This Thursday at Community Breakfast, we met Troels, a biomedical engineer with a PhD in medical technology, founder of Trifolia Tech, and a member of the Republikken community.
He shared his journey from research to medtech entrepreneurship, his love of building physical products, and his thoughts on how new technologies are changing engineering.
A Curiosity for How Things Work
Troels has always loved building things and understanding how they work.
As a child, he could spend hours playing with LEGO, absorbed in creating and experimenting.
That curiosity led him towards biomedical engineering and later a PhD in medical technology, combining technical problem solving with an interest in the human body and the possibilities of medical innovation.
Exploring the Science of Breathing
During his PhD, Troels explored how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs.
Using physiological modelling, simulations, and programming, he developed a method for creating 3D images of these complex processes.
He spoke enthusiastically about immersing himself in technical challenges, testing ideas, and gradually finding solutions.
For Troels, research offered the satisfaction of understanding something deeply and building a solution from the ground up, step by step.
From Research to Medtech Entrepreneurship
Alongside his research, Troels developed an idea for a small, portable medical device intended to rapidly increase oxygen delivery to the brain, potentially offering a new approach to migraine treatment.
The idea grew into a medtech company, taking him from engineering into entrepreneurship.
Over the following years, he gained experience in medical device development, fundraising, leadership, and clinical research.
A major milestone was a large clinical study across 16 centres in the United States and Germany, involving researchers and specialists across different locations.
The experience gave him valuable insight into what it takes to develop a medical technology, coordinate teams, and evaluate a device in a clinical setting.
Returning to His Engineering Roots
After years of leading a company and managing projects, Troels decided to spend more time on the technical challenges he enjoys most.
Through Trifolia Tech, he now focuses on developing and building physical products that meet practical needs.
At Community Breakfast, he demonstrated a small electronic medication reminder he had designed.
Instead of sending phone notifications, the device uses a gentle pulsing light to indicate when medication needs to be taken.
It was a thoughtful example of how electronics and an understanding of everyday routines can come together in a useful product.
What stood out was how much he values the process of experimenting and finding solutions, as well as the finished result.
The project also gave Troels the opportunity to work directly with microcontrollers, programming, soldering, and product design, turning an idea into something tangible.
Engineering in a Changing World
Troels also shared his perspective on how artificial intelligence is changing engineering.
New tools are opening possibilities in programming, electronics, circuit design, and physical product development, while raising questions about how engineers’ roles may evolve.
His reflections sparked a lively conversation among members, who shared different perspectives on the opportunities and challenges ahead.
An important part of the discussion was understanding the needs behind a product.
Even with increasingly capable tools, testing solutions, verifying that they work, and learning from users remain essential.
The conversation showed how technical expertise, creativity, and practical experience can help turn new technology into something genuinely useful.
Why It Matters
Troels’ story reminds us that innovation often begins with curiosity and the enjoyment of solving a problem.
From modelling lung function to developing medical devices and practical electronic products, his career brings together research, engineering, and entrepreneurship.
It also highlights the value of staying curious, sharing experiences, and adapting as technology evolves.
We are very happy to have Troels as part of the Republikken community. Find him upstairs on a flex desk.
Thank you for sharing your story, Troels, and for giving us an inspiring look into biomedical engineering, product development, and the joy of building things that make a difference.