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CEO – Position Description
LumenAstra (the “Company”) is looking for an energetic, passionate CEO to lead this early-stage, deep tech company spun out of the University of Colorado. This leadership will involve all aspects of the Company’s strategy, operations and culture, including raising capital and securing FDA 510(k) clearance for its initial product. The product is the first, non-invasive, real-time brain temperature sensor. The initial market is cardiac surgery followed by ICU trauma care. Future markets include human performance optimization in commercial, military and consumer markets, including sports wearables. The Company has a strong IP portfolio.
The CEO will work with an extraordinary technical and advisory team with extensive background in physics, electrical and mechanical engineering, med-tech product development and manufacturing, with 4 PhDs and 3 MDs. The CTO has a PhD in electrical engineering and experience in a successful quantum engineering company. The technology and initial IP is developed by Distinguished Prof. Zoya Popovic at the University of Colorado Boulder, who is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and a member of the National Academy of Engineering and has over 40 years of experience in high-frequency electronics.
The company was formed in 2021 with first demonstrations in the CU research lab. Since the end of 2024, with a new CTO, the prototypes have transitioned out of the research lab into the company. The technology is poised for commercialization, backed by promising pilot live-animal studies supported by non-dilutive grants.
Key Responsibilities
The CEO reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the overall strategic direction, operational excellence and financial performance of the Company. At this stage, the CEO’s primary focus is to both secure the necessary funding for the Company’s growth and to secure FDA clearance for its initial product.
Strategic Leadership:
- Develop and implement a clear, scalable business plan that bridges product development with market entry, regulatory strategy and adoption.
- Oversee day-to-day operations and ensure successful long-term operations.
- Recruit, retain, develop and grow a high-performance team (R&D, manufacturing, clinical, operational), fostering a culture of excellence, urgency, quality, and patient-centric innovation.
Fundraising:
- Establish strategic relationships and implement fundraising plans that secure and grow revenue-generating partnerships with government, corporate funders, foundations and private donors.
- Serve as the primary external face of LumenAstra to investors, partners, and the clinical community.
Regulatory & Clinical Strategy
- Define and execute the regulatory strategy to secure FDA 510(k) clearance of the Company’s initial product, including managing the pre-submission phase.
Board Governance:
- Provide transparent, timely updates to the Board of Directors on key performance metrics, milestones, and burn rate.
- Work with the board of directors to achieve good governance practices and grow financial resources.
Metric-Driven Performance
- Develop key performance metrics for all segments of the Company’s operations and track and report on those metrics to both management and the Board of Directors on an ongoing basis.
Desired Experience
- Prior C-suite leadership (CEO, President, or COO preferred)
- Demonstrated success raising capital — venture, strategic, or grant-funded — in a medical device or advanced technology company.
- Demonstrated success with the FDA 510(k) regulatory pathway for novel medical devices
- Ability to lead and motivate elite technical and commercial teams.
- Graduate degree in relevant areas (e.g. engineering, medical).
- Entrepreneurial drive with energy and passion to make an early-stage company successful.
- Experience in neurotech, critical care, or sensing technology is a strong plus.
The CEO is required to be at the Company’s headquarters in Boulder, Colorado.
The CEO of LumenAstra will have a rare opportunity to lead a company with truly life-saving technology – one with the potential to redefine the standard of care in critical medicine.
Compensation
Base Salary: The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $60K to $200K, depending on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and the Company’s stage of financing at the time of hire. The Company expects to pay base salary on its regular payroll schedule, subject to applicable withholdings and deductions.
Financing Close Bonus; The CEO may be eligible to receive a one-time “financing close” bonus upon the closing of the Company’s next equity financing, subject to Board approval and any required documentation.
Annual Performance Bonus: The CEO may also be eligible for an annual performance bonus based on achievement of milestones established by the Board of Directors.
Equity Compensation: The CEO will be eligible to receive a stock option grant anticipated to represent 6% to 15% of the Company’s fully diluted capitalization at the time of the grant, subject to Board approval and the terms of the Company’s equity incentive plan. Equity awards are expected to vest over a four-year period with a one-year cliff. Additional equity grants may be considered in connection with future financing events or achievement of key milestones.
Benefits: The Company offers full-time employees a competitive benefits package including health, dental and vision insurance and a 401(k) plan
