Foster MBAs Join Forces with Wound Care Startup
Naturacur: A healing connection formed in the Executive MBA classroom
Todd Cutter (MBA 2023), Josh McDonald (MBA 2023), and Dr. Kunal Joshi (MBA 2023) met as students in the Foster School of Business Executive MBA program. Their different backgrounds—energy, wine, and medicine—would prove crucial in their unexpected journey from classmates to leaders of a wound care startup.
Their company, Naturacur Wound Healing, began as a shared vision during the MBA capstone competition in 2023. The team tied for first place by presenting an innovative wound-healing device. But it was a personal experience that led them to their breakthrough product.
Plant-based healing that’s safe for all
When Cutter’s dog Juno needed surgery, he faced a common problem: finding a safe wound-healing product for a pet who would naturally try to lick it off. The solution came from an unexpected source: Cutter’s mother-in-law, Dr. Madalene Heng, a dermatologist who had pioneered wound-healing technologies during her tenure as Chief of Dermatology at the VA Hospital.
Dr. Heng, who currently practices in Camarillo, CA, and serves as clinical faculty at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, shared a crucial insight about plant-based healing. While supplements and plant extracts often have limited effectiveness when taken orally, their bioavailability dramatically improves when properly extracted and applied directly to the skin. Through years of research, she identified the fundamental mechanisms involved in wound healing activity.
“It’s so safe, you can eat it,” says Dr. Heng, whose comment sparked an idea for Cutter. What if they could create an effective, natural wound gel that is safe for everyone, including pets, babies, and those with sensitive skin? A product that wouldn’t cause panic if accidentally ingested?
This vision led to the development of Naturacur’s WoundCur® gel. The team partnered with Dr. Heng to determine optimal concentrations of natural extracts for wound healing, employing specific ingredients and a novel extraction technique. Launched in 2024, WoundCur is now available without a prescription and ships worldwide.
Combining expertise to deliver alternative wound care options
Each founder brings unique insights to Naturacur—and all rely on learnings from the Foster Executive MBA program to navigate the challenges of growing a healthcare venture.
As CEO, Cutter brings extensive experience navigating change in the energy sector. McDonald brings his expertise helping small businesses navigate growth challenges to his role as CFO. Dr. Joshi’s medical background proves invaluable as a Physician Advisor. He ensures that Naturcur’s product information is accurate while guiding marketing strategies for specific patient populations.
“Healthcare is a slow industry to adapt,” Dr. Joshi explains. “I’ve seen patients with severe burns, pressure ulcers, or other skin conditions that just cannot be entirely healed with traditional treatments. Steroids can only do so much, and they come with many side effects. Other barrier creams may or may not work and typically do not help with the scarring process.”
The formulation in WoundCur® gel contains curcumin, a naturally occurring compound found in turmeric root. According to Dr. Joshi, it aids healing and helps to inhibit scarring. This dual action particularly excites him as a physician because it offers more potential options for wound care.
Making wound care affordable with Naturacur
For McDonald, success means more than just market share. “Our company aims to bring more ways to heal people at the most affordable price possible,” he explains.
The company’s vision extends beyond its initial product. Their winning capstone project at Foster, a portable, low-cost oxygen therapy technology for chronic wounds, remains part of their plans. Called Angiogenic Oxygen Therapy, this innovation aims to address the challenging problem of non-healing wounds.
Good ideas can come from anywhere
From strangers in a Foster Executive MBA classroom to cofounders of a startup, the Naturacur team demonstrates how unexpected connections can lead to innovation. Their journey shows that good ideas can come from anywhere; in their case, from a pet owner’s concern, a dermatologist’s research, and three classmates willing to identify a market space with opportunities for disruption, and transform a capstone win into a sustainable and competitive business.
The path from classroom project to actual product hasn’t been simple, but Todd Cutter, Josh McDonald, and Dr. Kunal Joshi remain focused on their original goal: finding gentle, effective ways to help wounds heal. It’s a mission that started with a dog named Juno and continues to evolve as they learn from healthcare providers and patients worldwide.
Learn more about the Foster School of Business Executive MBA here.
Editor’s Note: Timing is everything. While writing this story, I burned my wrist cooking, a minor but painful kitchen accident. It wasn’t healing well. Having just interviewed the Naturacur founders, I tried their new wound-healing gel. Over the following days, I watched as the burn gradually improved and the mark faded—a small but compelling demonstration of their breakthrough in wound care.
