Leadership Team
Michael Francis, PhD, CEO
A serial entrepreneur and inventor, leader in commercializing biomaterials and advanced manufacturing. Dr. Francis was the founder of Embody Inc, where he was awarded $26M in grants and helped raise $31M in investor funds to lead multiple products through the FDA to successful commercialization.
Barbara Boyan, PhD, CEO
A serial entrepreneur with successful technology acquisition by medical device companies. Dr. Boyan is Dean of the College of Engineering at VCU and a consultant for Medtronic, Spineology, Institut Straumann AG, and Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF). She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Travis Massey, MbA
Director of Business Development & Commercialization, an experienced life science and medical device manager. He brings a breadth of operating experience including equity and non-dilutive fundraising, commercialization strategy development, and management of academic and corporate partner relationships.
Strategic Business, Regulatory and Commercial Advisors
Rob Quartel
A successful serial entrepreneur and founder, technologist, and investor in a range of ventures in international security, energy, transportation, safety and environment, information technology, food, biotech, high-tech shipbuilding, and in marine and maritime technologies. He actively mentors a select number of early-stage companies on business strategy.
Richard Hall
Managing director of Orion Capital, with extensive history of working in the private equity industry and startups. Skilled in a array of areas including, consulting, strategic planning, due diligence, investor relations, operations, risk management, crisis management, business structure, hedge funds, and venture capital.
Rob Quartel
A successful serial entrepreneur and founder, technologist, and investor in a range of ventures in international security, energy, transportation, safety and environment, information technology, food, biotech, high-tech shipbuilding, and in marine and maritime technologies. He actively mentors a select number of early-stage companies on business strategy.
Janice Hogan
Involved in medical technology for over 25 years. From her engineering training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to work in the pharmaceutical industry, to her current practice representing medical device companies before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Janice has focused her career on the intersection of technology, regulation, and health care.
Richard Hall
Managing Director at Orion Capital, with extensive history of working in the private equity industry and startups. Skilled in an array of areas including, Consulting, Strategic Planning, Due Diligence, Investor Relations, Operations, Risk Management, Crisis Management, Business Structure, Hedge Funds, and Venture Capital.
Peter Ullrich
An orthopedic surgeon who retired from practice with 20+ years of experience specializing in spine surgery. He is Co-Founder of Veritas Health and the Co-Founder and CEO of Titan Spine (acquired by Medtronic), a company that develops surgical spine implants. He has lectured and written extensively on the treatment of degenerative and traumatic spinal disorders, as well as surgical instrumentation and fusion.
Clinical Advisors
Zvi Schwartz, DMD, PhD
VCU Engineering
Bruce Mathern, MD
VCU Neurosurgery
David J. Cohen
VCU Biomedical Engineering
Jonathan Dickens, MD
Andrew Sheean, MD
Wellington K. Hsu, MD
Zvi Schwartz, DMD, PhD
Paul Slosar, MD
Bruce Mathern, MD
VCU Neurosurgery
Kenneth Zaslay, MD
Northwell Health Orthopaedic Institute
David J. Cohen, MD
VCU Biomedical Engineering
