How Frankenstein sparked Earl Bakken’s love of medical devices

When the late Medtronic founder Earl Bakken first watched the classic horror movie “Frankenstein” in the 1930s, it did more than just scare: It inspired.

“What intrigued me the most as I sat through the movie again and again, was the creative spark of Dr. Frankenstein’s electricity,” Bakken said in his 1990 autobiography “One Man’s Full Life.”

National Geographic recently posted a nearly 3-minute-long video about how “Frankenstein” sent Bakken down the path to eventually pioneer cardiac pacemakers. The company he started — Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) — is now the largest medical device company in the world.

Bakken died at his Hawaii home in 2018, at the age of 94. He left a strong legacy at the Minnesota-based company he founded.

Medtronic CEO Geoff Martha recently shared the National Geographic video on LinkedIn and added: “Earl’s legacy continues to give us so much and guides all that Medtronic does around the world.”

Former CEO Omar Ishrak chimed in: “Earl not only started Medtronic but created an entire industry — dedicated to using technology to solve clinical problems.”