Team
Silicon Valley Software Engineer turned Technology Executive turned Venture Capitalist, Paolo is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Exceptional Ventures. Prior to this, Paolo was the Managing Director for Europe at Joyance Partners, a US VC firm investing in health and happiness start-ups, where he led 25 investments across 9 countries and built a team of 8.
Paolo started his career at Cisco in Silicon Valley as Software Engineer, then Product Manager, then moved to Switzerland to lead Business Development across EMEAR and APAC.
Paolo graduated Summa Cum Laude from his MS Engineering in Turin, and received his Executive MBA from London Business School where he won the AQR award for academic excellence in asset management.
Matt is relentless. He has spent the last 40 years committing his time, energy and capital to a variety of endeavours focused on improving the lives of people around the world.
At 18 years old Matt was at Princeton, studying Chemistry and Physics, while dreaming of Nobel Prizes.
Today Matt is Executive Chairman and co-founder of Exceptional Ventures a firm focused on enabling giant leaps forward in the way we treat and understand human health, whilst revolutionising the way venture capital works and is perceived.
In between…Matt has founded and led numerous private and public companies. Matt has made over 400 angel investments. Matt has advised and coached dozen of entrepreneurs and CEOs and chaired numerous boards ranging from corporate, to charitable, to third sector and the arts. Matt has spoken regularly on entrepreneurship and the health care revolution.
As a result, Matt has unusually broad experience in strategy development, business planning, brand and marketing, organisational design and culture, executive coaching and leadership.
Most of the people Matt works with are only mildly aware of most of the above.
Hugh is considered a global authority on scaling challenger brands and helping them make a wider impact in the world. He has co-authored two books on challenger brands and how they behave. He is deeply committed to helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives. Before EV his career spanned global advertising agencies, market defining media and PR agencies and successful independent creative and strategy businesses.
He was most recently chairman of PHD, the renowned creative media agency (part of Omnicom), the fastest growing and most distinctive brand in its category helping brands as diverse as Oatly, Tony’s Chocolonely, Audi, Warner Bros and The Guardian make a dent in culture. Despite an elite education (Westminster, Christ Church Oxford) he has always lived in South London, it still gives him an outsider’s touch.
Joan Miquel combines his scientific background with a growing skillset in venture investing and financial analysis, developed through hands-on experience and self-directed learning.
Previously, Joan Miquel worked at Nina Capital and Croton Capital, screening hundreds of HealthTech startups and supporting founders with market analysis, financial modelling, and fundraising strategy. He also gained operating experience at Microneedle Solutions, where he worked closely with the founding team on go-to-market strategy, commercial execution, and a £500k pre-seed raise, alongside earlier experience in inside sales at Thermo Fisher Scientific that strengthened his understanding of customers, products, and life sciences commercialisation.
Since joining Exceptional Ventures, he has immersed himself in our mission and investment approach, across sourcing, diligence, and LP reporting. Originally from Barcelona and now based in London, he brings lots of energy, discipline, and curiosity to identify and support the next generation of health companies.
Joan Miquel holds a BSc in Biotechnology (First Class Honours) from the University of Leeds. Outside of work, he enjoys kickboxing and open-water diving.
Freddie manages day-to-day office operations and supports leadership with project and calendar management, meetings, and travel.
Before joining EV, Freddie worked as a consultant and personal assistant at Osborne & Denée, where she gained experience across executive support, luxury travel, and client-facing roles, building a reputation for discretion, organisation, and reliability to fast-moving environments.
Freddie holds an MA in History of Art from the University of Edinburgh, where she developed a strong eye for detail, context, and storytelling. She comes from a family of coffee roasters, an upbringing that shaped her appreciation for craft, consistency, and the importance of long-term relationships.
She is kind, proactive, and highly reliable, with a great sense of humour. Outside of work, Freddie enjoys art and photography, fitness classes, and spending time with friends and family, often at the pub.
Meet Alex, our Finance Director, who is responsible for managing all financial functions including accounting, reporting, treasury, and forecasting. With over a decade of experience in fast-growing start-ups, Alex is an expert in financial management, strategic planning, and business leadership. He also ensures regulatory compliance and keeps up with the latest technology in the finance industry.
In addition to his role with us, Alex also serves as the Investment Director for Zebulon Capital and provides Fractional FD and advisory services through his consulting business for start-ups at various stages.
Mark’s relationship with EV began well before titles or roles. Originally a close friend and neighbour of Matt, he became an LP in the fund and, over time, grew deeply involved in the mission and strategy. Now Mark plays a key role in shaping our LP strategy in the US, helping us build a trusted, mission-aligned investor base that shares our long-term view on health, wellness, and longevity.
He has more than twenty years of experience across capital markets, institutional fundraising, and strategic relationships. Prior to EV, Mark was Head of Strategic Relationships at Marylebone Partners, where he led capital raising efforts across multiple funds and structures, securing hundreds of millions of dollars from family offices, endowments, foundations, pensions, and institutional investors.
Earlier in his career, Mark held senior roles at Ivaldi Capital, Scotiabank, Citigroup, Lehman Brothers, Credit Suisse, and Deutsche Bank, working across prime brokerage, derivatives, equity finance, and institutional sales. His background gives him a deep understanding of how capital is built, allocated, and stewarded over the long term.
Mark holds a BA in Finance from the University at Buffalo and is known for his direct and kind approach – and, yes, for being very tall.
Venture Partners & Advisors
Stefano is Managing Partner at Tau Capital, a global, growth investment firm that backs deep science and technology entrepreneurs poised to scale in areas such as in techbio, climate, food, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Previously, Stefano was a Venture Partner at XAnge and Joyance, and Partner at Redstone. At Redstone, he established the firm’s deep tech investment unit, managed its industrial tech fund, and led the development of its data-driven intelligence platform.
He also co-founded Sigma Squared, a global non-profit community for young, high impact entrepreneurs. Stefano holds a PhD in complex systems science from University College London.
Doug is the Chief Medical Officer at Generation Bio, a Cambridge US-based public company revolutionising gene therapy. Doug was one of the founders of the company and has been with Generation Bio from the early seed stage to IPO and beyond for the last 5+ years.
Doug received his medical degree (MD) from Jefferson Medical College, as well as his doctorate (PhD) in biochemistry and molecular biology. He served as professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Neurology and Neuroscience, focusing on spinal cord and motor neuron diseases.
Since 2005, Doug has been in the Boston/Cambridge area at several biotechnology companies and he led the team that developed Spinraza, a novel therapy with dramatic effectiveness treating infants and children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Doug also got an MBA, specialising in entrepreneurship and innovation, and has utilised that knowledge as he has nucleated and serves on the Board of several companies over the last five years, including Disarm Therapeutics, FAZE Medicines and Triplet Therapeutics.
Omar Daniel is a healthtech entrepreneur, investor and NHS board member with experience building, scaling and investing in technology businesses.
He previously co-founded and scaled a healthtech startup to reach 25% of NHS primary care in just 18 months. He has since worked with founders as an investor, advisor and mentor, and launched the UK’s first Primary Care Innovation Accelerator, bringing together NHS organisations and startups to accelerate the adoption of new technologies.
Omar is an Associate Non-Executive Member of the NHS South West London Integrated Care Board and has advised organisations including NHS England and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. His experience spans entrepreneurship, venture investing, product development and healthcare innovation, giving him a perspective that combines the founder journey with board-level experience of operating in complex, highly regulated markets.
He is particularly interested in ambitious founders using technology and AI to make efficiencies.
Mithi acts as a trusted scientific partner to the investment team, helping ensure that our portfolio is built to stand up to scrutiny.
Mithi is an investor and board member of three Biotech companies, working closely with founding teams on clinical strategy, evidence generation, regulatory positioning, and engagement with pharmaceutical partners.
Earlier in his career, Mithi worked as a Private Equity investor, developing strong judgement around capital allocation, risk, and scale. He also co-founded Harper & Hart Dairy, giving him first-hand experience of building and operating a business.
He holds an MPhil in Bioscience from the University of Cambridge, where his work focused on understanding of how science becomes product, business, and ultimately patient impact.
He brings a clear, disciplined perspective shaped by experience on both sides of the table. ****He is known for his calm, collaborative approach, and a great sense of style.
Jason draws on his operating experience, deep sector knowledge, and trusted network to help EV meet exceptional founders early.
Jason brings over two decades of experience as a senior healthcare and life sciences operator, with a career spanning biotech, specialty pharma, and advanced therapies. Jason is currently CEO of Ori Biotech, where he leads the development of next-generation manufacturing platforms for cell and gene therapies. Jason is also Managing Director at Health Equity Consulting, and serves as a Non-Executive Director, Venture Partner, and Advisor to multiple healthcare and biotech companies.
Earlier in his career, Jason held leadership roles in specialty pharmaceuticals, helping scale organisations from early stage to global operations, including the execution of a successful IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
Jason holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, and he is not afraid of doing hard things.
Federica has been a close supporter of Exceptional Ventures since day one, and a constant force behind our presence in Italy.
Federica is fast, reliable, and deeply committed to everything she does, from introducing us to founders, investors, and partners, to supporting EV-led events across the Italian ecosystem.
Professionally, Federica is a Product Manager at Cisco, where she has spent over a decade operating at the intersection of technology, structure, and delivery. She sits on the management board of Oasi Giovani Onlus, an association for the development and social inclusion of children and young adults. Federica has also held senior leadership roles across operations, finance, and programme management earlier in her career.
Federica has a BSc in Economics from the University of Turin. We’re grateful for her continued support and for the role she plays in helping EV grow with integrity, ambition, and long-term vision.
Simone is a Venture Partner at Exceptional Ventures and a prolific angel investor, with plans to overtake Matt as the most prolific angel investor someday. He has invested in roughly 30 startups to date, ranging from pre-seed to series A.
Simone has a very entrepreneurial background and early in his career has led three major turnaround projects in the hospitality, financial services, and technology sectors. Currently, he is the Chairman of his family office and a Board member of K.F.T.C., an industrial company with over 5000 employees worldwide. In 2012, he helped the company float on the Korean stock exchange.
Simone is originally from Turin and graduated in business administration from ESCP Europe with a triple degree obtained in London, Turin, and Paris.
Valerie Bures is a Venture Partner at Exceptional Ventures, bringing over 20 years of experience as a leading authority in the health and wellness space.
While pursuing her PhD in Al Engineering, Valerie has co-founded three successful companies in this field: VAHA (recently acquired), Mrs Sporty, and Pixformance Sports. Her passion for wellness and technology has enabled her to make a significant impact in the industry.
Valerie is also a mother of three wonderful children. Originally from Germany, she currently resides in Iceland and is excited to collaborate with Exceptional Ventures’ founders.
Alumni
Michella has six years of experience working in commercial and marketing teams.
Originally from Peru, she moved to Madrid in 2018 to work as Senior Product Manager at L’Oréal leading skincare, haircare and makeup categories in the FMCG division. In 2021, she moved to London to pursue a Masters in Strategic Entrepreneurship and Innovation at King’s College.
Michella comes from a family of entrepreneurs and she is still supporting them in their latest venture, a dialysis clinic in Miami.
Michella has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and graduated in the top ten percentile of her class.
Meet Katharina, our newest associate. Originally from Germany and now based in Paris, Katharina began her career in venture capital, focusing on Europe’s healthcare sector. She worked with the corporate venture arm of Orthomol, a leader in the German supplement market, leading investments in health startups and advising family office investments through “Die Höhle der Löwen,” the German “Shark Tank.” Before her career in investing, she co-founded a construction tech company in Paris, guiding product development, sales, and fundraising.
Katharina holds a Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of Luxembourg. Speaking five languages, she is passionate about health and wellness, with an active commitment to CrossFit and sports in general.
Anna is a pharmacologist by training, a community connector by heart, and a coffee aficionado by choice. Anna holds a PhD in molecular biology and pharmacology, focusing on cardiovascular disease and chronic pain.
With a track record of publishing in prestigious journals and speaking at national and international conferences, Anna has won awards for her discoveries. What truly drives her is forming genuine connections and trust with the community to create a positive impact on people’s lives and our planet. Having worked with diverse Spanish and UK startups focusing on early-stage drug discovery and strategic marketing, Anna brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Exceptional Ventures.
When she is not immersed in the intersection of innovation and community, you can find her lifting weights or striking a pose in a yoga studio. Anna is always on the lookout for quirky cafes and pubs to enjoy a good book and a drink.