Rich Bendis
Founder, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
October 11, 2024
8:30 am – 10:00 AM
Mr. Bendis will focus on the innovation and entrepreneurial trends in the growing BioHealth industry from both a public and private perspective. He will also discuss the elements and assets necessary to build and grow a dynamic BioHealth cluster in your region.
Mr. Bendis is the Founder, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI). BHI is a private/public partnership and innovation intermediary which focuses on accelerating the commercialization of BioHealth science and research-based entrepreneurs and SME’s. BHI created and manages a unique Entrepreneur and Residence program with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and ARPA-H and also provides business and commercialization services to its National and International portfolio of clients. BHI has a for-profit subsidiary BHI Management Inc., which owns equity in 28 companies and has successfully exited 7 of its portfolio companies.
He is a successful entrepreneur, corporate executive, angel investor, investment banker, innovation and technology-based economic development leader, international speaker and consultant in the technology and healthcare industries. He has served in Sales, Marketing and leadership positions with many corporations including, Quaker Oats, Polaroid, Texas Instruments, Marion Laboratories, Kimberly Services, and Continental Healthcare Systems (which he took public on NASDAQ and later sold to an international conglomerate).
He also served as the founding President and CEO of Innovation America, a national public-private partnership focused on accelerating the growth of the innovation economy Globally. He was also the founding Chairman of The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation and Founder and CEO of Innovation Philadelphia. He also serves as the Co-Chairman of the AURP BioHealth Caucus.
As one of the most recognized experts in the field of the innovation economy, Mr. Bendis has served on numerous distinguished boards and task forces including the White House U.S. Innovation Partnership Advisory Task Force, the Small Business Innovation Research Committee, the National Association of State Venture Funds Board; State Science and Technology Institute Board and the Ernst and Young Entrepreneurial Institute as a National/Regional Judge and Entrepreneur of the Year winner.
Mr. Bendis has provided global consulting services to over 16 countries and 22 states, several cities, and regions, along with international organizations including the United States Department of State, United Nations, NATO, UK Trade and Industry, European Commission, French Embassy, the German Marshall Fund, The Canadian Consulate, METI, AKEA, the International Science Parks and Innovation Expert Group and other global entities. Mr. Bendis serves on Maryland Governor Moore’s Life Science Advisory Board. He was voted one of the Top 5 Speakers on innovation and creativity, voted 4th best Innovation Blogger, a 2017 most influential Marylander award and a 2017 Maryland innovator of the year award. Mr. Bendis is also the host of the nationally recognized BioTalk podcast series.