Ali Behbahani

Overview

Ali Behbahani is a General Partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), a leading global venture capital firm. He joined NEA in 2007 and co-heads the firm's healthcare team, focusing on investments in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors. His role involves identifying and partnering with founders developing transformative treatments, including next-generation cell therapies and groundbreaking drug technologies. Prior to joining NEA, Dr. Behbahani held positions as a consultant in business development at The Medicines Company, a Venture Associate at Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, and a Healthcare Investment Banking Analyst at Lehman Brothers. He also conducted basic science research at the National Institutes of Health and Duke University. Dr. Behbahani earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and his M.B.A. from The Wharton School, where he graduated with honors and was a Palmer Scholar. He holds bachelor's degrees in biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemistry from Duke University. Dr. Behbahani serves on the boards of several companies, including Adaptimmune Therapeutics, Arcellx, Cardionomic, CRISPR Therapeutics, CVRx, Genocea, Ivantis, Minerva Surgical, Nevro, Nkarta, Oyster Point Pharma, and Solace Therapeutics. His investment focus spans both the medical device and biopharma sectors, with a particular emphasis on novel drug solutions and device platforms that can reshape clinical practice. He has been instrumental in the development of companies in the cell therapy space, co-founding Arcellx and Nkarta, and has participated in investments in companies like Tesaro, CRISPR, Nevro, Hyperion, InterMune, and Acadia.

Investment Focus

• Scientific rationale and mechanism of action
• Competitive landscape and market potential
• Strength and cohesion of the management team

Portfolio Companies