Networks

Richard West

Rich West is a Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network North Carolina entrepreneur-in-residence. He is currently co-founder and CEO of his fourth life sciences startup, which is focused on newborn screening [www.baebies.com]. Baebies, a revenue-stage company, is bringing new technology, new tests and new hope to kids and parents across the globe. Prior to Baebies, West and his team developed and then sold Advanced Liquid Logic to Illumina for $96 million. Advanced Liquid Logic was a Duke University spinout that developed lab-on-a-chip technology and products for the research tools and diagnostic markets. Prior to Advanced Liquid Logic, West was founder and CEO of TriVirix, a venture-funded medical equipment contract manufacturer that he and his team grew to more than 500 employees.

Rich also spent 15 years in the aerospace industry in program, sales, marketing and engineering management, including four years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force. He has an engineering degree from Duke University, an MBA from the University of West Florida and completed all requirements except dissertation for a PhD in management from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management. He is currently chair of the board for the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, is a board member of NCIdea and Nirvana Sciences and is past board chairman for Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abuse, a non-profit that serves recovering substance abusers. West is also an adjunct professor at Duke University and teaches a course in entrepreneurship.