Babak Nemati, PhD

Babak is a 30+ year veteran of the healthcare industry, serving in executive roles at leading corporations, such as Johnson & Johnson. He currently leads Strategic Intelligence, Inc., a comprehensive strategic consulting firm focused on the identification and evaluation of new and emerging medical device technologies in support of licensing, acquisition, and investment interests of market-leading healthcare companies. He is a frequent advisor to corporate venture funds and corporate development teams.

Babak started his career in the medical laser industry and then joined Johnson & Johnson in strategy and corporate development roles. While at J&J, he served as the Director of Surgical Oncology for Ethicon and Ethicon-Endosurgery operating units and as the Chair of Medical Optics for the Corporate Office of Science and Technology. In these roles, he was responsible for strategic planning, assessment of new and emerging technologies for their strategic fit, technical merit, and commercial viability. Most recently, while leading Strategic Intelligence, Babak served as a Venture Partner to X/Seed Capital Management, a Menlo Park, CA-based seed stage venture capital fund, served as a consulting member of the Emerging Technologies Group of the Corporate Office of Science & Technology at Johnson & Johnson, and currently runs the externally facing activities of the Alcon Seed Fund.

Outside of J&J, Babak has served in executive roles for emerging medical device and biotechnologies companies in a wide range of specialties ranging from oncology, gene therapy, general surgery, ophthalmology, and women’s health to dermatology and aesthetic surgery. He has a proven track record of success in various operating responsibilities, such as research and development, global program management, new business development, marketing and sales, corporate planning, and strategic management of clinical and regulatory functions.

He holds several patents in medical optics and has served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Medical Technology Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and several small private companies. His academic training includes a Bachelor of Arts in Physics (with Special Honors), a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and a master’s and a doctoral degree in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, all from the University of Texas at Austin.