BUILDING
THE FUTURE OF THERAPUTICS.
The story.
Ryan J. Douglas is a Canadian Born, American-Canadian inventor and executive specializing in medical devices, artificial intelligence, and software-based medical solutions (SaMD).
He is best known for his pioneering work in home based therapeutics, immersive medicine and neurotechnology, most recently achieving FDA clearance for the first software development kit (SDK) that enables interactive media to be used as medical devices. Douglas currently serves as Chairman of NeuFluent, a neurotechnology venture studio, and co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a company developing therapeutic immersive medical media.
Douglas is a serial med-tech entrepreneur who has collaborated to commercialize nearly 30 medical devices, including neurostimulators for pain, robotic surgical devices for women's health, and light therapy for treating depression and seasonal affective disorder. His work spans multiple therapeutic areas including anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, chronic pain management, cystic fibrosis, COPD, sleep disorders, and cancer treatment applications.
Recognition & Impact
Douglas's work has been reviewed and endorsed by leading medical experts including Dr. Russell Lonser, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at The Ohio State University, who stated:
"I expect DeepWell's technology and treatment approach to change how we design therapeutics for a wide range of neurological conditions."
As noted by industry observers, Douglas has over 20 years of experience designing therapeutic hardware and software, earning more than 30 patents for treatment systems and medical devices. His collaborative approach has consistently emphasized working with exceptional teams to develop cultures that accelerate transformative technologies for improving health, security, and human potential globally.
Immersive Medicine & Current Work
Deepwell
2022 - PRESENT
In 2021, Douglas co-founded DeepWell DTx alongside leaders from Devolver Digital, the independent video game publisher. The company specializes in developing therapeutic video games that combine entertainment with medical treatment. In September 2024, DeepWell DTx achieved a landmark FDA 510(k) clearance for its biofeedback software development kit (SDK) for stress reduction and as an adjunctive treatment for hypertension.
The DeepWell SDK provides biostimulation in interactive media that activates the user's vagus nerve while increasing patient engagement, reducing sympathetic nervous system activation, and releasing dopamine to improve resilience against stress and hypertension. This represents only the twentieth FDA clearance among more than 350,000 digital wellness products, and the only SDK cleared for further therapeutic development.
NeuFluent
2020 - PRESENT
As Chairman of NeuFluent, Douglas leads a neurotechnology venture studio focused on accelerating the development and commercialization of neurological systems for diagnosis and treatment. The studio develops novel components, systems, and processes for highly reliable interconnectivity that streams data to digitally native processing and communication platforms.
Medical Device Innovation
PRESIDENT, CEO, CO-CHAIRMAN
2005 - 2020
As President, CEO, and Chairman of Nextern Innovation (formerly MFG Solutions), Douglas oversaw the development of more than 25 FDA-approved medical devices and co-authored multiple patents for medical technologies including robotically augmented devices, modular bio-processors, cellular growth chambers, and autonomous treatment systems.
During his tenure at Nextern, Douglas contributed to major advances in home-based care, including serving as a key developer of the Tactile Medical Flexitouch system, a major contributor to the Respirtech InCourage system, and as co-creator of the Sleep Number 360 bed. This collaborative work led to significant value creation: Tactile Medical went public in 2016, reaching a $1.2 billion market cap; Respirtech was acquired by Philips; and Sleep Number recovered from near bankruptcy in 2008 to win 17 prestigious awards at CES, including Best of CES, Best of Innovation, and honoree designations in Smart Home, Health & Wellness, and Tech for a Better World (2017, 2018, 2020, 2022). During this period, Sleep Number's value increased over 150 times, reaching $3.5 billion in market cap by 2021.
CEO, CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBER
2009 - 2016
Douglas served as Chairman of the Board from 2007 and CEO from 2009 through 2016 at Verilux, a manufacturer of light therapy and ultraviolet sterilization systems. During his leadership, he co-invented multiple innovations including the smallest commercially available device for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), UV-C sanitizing devices, and the first commercial vacuum cleaner capable of neutralizing MRSA and other hospital-borne pathogens.
His light therapy products received recognition from major media outlets including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Shape Magazine, Health.com, Mashable, and Dwell, consistently ranking among the top-selling light therapy products in North America.
Robotics & Defence Technology
BOARD MEMBER, FOUNDING INVESTOR
2006 - 2010
From 2006 to 2010, Douglas served as a founding board member and director of ReconRobotics, Inc., an advanced robotics company formed in Edina, Minnesota. The company was established to commercialize robotics technology developed at the University of Minnesota's Distributed Robotics Laboratory under funding from DARPA and the National Science Foundation.
During Douglas's tenure, ReconRobotics pioneered "tactical micro-robots," creating products like the Recon Scout and Throwbot systems. These throwable robots are now used by nearly 7,000 military units worldwide, including the U.S. Armed Forces, international friendly forces, and more than 800 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The devices enable reconnaissance within dangerous environments, helping to identify improvised explosive devices (IEDs), enemy fighters, and civilians while protecting personnel through increased standoff distance.
Early Career
CDMDATA, Kelly Blue Book & Autotrader
2001-2005
From 2001 to 2004, Douglas led business strategy and operations for CDMData, a Minnetonka-based automotive technology company. In 2004, CDMData was acquired by Kelley Blue Book, bringing the company sophisticated online and offline vehicle marketing products and services. This acquisition cemented Kelley Blue Book's dominance of the digital automotive market and, through eventual acquisition by Autotrader, helped build the foundation for how automobiles are marketed and sold today.
Macromedia Flash
1998-2000
Douglas's early career included working with the DoReMedia team, which was credited with solving critical audio compression challenges that helped advance Macromedia Flash to become the dominant browser-based plugin, achieving near-universal adoption worldwide.
Discover Patents & Technical Contributions
Douglas holds multiple patents in artificial intelligence-enabled medical devices, surgical robotics, and software-based medical solutions. His patent portfolio includes innovations in self-validating systems for medical devices, adaptive personalized treatment systems, and multimodal signal management systems for neurological applications.