Jennifer Fried

Jennifer Fried is a healthcare entrepreneur, operator, and investor with a strong track record of building, scaling, and exiting innovative companies that improve clinical care through technology. She recently joined Flow Medical as CEO and Co-Founder, where they are developing a next-generation thrombolysis catheter to treat pulmonary embolism.

Previously, Jennifer co-founded and served as CEO of ExplORer Surgical, a digital health company that created an interactive procedural “playbook” platform for the operating room. The company was born out of research conducted at the University of Chicago Medical Center and commercialized to support surgical teams and medical device companies with workflow guidance, real-time collaboration, and case support. Under her leadership, ExplORer Surgical raised more than $10 million in private and NSF grant funding, on-boarded dozens of major medical device customers, and expanded usage globally across five continents. The company was acquired by Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) in 2021. During her tenure, Jennifer and the company were recognized with industry accolades, including being named among the Top 50 Healthcare Technology CEOs of 2021.

Before founding ExplORer Surgical, Jennifer had a deep background in healthcare venture investing and early-stage company evaluation. She was Vice President at Park Lane Ventures, a healthcare-focused venture capital fund originally part of Essex Woodlands, where she was the only non-managing director on a team of seasoned investors. She also served as a Healthcare Associate at Hyde Park Angels, sourcing and conducting diligence on early-stage healthcare businesses. Earlier in her career, she worked as a management consultant with Bain & Company in Chicago.

Jennifer holds an MBA with honors in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA with honors in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Economics from Northwestern University. She is a Kauffman Fellow, an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Booth School of Business, and an active investor and mentor in the healthcare and women’s health innovation ecosystem.