From Scientist to Entrepreneur: Transforming the Business of Skin Cancer Diagnostics with Mirianas Chachisvilis of Veriskin, Inc. 5-6-26

In this episode of the Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast, host Scott Becker interviews Marianas Chachisvilles, CEO and founder of Veriskin, Inc., a medical device company revolutionizing skin cancer diagnostics. Chachisvilles shares his journey from a physicist in Lithuania to a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech under Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewel, and eventually to founding Veriskin in 2016. The company leverages dynamic blood flow response analysis—measuring how skin vasculature reacts to minor perturbations—as a biomarker to detect early-stage skin cancer with greater accuracy. With over 1,500 lesions studied in clinical trials and a breakthrough device designation from the FDA, Veriskin is now in the midst of its pivotal FDA trial. The company plans to commercialize its device to primary care providers, offering it free of charge with a per-use fee model aimed at reducing unnecessary biopsies, saving lives, and cutting healthcare costs by billions annually. Chachisvilles reflects on the challenges of transitioning from pure science to entrepreneurship, emphasizing persistence, belief in the mission, and the importance of seeking but not blindly following advice. Key takeaways include: (1) Skin cancer remains the most common cancer in the U.S., with over 5 million cases annually and 27,000 deaths due to delayed diagnosis; (2) Veriskin’s technology detects cancer through dynamic vascular response, not static imaging, offering a more sensitive early warning system; (3) The company’s business model—free device, per-use fee—aims to drive adoption and reduce healthcare waste; (4) Regulatory support, including FDA breakthrough designation, has accelerated development; (5) Founders transitioning from science to entrepreneurship must cultivate resilience and adaptability. The episode concludes with Chachisvilles expressing deep gratitude for the journey and the impact he hopes to make in global health.