Episode 166: Rich Ferrari, Co-Founder De Novo Ventures

In this week's episode, we interview Richard Ferrari. Rich is a Co-Founder of De Novo Ventures, which had $650M under management and was one of the premier firms dedicated to Medical Devices and Biotechnology. Rich has raised over a billion dollars for companies he has directly influenced and participated in approximately 1.8 billion dollars in acquisition events. Additionally, and most recently, Rich served as the CEO and Chairman of PQ Bypass, culminating in a successful acquisition to Endologix for $350M. Rich has been a successful CEO of two publicly traded medical technology companies. Cardiovascular Imaging Systems, the first and leading developer of ultrasound imaging catheters was eventually acquired for $125M by Boston Scientific. Rich also pioneered the off-bump bypass movement via CardioThoracic Systems (CTS), the market leader in disposable instruments and systems for performing minimally invasive beating heart bypass surgery ultimately acquired by Guidant for $350M in November 1999. Rich was a co-founder of CTS and the force that led the company to an initial public offering in only 7 months, the fastest of any medical technology company in history. Additionally, Rich was the co-founder of the MTG Group which developed Ensure femoral closure device which sold to J&J for $100M returning 10x to investors, and also IVS which developed the Star Close and sold to Abbott for $100M also returning 10x to investors. Rich is also the co-founder of Transaortic an integrated femoral sheath and embolic capture system for TAVR procedure which was sold last year to Medtronic. Rich is also co-founder of Tenon Medical an orthopedic device for treating SI-Joint Pain currently trading on NASDAQ under TNON. Rich has been and currently is a board member (Executive Chairman) of Medlumics, S.L., a medical device company founded in 2011; a board member (Vice Chairman) of ABS Interventional; a board member (Executive Chairman) of Heart Beam Inc.; a board member of Biomodex Corporation; a board member of Retriever Medical Inc.; a board member of RMx Medical; a board member of Hawthorne Effect, Inc.; a board member and co-founder of TransAortic acquired by Medtronic; Executive Chairman of Sentreheart acquired by Atricure, a board member of Spinal Modulation sold to St Jude and a board member of Hands of Hope Rich is the recipient of the Mallinckrodt Award for Excellence in Medicine and has been a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Rich holds a BS degree from Ashland University and an MBA from the University of South Florida.