Robert Connelly

Bob joined Elicio as CEO in October 2018. He is a prolific entrepreneur and company builder/leader with 30+ years of experience in the Life Sciences sector. Since 2000, Bob has been the CEO and/or Chairman of startup or early-stage novel therapeutic companies, in the US and EU, including as founding CEO and first employee of Domantis (sold to GSK in 2007 for $454 million, the largest all-cash purchase of a preclinical company at that time), CEO of Pulmatrix (NASDAQ:PULM) and Axcella Health (NASDAQ:ALXA).

Bob also served as a Venture Partner with Flagship Pioneering from 2013 to October 2018, working on the creation and management of 5 portfolio companies, including as a CEO of Axcella, Board member of Kaleido (NASDAQ:KLDO) and Kintai, Chairman of Aero Designs and Founding CEO of WikiCell Designs (Aero and Wiki merged into Incredible Foods in 2013). He raised over $400 million in financing and led partnering transactions for his companies, including product and platform license, government and foundation funding and M&A transactions, while launching innovative platforms and products across disease areas.

Bob began his career with Abbott Laboratories, spending over 11+ years in sales, sales-management, marketing, and strategic marketing positions of increasing responsibility. He then spent 6 years with BioVeris (acquired by Roche for $1.6 billion) as SVP of Sales and Marketing and General Manager of the Life Sciences Business Unit, taking on lead marketing and investor communication roles in the company’s public financings of over $300 million.

Bob and his wife Marlen are part of an exceptionally large, thriving multi-ethnic family, with siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews in every US time zone, including three children of their own, PLUS two beautiful little granddaughters. So much family leaves little spare time, but Marlen and Bob both grew up in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area, so getting on the water, anyway possible, is a priority.