Medtronic: The Beginning
In 1949, Earl E. Bakken, a graduate student in electrical engineering, and his brother-in-law Palmer J. Hermundslie formed a medical equipment repair company in Minneapolis and named it Medtronic.
It wasn't long before the fledgling company was on its way to making history. In the mid-1950s, Bakken collaborated with Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, a heart surgeon, to develop the first wearable, battery-operated external pacemaker. This success was quickly followed by another in 1960: The development of the first reliable, long-term, implantable pacing system. These groundbreaking innovations signaled the beginning of a new era in therapeutic applications of electrical technologies for patients around the world.
While reviewing a new Medtronic pacemaker in 1979, the chief cardiologist at the University of Alabama suggested Medtronic turn its attention to the severity of heart problems caused by diabetes. In collaboration with NASA and the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, Medtronic pioneered insulin pump technology in 1983, changing the world of diabetes forever.
Medtronic Diabetes scientists work around the clock to try to achieve the ultimate breakthrough in diabetes management
- the artificial pancreas.
Medtronic Today - Precise, Pioneering, Passionate
Today, Medtronic is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions to people with chronic disease. Each year, 2.5 million patients use Medtronic technologies to get the most out of life.