# Alex Tilson

> Alex Tilson is the founder and CEO of Neptune Medical, a mechanical engineer whose career connects Stanford solar cars, Hollywood animatronics, early surgical robotics, two hard-won medtech pivots and a new push into robotic endoscopy. His operating signature is endurance: build lean, own the difficult manufacturing work and keep moving while the market catches up.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Neptune Medical
- **Organizations:** Neptune Medical, Jupiter Endovascular, Loma Vista Medical, Silicon Valley Lean Medical Device Council, InSound Medical, Converge Medical, Guidant, Intuitive Surgical, Edge Innovations, Stanford Solar Car Project
- **Education:** BS, Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, MBA, Harvard Business School
- **Known for:** Built and raced multiple generations of Stanford solar cars across the United States and Australia., Worked on animatronic effects for Free Willy and Anaconda at Edge Innovations., Founded Loma Vista Medical and led it through two pivots to an acquisition by CR Bard in 2013.

## Career timeline

- **1989-1993** — Co-founded, led and engineered for the Stanford Solar Car Project; served as team captain for Sunrayce 93.
- **1994-1996** — Worked as a mechanical engineer at Edge Innovations on film animatronics, including Free Willy and Anaconda.
- **1996-1997** — Worked as a mechanical engineer at Intuitive Surgical during its early surgical-robotics period.
- **1997-1999** — Earned an MBA at Harvard Business School.
- **1999-2000** — Worked in new ventures at Guidant.
- **2000-2004** — Directed product development work at Converge Medical.
- **2002** — Set a then-American 50-kilometer record of 2:51:48.
- **2004-2006** — Led product development at InSound Medical.
- **2006-2013** — Founded and led Loma Vista Medical through two pivots and the development of composite medical balloons.
- **2013** — Loma Vista Medical was acquired by CR Bard.
- **2014-present** — Founded and leads Neptune Medical, focused on endoscopy devices and GI robotics.
- **2021** — Neptune's Pathfinder Endoscope Cap and Pathfinder Endoscope Overtube received FDA clearances.
- **2023-2024** — Additional Pathfinder systems received FDA clearances, including the Pathfinder CR System.
- **2024** — Neptune completed a $97 million Series D and spun out Jupiter Endovascular; Tilson became a founder and board member of Jupiter.
- **2026** — Neptune reported first-in-human CARE 1 study results for Triton at Digestive Disease Week.

## Achievements

- Built and raced multiple generations of Stanford solar cars across the United States and Australia.
- Worked on animatronic effects for Free Willy and Anaconda at Edge Innovations.
- Founded Loma Vista Medical and led it through two pivots to an acquisition by CR Bard in 2013.
- Set a then-American 50-kilometer record of 2:51:48 in 2002.
- Qualified for and competed in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials marathon.
- Founded Neptune Medical and led development of multiple FDA-cleared Pathfinder endoscopy products.
- Closed a $97 million Series D financing for Neptune Medical in 2024 and completed the Jupiter Endovascular spinout.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Neptune presented results from the 50-patient first-in-human CARE 1 study of its Triton Robotic Endoscopy System at Digestive Disease Week.
- **2025-03** — Neptune announced plans to integrate NVIDIA Isaac for Healthcare into development, validation and commercialization work for its GI robotic systems.
- **2024-08** — Neptune closed a $97 million Series D led by significant participation from Sonder Capital and Olympus and spun out Jupiter Endovascular.
- **2024-03** — The FDA submission summary for the Pathfinder CR System was prepared; the system subsequently received clearance under K240853.

## Links

- Website: https://neptunemedical.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-tilson-6753281

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/alex-tilson
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-17