LATAM Medtech Leaders™

Luis R. Soenksen is a serial entrepreneur and medical device expert currently acting as MIT’s first Venture Builder in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare. His training includes medical device design, development, and manufacturing, as well as clinical testing and deployment of healthcare ventures. Luis has made significant contributions to the fields of bio-design education, bioengineering, tissue engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence. Luis’ work has been published in several high impact journals such as Science. His research has led to several patented biomedical technologies and collaborations with several start-up companies in Latin America, the US, and Europe. Luis holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology, and a Master’s of Science degree in bioengineering from Johns Hopkins University.

James F. Jordan is President/CEO at Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse and a healthcare professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Mr. Jordan is an accomplished Fortune 20-level executive with strong experience in the industry, consulting, and academia and is a recognized expert in market development and guiding the successful formation of entrepreneurial start-up businesses in the life sciences and healthcare industries. Prior to joining the PLSG, Mr. Jordan served as Senior Vice President of a $3 billion division of McKesson Corporation and at Johnson & Johnson. He has leveraged this experience in several startup ventures and is active on several boards of directors. His experience also includes consulting engagements with numerous companies, including Medtronic, Frost & Sullivan, and Otsuka Pharmaceutical.
Most recently, Mr. Jordan published his second book, The Intellectual Property Pyramid Assessment: A Novel Method for Creating a Sustainable Competitive Advantage. This is a complement to his first book, Innovation, Commercialization, and Start-Ups in Life Sciences, which provides expert guidance for start-up life sciences companies, from initiation to exit. His third book, to be published in 2019, is titled, Health Systems: an Overview. This book details the U.S. healthcare system, market, and business models.

Rahul is a health-tech optimist, serial entrepreneur, and biomedical engineer. His affinity for (sensible) innovation is only challenged by his predilection for building customer-obsessed companies. He's a dream-catcher with unbridled curiosity and a strong operator who enjoys delivering value in large markets ripe for change. Humble beginnings not only keep him anchored, but shape the distinct perspective he brings to the table.

More recently, Rahul was the director and founding member of EyeNetra – an MIT Media Lab spinout recognized worldwide for pioneering smartphone-powered refractions to serve the 4.5B individuals in need of vision correction. It's commonly cited that more than half of said populace remains uncorrected to this day. At EyeNetra, he contributed to the development of 4 products from inception, honed their go-to-market strategy, and architected a successful platform for global growth. Thousands of units were both sold and shipped to eye care professionals in over 90 countries within a span of 36 months. By maintaining lean operations, the company eventually became cash flow positive – a rarity at the intersection of hardware, software, and healthcare in an overcapitalized climate. The team also explored a first of its kind model for teleoptometry and spent years in deep R&D, clinical trials, regulatory approvals, and manufacturing prior to commercialization. Confronted along the way were countless moments fraught with uncertainty including an abundance of failures. To-date, this technology suite has facilitated 5 million refractions and a quarter-million connected exams (and counting). It would be remiss not to mention the smiles conjured of millions more from the friends, families, and caretakers of patients.

LATAM Medtech Leaders debuts this month!

Mr. Deven Patel, the CEO, President, and Cofounder of Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research (GIOSTAR) with headquarter in San Diego, California, U.S.A. GIOSTAR was formed with the vision to provide affordable stem cell-based therapies to the masses around the world suffering from degenerative or genetic diseases and unable to afford today’s high cost of treatment. Mr. Patel has served as the CEO, President, and Board of Directors in highly comprehensive industries such as Healthcare, Stem Cell Research, Architectural, General Construction, Alternative Energy, and Multifaceted Internet industries. Mr. Patel has served as the President of Federation of India Associations San Diego (FIA-SD) Mr. Patel has also served in key positions of several public and private organizations such as GIOSTAR Foundation, Asian and Pacific American Coalition (APAC), Asian Business Association, Cambridge Companies, Reality Changers, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin. He has also served as Vice President of the newly formed San Diego United Lion’s Club. Mr. Patel has served as the founding President of the Asian and Pacific American Coalition (APAC) representing San Diego API communities from nine Asian countries and spearheaded its efforts in 2011 at San Diego City Hall to create the new 9th City Council District in the City of San Diego to be an Asian Pacific American influenced district, first time in the history of San Diego through the redistricting process.

Dr. Anand Srivastava has been associated with leading universities and research institutions in the USA. In affiliation with University of California San Diego Medical College (UCSD), University of California Irvine Medical College (UCI), Salk Research Institute, San Diego, Burnham Institute For Medical Research, San Diego, University of California Los Angeles Medical College (UCLA), USA has helped develop several research programs and has an extensive research experience in the field of stem cell which is documented by several publications in revered scientific journals. Dr. Anand Srivastava’s success has its root in his unique background of expertise in Stem cell biology, protein biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, in utero transplantation of stem cells, tissue targeting, gene therapy, and clinical research. There are many scientists who can work in a narrowly defined field but few have the broad and multidisciplinary experience to carry out clinical research in a field as challenging as Stem cell biology, cancer, and gene therapy field. Dr. Anand Srivastava’s wide-spectrum expertise is rare in clinical research and perfectly crafted to fit ideally with the GIOSTAR projects for stem cell transplant, cancer, and gene therapy research.