Karen Spilizewski
Cleveland, Ohio
Joined in 2008

As a biomedical engineer by training, I am fascinated by cutting-edge medical technologies. It is incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally, to help accelerate life science technologies through development and into the marketplace, where they can truly help people.
Karen joined RiverVest in 2008 as a Vice President managing RiverVest’s Cleveland office. Karen brings a broad knowledge of the seed and early-stage life science opportunity landscape in the Midwest, especially Ohio, and the ability to source and evaluate the most promising deals. Through her product and business development expertise, Karen is able to help entrepreneurs accelerate their companies toward next development milestones.
Karen serves on the board of VentureMed Group, Inc. She is a former director of Securus Medical Group, Inc. (acquired by Boston Scientific Corporation), Standard Bariatrics, Inc. (acquired by Teleflex Incorporated), and a former observer at Neuros Medical, Inc.
Prior to RiverVest, Karen worked for BioEnterprise Corporation in Cleveland, where she served as vice president and directed business development for medical device and equipment companies. Karen worked through BioEnterprise to identify, assess, and accelerate the growth of emerging medical device companies that originate from universities, clinical research, local entrepreneurs, or companies relocating to Ohio. Prior to joining BioEnterprise, Karen gained significant medical device industry experience at Avery Dennison Corporation, where she spent 19 years in research and business development.
Karen earned an M.B.A., an M.S. in Macromolecular Science and a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.
Personal Interests: genealogy research, being outside, and spending time with family and friends
Committed to Doing Business the Right Way to Deliver the Best Outcomes for Patients, Entrepreneurs, and Investors
St. Louis, San Diego & Cleveland
Our Team
A Strong Partnership Built to Last

SchmelterCo-Founder & Managing Director

McKearnManaging Director

O'DonnellManaging Director

MelzerCo-Founder and Managing Director

HongManaging Director

RappManaging Director

SpilizewskiVice President

WeitzmanChief Financial Officer

CatheyDirector of Administration

ZikePrincipal

KroteeSenior Associate

BermanConsultant and Venture Partner

RotherDirector of Finance

HarrisController

KleiboekerAnalyst

SeitzAnalyst

KellerConsultant

ShortExecutive Assistant
Our Team
Scientific Advisors

BorchardtDistinguished Professor Emeritus, The University of Kansas-Lawrence

DiPersioChief, Division of Oncology and Deputy Director, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine

RaderProfessor, UF Scripps Biomedical Research

RutterProfessor of Biochemistry and HHMI Investigator, University of Utah

SetteProfessor and Member LaJolla Institute for Immunology, Division of Vaccine Discovery Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research

TontonozFrancis and Albert Piansky Professor of Pathology, Professor of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles
15 Companies Founded
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An exceptional firm culture where each is expected to be transparent, strategic, dependable, results-driven, collaborative, and grounded in purpose. That's RiverVest.