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PharmStars

From MIT PhD to Building Innovation Infrastructure at Three Healthcare Giants

Post by
Naomi Fried, PhD

Original article published by Founded by Women on January 5, 2026

This Founded by Women article features Naomi Fried, founder and CEO of PharmStars and co-founder and general partner of PharmStars Ventures. It details her journey from earning a PhD at MIT to building innovation infrastructure within three leading healthcare organizations to launching PharmStars. Naomi discusses the challenges of bridging the pharma-startup gap, the importance of helping startups understand the pharmaceutical industry, and why success in digital health requires both innovation and a deep understanding of pharma’s unique business environment.

You can read the article here.

Published
July 13, 2026
Naomi Fried, PhD
Naomi Fried, PhD, is the founder and CEO of PharmStars. She is also a founder and Managing Partner of the PharmStars Ventures Fund, which invests in the PharmStars accelerator’s graduates. Previously, she was a Partner at Ambit Health Ventures which invested in early-stage digital health device and therapeutic startups. Prior to that, Naomi was the CEO of the consulting firm Health Innovation Strategies, VP of Innovation and External Partnerships at Biogen, the first Chief Innovation Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the first VP of Innovation and Advanced Technology at Kaiser Permanente. She advises and is on the boards of digital health startups.
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