# Adam Elsesser

> Adam Elsesser is the co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Penumbra, the Alameda-based medical device company that pioneered aspiration thrombectomy for stroke. A former real estate lawyer turned operator, he has run Penumbra since 2004 and, in January 2026, agreed to sell it to Boston Scientific for roughly $14.5 billion.

- **Role:** Chairman and CEO at Penumbra, Inc.
- **Organizations:** Penumbra, Inc., Lick-Wilmerding High School (board), Smart Therapeutics (former), Boston Scientific SMART (former), Shartsis Friese LLP (former)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA, Stanford University, JD, UC Law San Francisco (formerly Hastings College of the Law)
- **Known for:** Co-founded Penumbra in 2004 and led it to a 2015 IPO, Built a roughly $1.4B revenue medtech with about 4,500 employees, Shipped the Penumbra System, Indigo aspiration system, JET 7, and Lightning Flash thrombectomy platforms

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Partner at Shartsis Friese LLP, practicing commercial real estate law in San Francisco
- **2000** — Becomes CEO of Smart Therapeutics, a neuro-intervention startup developing the first stent for use in the brain
- **2002** — Boston Scientific acquires Smart Therapeutics; Elsesser becomes President of the Boston Scientific SMART division
- **2004** — Co-founds Penumbra with Dr. Arani Bose in Alameda, California
- **2015** — Penumbra goes public on NYSE under PEN; Elsesser becomes Chairman and President
- **2024** — Penumbra reports $1.19 billion in annual revenue, up nearly 13% year over year
- **2026** — Boston Scientific announces $14.5B agreement to acquire Penumbra; Elsesser to join the Boston Scientific board

## Achievements

- Co-founded Penumbra in 2004 and led it to a 2015 IPO
- Built a roughly $1.4B revenue medtech with about 4,500 employees
- Shipped the Penumbra System, Indigo aspiration system, JET 7, and Lightning Flash thrombectomy platforms
- Negotiated a $14.5B sale to Boston Scientific in January 2026

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — Boston Scientific announced a $14.5B agreement to acquire Penumbra at $374 per share; Elsesser elected to take BSX stock and is slated for the Boston Scientific board.
- **2025-09** — Stepped back from the President role at Penumbra, retaining Chairman and CEO.

## Links

- Website: https://www.penumbrainc.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-elsesser-28209a95
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/penumbrainc
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/penumbraincmedtech/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/adam-elsesser
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-15