loved that experience,” she said. “I knew I wanted to work on products that have an impact on humans.”
That spark led Sanjana from Bangalore to Atlanta to pursue her master’s degree in biomedical innovation and development at Georgia Tech. While in the program, she accepted a co-op opportunity with the Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI) that eventually became a full-time position after graduation. Over the next seven years, she collaborated with researchers and startups to bring medical devices from concept to commercialization. One of her proudest moments came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when she led a team that designed, manufactured, and distributed nearly one million face shields for healthcare workers.
“It was incredible to see people from so many different industries come together to solve an urgent need,” she said. “That project reinforced my love for this industry — because it makes a real impact.”
In January 2025, Sanjana brought her expertise to our team as a medical device project manager where she helps early-stage innovators navigate the highly complex and regulated industry. From identifying the right FDA pathway to managing design controls, regulatory strategy, and risk management, she guides clients toward commercialization while avoiding common challenges along the way.
“Researchers and startups focus so much on ensuring their medical device actually works that compliance and strategy can become an afterthought,” she said. “We provide a lot of education and guidance on how medical device development differs from consumer products.”
Alongside her full-time role, Sanjana is pursuing her MBA at Georgia Tech with plans to graduate in December 2026. A lifelong learner, she always looks for positive traits to adopt from her peers. One of her favorite mottos comes from a previous supervisor — “progress over perfection.”
“It reminds me to not get caught up in the details or try to make everything perfect,” she said. “I share it with my clients too because many spend too much time adding endless features instead of focusing on advancing the core product.”
When Sanjana does find some rare downtime between school and work, she enjoys hiking local trails and trying new cuisines with her husband. Together, they collect cookbooks and randomly pick new recipes to try.
“One of my favorite dishes is a kimbap recipe from “The Korean Vegan” cookbook,” she said. “It’s such an iconic dish in Korea, so it was pretty cool to learn how to make it.”
Contact Sanjana at sanjana.singh@innovate.gatech.edu to learn more about GaMEP’s Medical Device Industry services.
