CEO | Occlunova

CAREERS AT NLC•Minnesota, United States, MN

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Occlunova is a medtech venture developing the next generation of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) technology to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). AF affects more than 60 million people worldwide and drives a 5x increase in stroke risk. Yet, existing LAAO devices remain limited by leak rates, traumatic anchoring mechanisms, and persistent device-related thrombosis. Occlunova's platform combines an anatomy-conforming balloon with an atraumatic anchoring method engineered to reduce leaks, minimize procedural risk, and let AF patients safely come off oral anticoagulant therapy. The company is also integrating left atrial appendage electrical isolation (LAAEI) into the same device, enabling occlusion and ablation to be performed in a single procedure - an increasingly relevant combination with no direct equivalent on the market today. The technology has been validated in benchtop, ex-vivo (human cadaver), and in-vivo (canine) studies that indicate measurable advantages in comparison with market technologies. Occlunova has raised its pre-seed and is preparing for seed financing to fund its first-in-human studies in 2027. All major structural heart strategics are active acquirers in this space, and pre-approval exits are the norm rather than the exception. Occlunova is part of the venture portfolio of NLC Health Ventures, built in collaboration with Fusion MedTech and clinical collaborators at Mayo Clinic. We are looking for an experienced medtech CEO to take Occlunova from a validated prototype with a strong clinical and technical team in place through further clinical development and towards a strategic exit. This is a company-building role for a leader who has done this before: someone who has taken an implantable cardiovascular device through fundraising, clinical trials, and ideally into the hands of a strategic acquirer or to market. You will own the company's overall strategy and be the primary face of Occlunova to investors, clinical partners, and future acquirers, while building the team and organization needed to execute against an ambitious but realistic timeline.

Requirements

Deep medtech operating experience
Strategic thinking and creativity needed to build a company from this stage forward
Experience in implantable medical devices, ideally in cardiovascular or structural heart
A track record of successfully raising capital for a medtech venture (venture capital, strategic, and/or non-dilutive), including the financial acumen required to forecast and manage
Experience organizing and managing clinical trials for an implantable device, from early feasibility through pivotal study
Strong team-building and organizational skills, with the ability to recruit and lead a multidisciplinary team
Creative, strategic thinker who is comfortable operating with high autonomy in an ambiguous, resource-constrained environment
Excellent communication skills across clinical, technical, investor, and corporate development audiences

Nice To Haves

Experience at a medtech strategic (e.g., Boston Scientific, Abbott, Medtronic, J&J) is a plus; for example, in a business development or sales/commercial role, with an understanding of how strategics evaluate and acquire early-stage technology

Responsibilities

Own overall corporate strategy, prioritization, and resource allocation across product, clinical, and regulatory workstreams
Translate the LAAO/LAAEI platform into a clear, milestone-driven path to value creation, together with identifying and managing key partners like CROs, CDMOs, advisors, and other key suppliers.
Represent Occlunova externally to investors, KOLs, strategics, and industry partners
Drive seed and subsequent financing rounds, including investor targeting, materials, diligence, and negotiation
Build and maintain relationships with venture investors, strategic corporate partners, and non-dilutive funding sources
Manage capital efficiently against the milestones that matter most for the next raise and eventual exit
Own the design, sequencing, and execution of clinical studies from first-in-human through pivotal trial
Build relationships with interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and KOLs in structural heart and AF ablation
Work with regulatory advisors to shape a credible pathway through FDA (and OUS regulators as relevant)
Understand the competitive and M&A landscape in LAAO and PFA ablation, and position Occlunova accordingly
Build and sustain relationships with corporate development teams at strategic acquirers
Prepare the company operationally and financially for partnership or exit conversations
Recruit and lead a high-performing team across clinical, regulatory, engineering, and operations
Establish the organizational structure, culture, and processes needed to scale from a small team to a clinical- and subsequently commercial-stage company
Foster a culture of creativity, rigor, and perseverance, and urgency appropriate to a capital-efficient medtech startup