About
Babar Khan is Head of Technology Investments at NEOM Investment Fund, where he leads investments in life sciences and deep tech, having overseen more than $150M in transactions and portfolio governance work. He is co-founder of AI Astrolabe, which provides post-training data, reinforcement learning environments, and evaluations for frontier and enterprise AI systems. Khan began his career as a scientist in therapeutics, diagnostics, and applied biotechnology before transitioning into investing and company building.
Experience
- NEOM Investment Fund (NIF)Head of Technology Investmentscurrent2019 — presentRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
- AI AstrolabeCo-Foundercurrent2024 — presentUnited States
- ParadromicsBoard Observercurrent2025 — presentUnited States
- Liberation BioindustriesBoard Membercurrent2025 — presentUnited States
- BlueNaluBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentUnited States
- QualSensCo-Founder2016 — 2021Saudi Arabia
- ContraFect CorpManager & Research Scientist2011 — 2014Yonkers, NY
- eMazing GamingCompetitive Esports2005 — 2008New York, United States
Education
- KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Bioscience2014 — 2018
- Rutgers UniversityMaster of Science (M.S.), Microbiology2008 — 2011
- SUNY New PaltzBachelor of Science (B.S.), Molecular Biology2005 — 2008
Skills & more
Venture CapitalArtificial Intelligence (AI)Deep Tech InvestingBiotechnologyBoard GovernanceStakeholder ManagementCross-border TransactionsJoint VenturesDeal StructuringLife SciencesGCC MarketsDue Diligence
+5 more
Cross-Border InvestingLife Sciences InvestingBrain-computer InterfacesMultimodal AIDeep TechLanguages Arabic · English · Pashto · Urdu
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist — New York State Education Department
From Babar's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)3
Also attended Rutgers University86
Jigar RaythathaInvestor at Third Rock VenturesRobin LiInvestor at GGV CapitalGanesh PersadVice President & Chief Information Officer at Flare Capital PartnersMark FieldsInvestor at Alsop Louie PartnersBasil AlomaryPrincipal, Head of Research & Growth Strategy at StripesBrigitte KleineOperating Partner at Stripes
+ 80 more
Also attended SUNY New Paltz8
Mostafa KandilAdvisor at Colle Capital PartnersJames PastoressaAccounting Manager at 25MadisonEsat AcarInvestor at 500 Emerging EuropeAntonio DonosoDirector at Oquendo Capital, SGEIC,Sara RywePartner at byFoundersDanica ElliottInvestor at Frazier Healthcare Partners
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+ 2 more
Shared employers
Also worked at NEOM Investment Fund (NIF)1
Also worked at Paradromics7
Bryan ChambersCo-Founder & President at Capital FactoryLu ZhangFounder and Managing Partner at FusionAmy KruseVenture Partner at Prime Movers LabJustin SmithFounder at Chaos VenturesSashank ShivakumarSenior Associate at Anzu PartnersEnke BashllariManaging Director at Arkitekt Ventures
+ 1 more
Also worked at BlueNalu1
Colleagues at 1517
Network4
Danielle StrachmanScout
Investor at NZVC
Michael Gibson
General Partner, Co-Founder at 1517
Nick Arnett
Partner at 1517
Zak Slayback
Partner at 1517
Investors connected to Babar in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.