We know that every breakthrough in life sciences is driven by passionate teams. Scaling a company isn’t just about funding and product development—it’s about building a strong, engaged team that can navigate growth, regulations, and innovation.
Through conversations with founders, HR leaders, and decisionmakers, we explore the human side of scaling life sciences companies. How do you attract top talent, keep your startup spirit, and build a culture that drives both science and business forward? We help companies answer these questions every day, but this is about more than what we know—it’s about learning together and sharing real stories. Read our interview, with insight from, Co-Founder of smartQare
At the heart of smartQare, a pioneering medtech company, are its co-founders Reinier Vrolijk and Ronald Olie. Reinier, as a driving force in the company, has built smartQare with a strong people-first philosophy— prioritizing trust, collaboration, and open communication from day one. With a deep passion for innovation and patient care, Reinier has built smartQare with a strong people-first philosophy—prioritizing trust, collaboration, and open communication from day one.
Unlike large multinationals, smartQare offers a hands-on, close-knit environment where every employee plays a key role in shaping the company’s success. Reinier fosters a “warm bath” culture, ensuring new hires feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to make an impact.
Balancing innovation with strict regulatory requirements, smartQare integrates continuous feedback loops, retrospectives, and internal audits to stay agile and compliant. By focusing on key milestones rather than rigid timelines, the company maintains momentum in the long journey of medtech development.
As smartQare grows, Reinier is committed to preserving the startup spirit while scaling strategically, especially through key partnerships like Philips. The company’s strength lies in its high-performing team, rapid market adaptation, and unwavering focus on delivering life-changing healthcare solutions. In this conversation, Reinier shares his vision on people, culture, and the future of smartQare—and what it takes to build a thriving medtech company.
Let’s start at the beginning. What inspired you to start smartQare?
About ten years ago, my mother was diagnosed with heart failure. I wanted to create a simple solution that would build a support network around her—an app where family, neighbors, and caregivers could be connected. If something happened, she could press a button, and alerts would immediately go out to those in the network, ensuring quick access to help. That idea evolved as we explored additional features, like fall detection and heart rate monitoring. Initially, it wasn’t intended as a medical company, but as the concept grew, so did our ambition. Now, smartQare is a fully-fledged medtech company.
That’s a powerful origin story. Transitioning from a startup to a regulated medtech company comes with many challenges. How does smartQare balance innovation with stringent regulatory requirements?
It’s a delicate balance. We encourage creativity in our solutions while maintaining strict compliance. To achieve this, we have regular feedback moments, retrospectives, and internal audits. This ensures we stay agile while meeting all necessary regulations.
Medtech product development is a long journey. How do you keep the team motivated over such an extended timeline?
We focus on breaking large projects into smaller milestones rather than setting rigid timelines. This allows us to celebrate frequent wins and stay adaptable. We also host monthly town halls where we openly discuss progress, challenges, and strategic direction. Keeping communication open helps align and energize the team.
Speaking of communication, how do you foster a culture of safe communication and feedback at smartQare?
Direct, personal contact is key. I make it a point to regularly walk around and talk with everyone—sometimes even taking short walks together to check in. Line managers play a crucial role too, acting as the first point of contact for team concerns. This creates a trusting environment where people feel heard and supported.
Do you use formal engagement surveys to measure the effectiveness of your people and culture initiatives?
No, not at this stage. We rely on open dialogue and feedback rather than formal surveys. Management consistently gauges the organization’s pulse through direct conversations and internal discussions.
“I make it a point to regularly walk around and talk with everyone—sometimes even taking short walks together to check in.”
Looking ahead, what are some of the key people and culture challenges smartQare anticipates as it grows?
Maintaining our startup mentality while scaling will be crucial. Our strategic partnership with Philips helps us expand, but we must stay true to what makes smartQare special—our close-knit, hands-on culture. We don’t want to act bigger than we are; we need to stay agile and continue to innovate without losing sight of our roots. Recently, we recognized the need to professionalize our HR approach. We worked with KennedyFitch to establish a strong foundation for our growing team.
Finally, what makes smartQare a unique place to work?
We offer a combination of an innovative solution, a dynamic company, and a strong, collaborative team. Everyone here plays an integral role in shaping the future of healthcare. Our handson mentality means employees see the direct impact of their work, making smartQare an exciting and rewarding place to be.
Interview by Wouter van Hunnik
Wouter supported smartQare, helping to establish a strong HR foundation during a crucial phase of the company’s growth.
Wouter is a seasoned HR and talent strategy expert with a passion for helping organizations scale while maintaining a strong people and culture foundation. As a partner at KennedyFitch, he works closely with startups and scaleups—particularly in life sciences and medtech—to navigate the challenges of growth, leadership, and organizational development. With a background in HR leadership and executive search, Wouter brings deep expertise in building high-performing teams, fostering culture, and aligning people strategy with business growth. His approach is hands-on, strategic, and always centered on creating workplaces where people thrive.
