Building ventures with purpose, steering them to scaled access in Healthcare and Education.
Ervin Ukaj is the CEO of Newel Health, a digital health executive and entrepreneur focused on AI, digital therapeutics, healthcare innovation, and patient-centered technology.
My career is deeply rooted in a singular purpose: to expand access in healthcare and education through scalable technology. It's a continuous journey of building, leading, and growing ventures, always striving for meaningful impact.
I started in R&D (2007-2012) developing high-reliability, privacy-first systems, which I then applied at Euronovate (2013-2017). As Partner and R&D Director, I scaled manufacturing in China, drove AI-based innovations, and helped navigate the company to a successful M&A exit in 2017.
During this period, I also extended my expertise as a Senior Advisor to groups like WYGU Capital (Lau Family Office, Hong Kong) and in executive roles at Olicom-PuYing, notably guiding the Ailemao spin-off dedicated to K-12 STEM education. Bringing my scaling expertise to a large, global organization, I subsequently joined Novartis (2021-2024). In key roles as Associate Director in ConnectedHealth and Senior Manager for Strategy & Growth, I managed multimillion-dollar digital portfolios and programs. Crucially, I advised executive teams on strategic initiatives such as long-term forecasting and BD&L processes, while also overseeing the development and global launch strategy of regulated Digital Therapeutics (DTx) and SaMD solutions across Neuroscience, Cardiovascular, and Oncology in major markets like the US, Japan, UK, Germany, and Asia.
My entrepreneurial drive led me to co-found Oppimi Group (2015-2020). Here, I built an international team, secured funding, and launched digital therapeutic tools across Canada, Italy, and China to bridge healthcare and education for children with learning differences. This venture's successful acquisition in 2020 underscored my belief that strategic distribution wins.
Today, as CEO of Newel Health (2024-ongoing), I leverage this full spectrum of experience to build and back the next generation of AI-enabled digital therapeutics. I'm focused on multiplying the impact of purpose-driven ventures, while also mentoring founders and MBA students at Harvard Business School to help them set their compass.
The Operating System
Building a successful company is a lot like sailing: you need a clear destination and the skills to navigate unpredictable weather. My approach is built on staying usefully optimistic and setting up simple, effective systems for the team.
In practice: Always put people first. Simple systems, product paired with strategic distribution, an evidence plan from day one, and privacy by design. We focus on fostering collective innovation combining different skills to solve hard problems and chart a winning course.
My Philosopy is:
“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high waves.” Aristotle Onassis
These core ventures showcase how I transformed purpose-driven ideas into real-world solutions, honing my skills and learning vital lessons in bringing new health and education solutions to people worldwide.
Education and Community Affiliations
My educational journey is a testament to perseverance and a deep-seated belief in continuous growth. Like many paths, mine began with early challenges, including an uncompleted initial university program in Software Engineering at Padova University. This experience, however, ignited a profound commitment to learning and self-improvement, which has since guided my entire career. I built my foundational expertise through advanced studies in Software Engineering and AI/ML at the Harvard Extension School, complementing a robust understanding of digital systems. This hands-on, determined approach to acquiring technical acumen laid the groundwork for my executive leadership training. I further solidified my strategic capabilities by completing an Executive MBA from Bologna Business School (2019-2021) and the General Management Program (GMP) at Harvard Business School (2022-2023). As an active alumnus of Harvard Business School, I now share this journey and the lessons learned. I volunteer as a mentor to MBA students, supporting the next generation of leaders in technology and strategy to navigate their own paths with purpose and resilience.
4x founder, 2x exit across EdTech and HealthTech. CEO of Newel Health; previously led digital health at Novartis.
Paying It Forward: Joining Harvard’s MCS Firsthand Advisors
