Neal sits down with co-founders John Sjolund (CEO) and Jon Brilliant(CFO) of Luna Diabetes, two serial diabetes tech founders building what they call “sleep only automation” - the world’s smallest patch pump designed to automate insulin delivery while you sleep. With over 1700 nights of real-world wear and a pivotal study on the horizon, Jon and John make the case that nighttime is where the biggest gains in diabetes management are hiding - and almost no one is solving for it. Neal shares a personal connection through his father’s decades-long journey with Type 1, and the conversation closes with taco picks spanning a hidden Sorrento Valley gem and an upscale Palo Alto staple.
Key Topics
Why 80%+ of glucose-lowering automation benefit happens at night
The founding story: from a Hannah Montana watch to the world’s smallest patch pump
Sleep disruption as the #1 reported issue among people with diabetes
Building trust through consistency in an intimate use case
Capital efficiency in medtech: $40M to market vs. the $200M industry average
The disconnect between what clinicians prioritize and what patients actually need
Consumerizing medical devices - why diabetes tech still feels like a Game Boy
WellDoc, Bigfoot Biomedical, and the lineage of connected insulin delivery
Links & Resources
Luna Diabetes: lunadiabetes.com
WellDoc: welldoc.com
Bigfoot Biomedical: bigfootbiomedical.com
The Craft Taco (Sorrento Valley, San Diego)
Reposado (Downtown Palo Alto)
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