Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Karl Storz as a frontrunner in surgical innovation: strategic acquisition of a robotics company.
- Karl Storz’s commitment to a holistic service approach includes medical training and education centers across Africa, partnerships, and collaborations with universities and research institutions.
- The importance of allocating resources for endoscopic surgeries and diagnostics in Africa.
- Karl Storz’s capitalizing on new technologies and data to improve services.
- Challenges and opportunities for market access in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Karl Storz is celebrating 80 years in 2025, acknowledging the team’s efforts and mission.
EF: What are the main agenda items and priorities for the coming years, and how does Africa align with the company's strategic vision?
AS: We are focused on embracing digital transformation, particularly in areas like AI and new surgical technologies to enable our healthcare partners to perform at their very best every day to improve patients' lives around the world. Recently, we acquired a robotics company, Asensus Surgical, which aligns with our push into advanced technological fields, including augmented reality, and to drive performance-guided surgery forward. We are committed to this transformation, ensuring that we stay at the forefront of innovation in healthcare technology.
At the same time, we recognize our roots. In 1945, our success story started in Tuttlingen, Germany. The young and inventive instrument maker and company founder, Dr. med. h.c. Karl Storz, aimed to enable doctors to see into hidden body cavities and provide the medical field with previously unavailable diagnostic and therapeutic tools. He developed high-quality endoscopes that paved the way for minimally invasive surgery and continue to significantly shape it to this day. Many more innovations followed, such as high-end camera and imaging systems or integrated operating rooms. With smart solutions, products, and services, our company continues to enable the medical world to achieve top performance, thereby improving the lives of many people.
Regarding Africa, it presents unique challenges, particularly in sub-Saharan regions. The context in North Africa is somewhat different, and South Africa is a more developed market that operates in a league of its own.
When we first expanded into Africa 25 years ago, we only operated with two distributors: one in Mauritius and one in South Africa. Over the years, especially after establishing a KARL STORZ subsidiary in South Africa around a decade ago, we have grown to have several distributors across sub-Saharan Africa. The key challenges in sub-Saharan Africa are in developing surgical skills and finding reliable business partners.
While there are many talented doctors in sub-Saharan Africa, the number of surgeons, particularly in minimally invasive surgery, remains moderate. Our goal is to improve surgical skills in this field, helping to train and upskill more surgeons. Another challenge is identifying dependable distributors to partner with us in expanding the business. To address these, we have a corporate team that travels regularly to the region, offering marketing, sales, and functional support such as regulatory and compliance.
In terms of developing surgeons' skills, our approach over the last 25 years has focused on identifying local partners—specifically, skilled surgeons in their specialties—within various countries. Once we identify the right individuals, we support developing programs to enhance surgical skills among the local medical community. While we have not developed this in every country, there are key regions where we have successfully expanded capabilities through training centers, workshops, and specialized courses.
We achieve this by supporting in organizing hands-on workshops, often with a combination of local and international faculty. When establishing training centers, our role is not to set academic programs or curricula but to facilitate connections between skilled personnel. We support the local experts with training equipment to run the courses. Despite some successes, there have also been challenges—particularly in sustaining the local momentum once our initial involvement has ended.
Our goal has always been to develop more skilled surgeons without overstepping to the medical side of surgery itself. We focus on providing the platform and tools to enhance surgical expertise. As a family-owned company, we emphasize sustainability, education, corporate social responsibility, and values. This tends to resonate more strongly in family businesses like ours. This focus on long-term societal impact is also key to what we aim to achieve in Africa.
EF: How do you manage growth in a family-owned company while maintaining its global reach?
AS: From my experience, I have had the opportunity to work with two of the three generations of the Storz family. What I have observed is that the company’s culture is not just focused on its relationship with surgeons but also on its employees.
The owners are very engaged. KARL STORZ is a highly respected brand in the medical industry. Strong connections are created when surgeons meet for instance members of the Storz family or also from our top management. They feel heard and supported because our company takes the time to ask how they can help, ensuring that customers receive quality service and that their feedback is being included in our developments and further MedTech activities.
This mindset for strong collaboration and a caring attitude runs throughout the whole company. Servicing customers goes beyond just the product—it includes educational support and responding to their needs holistically. This comprehensive service adds real value to what customers invest in beyond the product itself. We make sure that our customers get the consultancy and support they need individually. Every complaint, remark, or suggestion is addressed and escalated appropriately.
It is not just about the equipment but also ensuring that it is reliable, well-serviced, and contributes to successful surgeries. This focus on patient outcomes is a key element of what we do. It is a genuine part of the company's culture.
EF: Could you expand on Karl Storz's digital transformation efforts and how these innovations improve surgical procedures for physicians and patients?
AS: In general, it`s mostly about driving digital and performance-guided surgery forward to enable the next era of minimally invasive surgery. This intention is not about replacing the surgeon through digital tools but rather enriching every surgeon by using state-of-the-art MedTech tools, like integrated and connected imaging, robotics and AI-based solutions, to improve patients` outcomes around the world.
EF: What qualities do you look for in a partnership?
AS: When selecting partners, we must assess their ethical standards. We conduct thorough due diligence and engage in conversations to gauge their business conduct. Ethics is our primary consideration, followed by a desire to find partners truly invested in the endoscopy business. Understanding this field requires time and effort; it is not as simple as selling a commodity.
Partners must grasp the complexities of our products and digital solutions and provide local support. They need to be knowledgeable enough to advise on the best equipment choices, which requires a commitment to investing in demo and backup equipment. In endoscopy, for example, having backup stock is essential; if a scope breaks, surgeries halt.
Investments also include hiring skilled personnel, such as service and sales staff, particularly in larger, more developed countries like Kenya. However, the return on these investments is not immediate; it takes years to see significant returns. Therefore, we seek patient partners who understand the long-term nature of this business.
EF: How can we raise awareness about the significance of endoscopy procedures in this context?
AS: It is a global effort that involves collaboration between surgeons, local governments, and healthcare stakeholders. Local governments should invest in developing these procedures, often a more cost-effective alternative to traditional surgeries.
We have positively interacted with some African governments. The development of initiatives like training centers, such as the new IRCAD center in Rwanda, exemplifies joint efforts involving the government, IRCAD, and various industries.
Financing in Africa can be scarcer than in other regions, but funding is still available to start such initiatives. The perception of the importance of surgical procedures is crucial; while there is significant interest in endemic diseases like malaria, surgery also plays a vital role in saving lives.
We collaborated with the German Development Agency on a biomedical engineering program in Senegal and Kenya alongside other German companies. We funded this initiative in partnership with the University of Aachen, working collectively to establish these biomedical engineering programs in both countries. While numerous initiatives are underway, they often remain sporadic rather than part of a cohesive, widespread strategy.
EF: What insights have you gained in your role over the past few years, and how do you motivate and manage the team at Karl Storz?
AS: Listening to people is crucial for learning and understanding their expectations. I would not have achieved my goals without a passionate dedicated team, so it is vital to keep them motivated. Empathy and maintaining ethical standards are important in our interactions, with clear boundaries to uphold compliance. Inspiring passion within the team is key, and leading by example reinforces that.
Achievements matter as they validate our efforts. Meeting targets and thinking creatively are essential, but it is equally important to recognize and appreciate the hard work behind health initiatives, especially in the African market.
