Amar Sawhney

Amarpreet (Amar) Sawhney got his entrepreneurial start right after graduate school as his work was licensed by two biotech startups. He joined one of them, Focal Inc., based in Cambridge, MA as the technology founder and first employee. Amar describes it as an incredible learning experience, where he got exposure to all aspects of operating a startup from working in the lab to international trips for the roadshow in Focal’s IPO (FOCL).

After Focal, Amar struck out with his partner, Fred Khosravi to start Incept LLC, an enabler of healthcare companies. Over the last 23 years, Incept has created or enabled 22 companies, many of which have gone on to become public companies, or been acquired in exits that provided a great return to founders, employees, and investors. Several were founded and run by Amar, including Augmenix (Boston Scientific), Confluent Surgical (Covidien), Access Closure (Cardinal Health), and Ocular Therapeutix (OCUL). Amar is currently the CEO of Instylla and of Rejoni companies that are developing products for cancer and women’s health respectively and he serves on the boards of several additional companies as well as non-profit institutions.

Through his family Foundation, Amar has been active in charitable causes that are dear to him, which include education as well as conservation of wildlife and the environment. Amar has been recognized by several awards including being named the “Champion of Change” by the Whitehouse and “Outstanding American by Choice” by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service. He is a recipient of the TiE Boston Lifetime achievement award for Entrepreneurship.