Karen Spilizewski
InvestorManaging Director at RiverVest Venture Partners
Cleveland, Ohio
FoundedVentureMed Group
About
A biomedical engineer by training, Karen Spilizewski joined RiverVest in 2008 to manage the Cleveland office and was promoted to Managing Director in 2023, focusing on identifying and evaluating early-stage medical device technologies and supporting portfolio company CEOs. She previously directed medical device business development at BioEnterprise and spent 19 years at Avery Dennison, and holds an MBA, MS, and BS from Case Western Reserve University.
Experience
- RiverVest Venture PartnersManaging Directorcurrent2023 — present
- RiverVest Venture PartnersVice President2008 — 2023Cleveland, OH and St. Louis, MO
- Standard Bariatrics, IncMember Board Of Directors2018 — 2022Cincinnati, OH
- BioEnterpriseVice President, Business Development2005 — 2020Cleveland, OH
- Securus Medical GroupMember Board Of Directors2011 — 2018Cleveland, OH
- Neuros Medical, Inc.Board Observer2011 — 2017Willoughby Hills, OH
- Avery DennisonBusiness Development Manager1986 — 2005
Education
- Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve UniversityMaster of Business Administration (MBA)1989 — 1993
- Case Western Reserve UniversityMaster of Science (MS), Polymer Science1984 — 1986
- Case Western Reserve UniversityBachelor of Science (BS), Biomedical/Medical Engineering1980 — 1984
Skills & more
ManagementStrategic Planning1Strategy1New Business Development27Venture Capital47Biomedical Engineering23Medical Devices67Due Diligence12BiotechnologyMergers & Acquisitions2Technology Transfer1Business Strategy
+12 more
CommercializationProduct DevelopmentR&DStart-upsLicensingMedical ImagingCorporate DevelopmentPrivate EquityISO 13485Business PlanningLifesciencesCross-functional Team LeadershipFrom Karen's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University25
Chris HocevarExecutive Partner at Flare Capital PartnersMara BabinInvestor at Golden SeedsTejas ManiarInvestor at Mayfield FundSri PangulurInvestor at Mayfield FundKathy HeflinChief Financial Officer at JumpStart VenturesChristopher MaleCo-Founder & Managing Partner at AIF
+ 19 more
Also attended Case Western Reserve University41
Will BruneSenior Associate at Mutual Capital PartnersKT MooreAdvisor at Clear VenturesPete KoomenGeneral Partner at Y CombinatorAsheem ChandnaInvestor at Greylock PartnersMatt SteinChief Information Officer at Flare Capital PartnersHamid RateghVenture Technology Director at Samsung Catalyst Fund
+ 35 more
Shared employers
Also worked at RiverVest Venture Partners9
Jay W. SchmelterCo-founder at RiverVest Venture PartnersJohn McKearnSenior Advisor at RiverVest Venture Partners, focused on early-stage biotechNiall O'DonnellPh.D. at RiverVest Venture PartnersDerek RappInvestor at RiverVest Venture PartnersPascal KroteePrincipal, Ph.D. at RiverVest Venture PartnersAndrew KleiboekerAssociate at RiverVest Venture Partners
+ 3 more
Also worked at Standard Bariatrics, Inc2
Also worked at BioEnterprise3
Also worked at Neuros Medical, Inc.3
Deals · 1
VentureMed GroupBoard seat
via RiverVest Venture Partners · filed Feb 2025 · $7.5M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Colleagues at RiverVest Venture Partners
Alessandro Sette
Scientific Advisor; Professor and Member, La Jolla Institute for Immunology at RiverVest Venture Partners
Andrew Kleiboeker
Associate at RiverVest Venture Partners
Andy Craig
Co-founder at RiverVest Venture Partners
Corrin Short
Executive Assistant at RiverVest Venture Partners
Courtney Harris
Controller at RiverVest Venture Partners
Derek Rapp
Investor at RiverVest Venture Partners
Gary DeCrescenzo
Scientific Advisor; Independent Consultant, Pharmaceutical Research and Development at RiverVest Venture Partners
Isaac Zike
Managing Director, Ph.D. at RiverVest Venture Partners