Mike Karim is a Venture Partner at Synapto Ventures where he leads business development activities in the United Kingdom, Europe and USA, including client relationship management and fundraising execution. Mike is a board level executive with a proven track record in building companies to market leadership, having led successful teams, established strategic partnerships, and achieved significant fundraising milestones.
Mike is currently mentoring start-ups and entrepreneurs, as well as providing support to life science companies through his company Mike Karim Consulting. He also contributes to the healthcare and medical industry through leadership roles in NHS governance and industry associations.
Mike was the CEO and Co-founder of Oxford Endovascular Ltd, a spinout from the University of Oxford, developing a next generation brain aneurysm Flow Diverter treatment. During his journey at Oxford Endovascular, Mike spearheaded the company’s successful growth and development through his multifaceted contributions across talent acquisition, strategic leadership, fundraising, regulatory affairs, and external relations. Notably, Mike built a high-performance team and fostered key relationships; he navigated complex regulations, including submissions to the FDA, EMA, and MHRA; he secured significant USD 33.5M in funding through venture capital investments and grants.
Mike’s industrial career has led him to demonstrate his leadership excellence across top global health and medical companies, including Aptus Endosystems, HeartWare Inc, Lombard Medical Technologies, and Boston Scientific. As Senior Director International Sales at Aptus Endosystems, Mike guided the expansion of the international endo-anchoring business for aortic aneurysm repair, driving double-digit growth, expanding into new markets, and ultimately supporting a successful exit to Medtronic. At HeartWare, Mike drove the company’s international expansion in the heart failure sector. As Director of Sales & Marketing at Lombard Medical Technologies, Mike directed the launch and commercialisation of a new AAA stent graft business, and help secure substantial funding for the company, developed the brand and commercialised products internationally. Mike also had an extensive international career at Boston Scientific, which saw him become Sales & Marketing Director of the Peripheral Vascular business unit in the UK and Ireland.
Mike holds a BSc (Hons) in Physiology & Pharmacology with 3 yrs in Pre-Clinical Medicine from the University of Southampton, as well as an MBA from Henley Business School from which he published “Medical Device Companies Entering China” in the Journal of Medical Marketing.
