Puneet Gupta
Founder & Investor
Puneet Gupta is a distinguished neurologist and medical innovator, with a passion for utilizing technology to improve patient outcomes. As VP of Health Innovation Strategy and Ventures at Neurology Consultants of Dallas, and Assistant Chief of Neurology at Medical City Dallas, he is leading efforts to create a local-to-enterprise strategy for clinical innovation and business development.
Puneet is a practicing Neurohospitalist and Epilepsy attending physician involved in two of the largest healthcare systems in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, where he takes pride in providing personalized care to patients with acute neurological illness. He previously served as Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics at UT Southwestern, where he was recognized for his commitment to clinical excellence and patient care. He was the first Director of Critical Care Neurophysiology and helped to integrate technology to continuously monitor neurological function in critically ill patients. He has a strong belief in healthcare equity and has worked in county hospitals and volunteered in multiple free medical clinics and patient support groups. Puneet has received awards including being named Texas Rising Star, Texas Super Doctor and D Magazine Best Doctor.
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In addition to his clinical work, Puneet loves to lecture and mentor trainees. He has been an investigator in numerous clinical trials and has authored over 60 abstracts, articles, and chapters. He has co-authored two board review books on Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, which are used by trainees around the world.
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Puneet's drive to advance the boundaries of medicine led him to serve as Chief Medical Officer to two health-tech startups and currently serves as an advisor to over half a dozen early and mid-stage health-tech, medical device, and pharmaceutical start-up companies. Judging start-up pitch competitions further allows him to share his expertise through feedback and mentorship. He has been serving on the professional advisory board for the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas for over a decade and is currently serving as Chairperson for the Dallas-Ft Worth region. He is also an advisor to an investment venture fund.
Puneet earned a BSE and MSE in Biomedical Engineering and a dual degree in Engineering Mechanics from Johns Hopkins University, where he was involved in developing solutions for automotive safety and microsurgical robotics. During his education, he spent summers at Rice University developing biodegradable conduits for tissue regeneration as well as at the Automotive Safety Lab at the University of Virginia. He received his MD from University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, where he continued his Neurology training and served as Chief Resident. He has dual fellowships in Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy.
Manan Atit
Founder & Investor
​Manan Atit is a visionary leader who has had the opportunity to make a number of contributions to the healthcare industry. As the head of Honeywell's Breakthrough Innovations in Healthcare, he has been instrumental in developing groundbreaking technologies that seek to revolutionize patient care.
Prior to his current role, Manan served as the leader of Abbott Neuromodulation's Global and Upstream Marketing group, where his team launched the Neurosphere Virtual Clinic, named one of Time's Top Innovations of 2021. He also oversaw the development of MyPath, a pioneering pain management application, and led the introduction of several innovative technologies in chronic pain and deep brain stimulation.
Before joining Abbott, Manan held a variety of positions at Alcon Laboratories, including technology assessment and business development, project management, and strategic advisory roles. He was responsible for acquiring several innovative companies and played a key role in the development and launch of several new products, including the PanOptix Toric intraocular lens.
Manan's career also includes a stint as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., where he focused on the medtech and biotech sectors. He has extensive experience in areas such as Transcatheter valves, Cardiac Ablation, Rhythm Management, Coronary and Endovascular Stents, Neuromodulation, and Opthamology.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Manan serves on the board of TechFW, a non-profit organization focused on early-stage incubation and angel investing in the Fort Worth and North Texas area.
Manan holds a BS and MSE in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where he conducted research on neonatal brain recovery post-injury as part of his master's thesis. He also holds an MBA from Wharton, where he specialized in healthcare management and strategy. Additionally, he was awarded a healthcare scholarship by UC Berkeley, NVCA, and Venture Forwards's VC University.