Erik Halvorsen

For as long as he can remember, Erik Halvorsen wanted to be a doctor. He attended the University of Virginia and earned his B.A. in Psychology/Pre-Med. He then continued, getting his M.S. in Anatomy from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, before returning to the University of Virginia to earn his Ph.D. in Pharmacology while researching Parkinson’s disease. While in school, he found a love of research and innovation and learned how long and arduous the path of translating discoveries to new treatments that can help patients. This became his professional calling—helping bring cutting-edge medical innovations to the people who need them.

For nearly 14 years in Boston, Erik led numerous teams focused on life sciences R&D across the Harvard system—working with some of the top pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics companies in the country and partnering with investors to build new companies. Among some of the more notable start-ups that Erik has served as a strategic advisor or board member is Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ—TTPH), Claritas Genomics, OPENPediatrics, Jibo, and FAR Biotechnology.

As the Executive Director of the Technology & Innovation Development Office at Boston Children’s Hospital, Erik Halvorsen was at the epicenter of pediatric healthcare innovation. Boston Children’s Hospital is the largest pediatric research institution in the country and routinely ranked #1 pediatric hospital by US News and World Report. He knows firsthand the value of bringing cutting-edge technology into clinical use as his very own daughter was born with cardiac defects requiring numerous surgeries to repair. This motivator is what has gotten him through numerous business ventures and upper positions within the healthcare industry.

After nearly 15 years in Boston, Erik was eventually recruited to become the first Director of Innovation for the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the country including leading institutions like MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Methodist Hospital and Rice University. For over four years, Erik and his team established the TMC Innovation Institute and its flagship startup accelerator, TMCx, as the premier destination for healthcare startups. With the combination of curriculum, world-class advisor network and launching of the TMC Venture Fund his program helped hundreds of companies raise money, establish strategic partnerships and build, test and bring their products to the clinicians and patients who needed them.

Erik Halvorsen is a frequent public speaker on innovation and trends in healthcare and has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades over his career including named Top 40 Under 40 in Boston in 2011, current member of the Forbes Technology Council and named one of the Top 30 Chief Innovation Officers in healthcare in 2018.

Currently, Erik is a Partner leading up the therapeutics vertical at pH Partners, a boutique healthcare investment bank based in Austin, TX, and with offices around the country.  In his current role, he focuses on assisting innovative healthcare companies to secure capital and strategic partnerships to deliver better treatments to patients. Through his work here, Erik and his team have driven maximum value for their clients through capital raises, M&A, partnerships, and strategic advisory services. A few of these notable companies include Pfizer, Orion Health, Climatec, and more. The company’s advisory services surround mergers and acquisitions, capital formation, and merchant banking. Working hard to understand each client’s specific needs, Erik has been able to bring about stellar results thus far.

Overall, Erik Halvorsen has had a career full of success and innovation. He has taken hold of every opportunity that has come his way, truly encompassing his wide array of talents and expertise. Erik has been professionally interviewed a number of times and has provided services to companies seeking counsel. He has become a dynamic leader in his industry, passing down his qualities to the next generation of healthcare professionals. Looking forward, Erik is excited to see how the healthcare industry continues to evolve, especially as new technologies come forward.

Erik currently lives in Bellaire, Texas with his wife (Shana), daughter (Dylan), and son (Hunter). He continues to consult with cutting-edge healthcare startups, investors, and hospitals to bring new products to market that improve patient lives and transform healthcare. In his spare time, Erik enjoys playing golf and traveling with his family, in addition to quality travel time with solely his wife. Paying homage to where the two got married, Erik and Shana enjoy returning to the island of Anguilla. They also enjoy visiting the smaller islands near St. Martin, which are known to host some of the top beaches in the world. While Erik enjoys sitting on the beach relaxing and reading a book, he also likes to partake in active hobbies such as scuba diving.

He and his wife are both admitted foodies, and love dining and experimenting with new cuisines. Most weekends at home involve cooking in their kitchen, specifically their favorite, Mediterranean cooking. Erik’s specialty dish is octopus, a difficult yet rewarding dish he is proud to serve at his table on any day of the week. His interest in food has been passed down to his children, who have become the guacamole experts in the family.

Over the years Erik and his wife have made it a point to teach their children the importance of experiencing new cultures and trying new things. Erik also works hard to ensure that he maintains a healthy work-life balance. Although his work can be quite challenging at times, he makes up for it in his adventure-filled lifestyle. At the end of the day, Erik knows that his work can benefit the health and wellbeing of kids and families around the world and that his own family is the key to his overall health and happiness.

Visit Erik’s blog page to stay updated with his most recent posts discussing healthcare innovation and business. His latest press and multimedia involvements can be found by visiting his press and multimedia pages.