Rahul R. Rao, P.E.
Founder and CEO

Mr. Rao is a med-tech professional with over 18 years of experience at both multi-national corporations and start-ups. He is adept at helping med-tech organizations get their products to market faster in a more cost-effective manner, and with appropriate regulatory compliance, thereby increasing each organization’s overall worth and contribution to society. His varied experiences within the med-tech industry as a R&D Engineer, Quality Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, New Product Development (NPD) Project Manager, Program Manager, and Upstream Marketing Product Manager have provided him with a full over-view of the roles and skills needed for success in fast-paced biotech environments. He has brought value to large firms such as Southwest Research Institute, W.L. Gore and Associates, and Merz Aesthetics. Additionally, Mr. Rao has experienced first-hand the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of startups such as Verve Medical, Inc. and Ulthera, Inc (acquired for $600M). As CEO of Desert Platforms Medical Device Consultancy, Mr. Rao continues the mission to empower early-stage ventures towards their goal of improving patient outcomes and changing the world. He enjoys collaborating with med-tech organizations such as AZ BIO and the Flinn Foundation, and mentoring ventures and colleagues at the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation in Phoenix, AZ.

Sheetal Jha
New Product Development Intern

Gavin Buckler
New Product Development Intern

Denise Lindvall
Executive Assistant