Kevin Kimberlin
Encyclopedia
Kevin Kimberlin is chairman of the venture capital
firm Spencer Trask & Co.
Kimberlin has distinguished himself by backing “obsessive missionaries,” such as Jonas Salk
, Walter Gilbert
, and John Wennberg
. Kimberlin received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Indiana University
and his MBA from Harvard Business School
.
, helping the company to form its joint venture with Racal Electronics, which evolved into Vodafone Group Plc. In 1993, Kimberlin co-founded Ciena Corporation
, which commercialized the first wave division multiplexing (WDM) system. George Gilder
, author and futurist, called WDM “comparable in importance to the integrated circuit
,” because it was a major catalyst to the internet explosion. The Wall Street Journal called Ciena “one of the biggest jackpots in the history of venture capital.”
Prior to its public offering, Kimberlin was the sole General Partner of Next Level Communications, a leader in VDSL, for integrated broadband access. Kimberlin guided Next Level through its IPO with underwriters CSFB, Merrill Lynch, UBS and Lehman Brothers, achieving a market cap of $17 billion before being acquired by Motorola
in 2002.
. Immune Response was founded to develop a much-needed vaccine for AIDS
. Kimberlin helped the company raise over $350 million to support this cause. He also co-founded Myriad Genetics
, the first human genome company, with Walter Gilbert
. Kimberlin and Gilbert founded Myriad to identify genetic predispositions for killer diseases. Myriad Genetics first received international acclaim by discovering the breast cancer
gene, BRCA1
. As Dr. James D. Watson, co-discoverer of DNA's double-helix structure, noted: there is “no more exciting story in medical science.”
In 1993, Kimberlin co-founded the first stem cell
company, Osiris Therapeutics. Osiris uses adult stem cells derived from bone marrow
—bypassing the ethical and moral controversy surrounding the scientific breakthrough. By regenerating a variety of human tissue, Osiris is treating heart attacks, Type I diabetes, Graft versus Host Disease, Crohn’s Disease, and excessive exposure to radiation.
In 1999 Kimberlin helped launch the 'power to the patient' healthcare revolution of John Wennberg
. Wennberg's radical Informed Patient Decision-Making approach inverts the medical paradigm in America. It has become the cornerstone of the Obama Administration's health care reform. The company, built around Wennberg's research, Health Dialog
puts the patient in charge, lowering cost and improving quality. It became one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Before being acquired for $775 million, Health Dialog distributed $176 million to shareholders.
, the artist community founded 100 years ago by Spencer Trask
and his wife. Kimberlin serves as a Director of Yaddo.
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
firm Spencer Trask & Co.
Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask was an American financier, philanthropist, and venture capitalist. Beginning in the 1870s, Trask began investing and supporting entrepreneurs, including Thomas Edison's invention of the electric light bulb and his electricity network...
Kimberlin has distinguished himself by backing “obsessive missionaries,” such as Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...
, Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert is an American physicist, biochemist, molecular biology pioneer, and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Gilbert was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 21, 1932...
, and John Wennberg
John Wennberg
John E. "Jack" Wennberg is the pioneer and leading researcher of unwarranted variation in the healthcare industry. Through four decades of work, Wennberg has documented the geographic variation in the healthcare that patients in the United States receive...
. Kimberlin received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
and his MBA from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
.
Technological
In 1982, Kimberlin structured the first outside financing for MillicomMillicom
Millicom International Cellular, also known as Tigo, is a mobile phone network provider in America and Africa. Based in Luxembourg, the company provides mobile services in 14 countries. With operations across Central America, South America, South-east Asia, and Africa, using GSM, CDMA and TDMA on...
, helping the company to form its joint venture with Racal Electronics, which evolved into Vodafone Group Plc. In 1993, Kimberlin co-founded Ciena Corporation
Ciena Corporation
Ciena Corporation is a United States-based global supplier of telecommunications networking equipment, software and services that support the delivery and transport of voice, video and data services. Its products are used in telecommunications networks operated by telecommunications service...
, which commercialized the first wave division multiplexing (WDM) system. George Gilder
George Gilder
George F. Gilder is an American writer, techno-utopian intellectual, Republican Party activist, and co-founder of the Discovery Institute...
, author and futurist, called WDM “comparable in importance to the integrated circuit
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
,” because it was a major catalyst to the internet explosion. The Wall Street Journal called Ciena “one of the biggest jackpots in the history of venture capital.”
Prior to its public offering, Kimberlin was the sole General Partner of Next Level Communications, a leader in VDSL, for integrated broadband access. Kimberlin guided Next Level through its IPO with underwriters CSFB, Merrill Lynch, UBS and Lehman Brothers, achieving a market cap of $17 billion before being acquired by Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
in 2002.
Medical
In 1986, Mr. Kimberlin co-founded The Immune Response Corporation with Jonas SalkJonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...
. Immune Response was founded to develop a much-needed vaccine for AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Kimberlin helped the company raise over $350 million to support this cause. He also co-founded Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a molecular diagnostic company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Myriad employs a number of proprietary technologies that permit doctors and patients to understand the genetic basis of human disease and the role that genes play in the onset, progression and treatment of disease...
, the first human genome company, with Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert is an American physicist, biochemist, molecular biology pioneer, and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Gilbert was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 21, 1932...
. Kimberlin and Gilbert founded Myriad to identify genetic predispositions for killer diseases. Myriad Genetics first received international acclaim by discovering the breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
gene, BRCA1
BRCA1
BRCA1 is a human caretaker gene that produces a protein called breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein, responsible for repairing DNA. The first evidence for the existence of the gene was provided by the King laboratory at UC Berkeley in 1990...
. As Dr. James D. Watson, co-discoverer of DNA's double-helix structure, noted: there is “no more exciting story in medical science.”
In 1993, Kimberlin co-founded the first stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
company, Osiris Therapeutics. Osiris uses adult stem cells derived from bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
—bypassing the ethical and moral controversy surrounding the scientific breakthrough. By regenerating a variety of human tissue, Osiris is treating heart attacks, Type I diabetes, Graft versus Host Disease, Crohn’s Disease, and excessive exposure to radiation.
In 1999 Kimberlin helped launch the 'power to the patient' healthcare revolution of John Wennberg
John Wennberg
John E. "Jack" Wennberg is the pioneer and leading researcher of unwarranted variation in the healthcare industry. Through four decades of work, Wennberg has documented the geographic variation in the healthcare that patients in the United States receive...
. Wennberg's radical Informed Patient Decision-Making approach inverts the medical paradigm in America. It has become the cornerstone of the Obama Administration's health care reform. The company, built around Wennberg's research, Health Dialog
Health Dialog
Health Dialog is a care management, employee wellness, and decision support provider, and wholly owned subsidiary of Bupa. The company is based in the United States and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1997 to address the unwarranted variation research done by Dr....
puts the patient in charge, lowering cost and improving quality. It became one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Before being acquired for $775 million, Health Dialog distributed $176 million to shareholders.
Philanthropy
Kevin Kimberlin’s philanthropic endeavors support creativity, education, and science, including the Audubon Society, the Boys and Girls Club, Harvard University, and YaddoYaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400 acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment."...
, the artist community founded 100 years ago by Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask
Spencer Trask was an American financier, philanthropist, and venture capitalist. Beginning in the 1870s, Trask began investing and supporting entrepreneurs, including Thomas Edison's invention of the electric light bulb and his electricity network...
and his wife. Kimberlin serves as a Director of Yaddo.