Nick Glattard: 2026 Early Career Award recipient

BSBME ’14, MSBME ’15
Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, EnsoData

A biomedical engineer whose technical and entrepreneurial leadership in advancing artificial intelligence technologies improve medical data analysis and support more effective patient care.

EnsoData, a Madison-based healthcare tech company that is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use artificial intelligence to accelerate diagnosis of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, grew out of an undergraduate design project in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Glattard, who lives in Sarasota, Florida, leads research and development efforts to expand EnsoData’s impact beyond sleep into cardiology and neurology. When he came to Madison from the northern Chicago suburb of Wilmette, Illinois, he majored in biochemistry before switching to biomedical engineering in his first year.

EnsoData received its first FDA clearance in 2017, just a few years after Glattard and fellow co-founders Chris Fernandez (BSBME ’14, MSBME ’15) and Sam Rusk (BSCmpE ’14) graduated. Since then, the company has achieved two additional FDA clearances and grown to roughly 80 employees, helping diagnose more than a million patients each year with sleep apnea. The company is expanding into international markets and other diagnostic areas.

“I’m an engineer at heart, and want to make a dent in the universe,” says Glattard. “The fact I get to work with brilliant people solving hard, meaningful problems has made this journey very fulfilling.”

What’s the impact of your work?

There’s a huge undiagnosed sleep apnea population, so I hope by streamlining diagnosis we’ve helped more people get treatment and live healthier lives. Our mission as a company is to make healthcare better for everyone, everywhere.

Which engineering professor made the greatest impact on you?

Associate Teaching Professor Amit Nimunkar. I just love his passion. Excellent teacher, so patient. He really got into the weeds with us on everything to help us understand. There were obviously a lot of great professors along the way, but I got to spend the most time working with him.

Which do you like best?

Winter or summer in Madison?
Always summer. Summer in Madison is one of the best times and places anywhere.

Fun on the Terrace or fun on Lake Mendota?
I did UW Hoofers, so I’ve got to say Lake Mendota. I learned how to sail there.

UW Arboretum or Picnic Point?
Picnic Point. I love being surrounded by water.

Favorite campus experience?
Anytime we won something big and everyone spontaneously rushed to State Street to celebrate.

Favorite Madison lunch spot from when you were a student?
Mediterranean Cafe on State Street, so many different flavors!