TEAM FIRST
Our leaders are not only experts in their craft, but also devoted to mentoring the next generation of innovators.
Christopher Velis spent decades in M&A developing technologies for late stage and established companies. During this time, he recognized organizational patterns in how medtech companies succeed and failed during development and exit. Chris knew he could use this knowledge to create companies that would not only have a meaningful impact on patients’ lives, but also integrate experts, leaders and passionate team members more effectively. Thus began Miraki’s team of teams structure.
Christopher Velis
Founder & Executive Chairman
Entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Christopher Velis has pioneered some of the most innovative medical technologies brought to market in the last decades. As Founder and Executive Chairman, Chris forecasts imminent global health and medical challenges, uncovers technologies at leading research institutions and assembles teams of industry experts to solve these global problems. Chris not only offers investments guidance and critical research and industry connections, but also helps guide each portfolio company along the fund’s proven, repeatable process that reduces new venture risk and enhances returns.
Auris Health, recognized by CNBC as one of the 50 most disruptive companies in the world, is one of a number of ventures founded, grown or brought to exit by Chris. Companies Chris has worked on have set the industry gold standard for motion preservation, regeneration of cartilage and soft tissue through the use of novel peptides, tissue regeneration using DNA pairs, and stem cell and PRP technologies for use in regenerative medicine. Throughout his 27-year career, Chris has also represented more than 150 medical device companies in a variety of business transactions including licensing agreements, joint ventures and M&A.
Venture Directors
The position of a venture director was conceived by Miraki Innovation to address several shortcomings in the entrepreneurial process. Our venture directors manage all aspects of the portfolio companies, but their interests are entirely aligned with those of the fund. These leaders come from a variety of career backgrounds, with successful track records of investing, exits with medical device new ventures and product development.