Victor Stefanescu
Reporter
Stefanescu previously covered the business of food, aviation and real estate for news outlets in the Northeast and St. Louis, his hometown. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he studied communication and led the independent student newspaper, The Heights.
Latest from Victor Stefanescu
Medtronic’s high-stakes Hugo surgical robot finally gets American regulators’ nod
Following concerns that Medtronic was overspending on the high-tech system and not developing it fast enough, FDA clearance is a major victory for the Minnesota-run medtech company.
December 4, 2025
A 3-year-old’s epilepsy care is uncertain due to UnitedHealth-Fairview dispute
With the giant Minnesota insurer and health system at an impasse, Parker McEnaney’s family fears her complex care will become more difficult.
November 23, 2025
Editor's Pick
How a foreign firm’s high-dollar investment became a Minnesota startup’s nightmare
Grand Pharma’s initial $12 million investment into FastWave Medical helped the medtech startup flourish. Now, the China-based company is allegedly a hurdle while it invests in a competitor overseas.
November 20, 2025
Medtronic’s stock crests $100 for the first time in years
Medtronic defies the pressure, raising guidance after expectation-beating results.
November 18, 2025
DOJ investigates Cargill, top meatpackers for alleged beef price-fixing
President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post prompted the investigation, as the price of beef has risen faster than inflation in recent years.
November 11, 2025
From MSP to Main Street, Minnesota businesses feeling shutdown's strain
Executives at large companies and small-business owners are facing troubles as Congress is stuck in a shutdown.
November 1, 2025
Medicare to cover Medtronic hypertension treatment, unlocking big revenue potential
Executives at the Minnesota-run medtech giant have banked on the high blood pressure-curbing renal denervation system to boost its sluggish stock price.
October 29, 2025
Bezos-backed HistoSonics raises another $250M from Peter Thiel, investors
The additional capital pulls up the Plymouth-based company creating tumor-fighting technology to more than $550 million in fundraising.
October 17, 2025
Editor's Pick
A breakup or the cusp of greatness? What Medtronic’s big changes mean for its future.
A decade after blockbuster $49.9 billion merger, former leaders say Minnesota-run medtech maker facing innovation reckoning.
October 11, 2025
Two Minnesota device manufacturers combine to make Forj Medical
The chief executive of the vertically integrated Arden Hills-based firm said the entity has not planned large restructuring and workforce reductions.
October 9, 2025
![The production facility at Minnetronix in St. Paul on Wednesday, August 5, 2015. ] LEILA NAVIDI leila.navidi@startribune.com / BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Minnetronix is marketing a new technology that allows the batteries in implantable medical devices to be recharged wirelessly. The technology works by transmitting energy through the skin to the device, without needing to break the skin itself, reducing infection risk and improving patient comfort. A St. Paul company called Minnetronix has develop](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/LJP2XZI3VCJSIBRFEULCFGQSWA.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
To treat a common bladder condition, Medtronic implant goes under the skin near the ankle
The Minnesota medtech company’s Altaviva implant just secured FDA approval. It treats urinary urge incontinence, a stigmatized condition, by gently stimulating a nerve inside the ankle.
October 7, 2025
Editor's Pick
6 big Midwestern ideas that are shaping the future
The North Star Index gathers innovations started in Minnesota and radiating outward that will diagnose cancer faster, fly planes cleaner and conserve land more efficiently.
October 7, 2025
