# Souvik Paul

> Souvik Paul is the CEO and Founder of Aurie, a medtech company that built the first FDA De Novo-cleared reusable intermittent catheter system. A Harvard-educated designer and former J&J strategist, Paul was driven to start Aurie after witnessing a family member's struggle with catheter-associated infections following a spinal cord injury. His Oakland-based startup has raised $14.24M and is pioneering a no-touch, automatically disinfecting catheter system designed to transform care for the 600,000 Americans who rely on intermittent catheters.

- **Role:** CEO & Founder at Aurie
- **Organizations:** Aurie, Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan Chase, Harvard University, School of Visual Arts
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts with High Honors in Social Studies, Harvard University, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Products of Design, School of Visual Arts (SVA), New York
- **Known for:** Founded Aurie and raised $14.24M in total funding, Secured FDA De Novo Clearance (Class II) for Aurie - first-ever reusable intermittent catheter system to achieve this, FDA designated Aurie system as a 'Safer Technology'

## Career timeline

- **2011** — Graduated from Harvard University with BA in Social Studies (High Honors)
- **2011-2014** — Equity Finance Trader at JP Morgan Chase
- **2014** — Sister-in-law Carina sustained a T2/T3 spinal cord injury - experience that would later inspire Aurie
- **~2017-2019** — Earned MFA from School of Visual Arts; thesis project 'Unbound: Design for Paralysis and Disability' displayed at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
- **~2019-2020** — Design Strategist / Healthcare Solutions Lead at Johnson & Johnson (J&J Design), New York City
- **2020** — Founded Aurie (then called CathBuddy); raised $750K pre-seed led by Lakehouse Ventures
- **2021-2022** — Left Johnson & Johnson to pursue Aurie full-time; participated in Harvard Launch Lab X GEO accelerator
- **2022** — Accepted into NEMIC Foundation Accelerator Program; received FDA Safer Technology designation for Aurie system
- **2023** — Raised $6.23M Series A; delivered guest lecture at SVA Products of Design program
- **2024** — Raised $6M led by Lakehouse Ventures; won Harvard President's Innovation Challenge Grand Prize ($75K); accepted into MedTech Innovator and Remarkable Tech US accelerators
- **2025** — Aurie received FDA De Novo clearance - first-ever reusable intermittent catheter system with this designation; planned launch into Veterans Health Administration hospitals

## Achievements

- Founded Aurie and raised $14.24M in total funding
- Secured FDA De Novo Clearance (Class II) for Aurie - first-ever reusable intermittent catheter system to achieve this
- FDA designated Aurie system as a 'Safer Technology'
- Won Harvard President's Innovation Challenge Grand Prize ($75K) in 2024
- MFA thesis 'Unbound: Design for Paralysis and Disability' displayed at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
- Recognized by Core77 and the Industrial Designers' Society of America (IDSA)
- Featured in Prototypes for Humanity
- Interviewed and co-designed with 120+ intermittent catheter users
- Human factors validation with ~60 catheter users
- Accepted into MedTech Innovator Program 2024 and Remarkable Tech US accelerator (one of six selected)
- Established entirely new FDA device classification for reusable intermittent urinary catheters

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — Aurie received FDA De Novo Clearance - first-ever reusable intermittent catheter system to achieve this classification; Manu Varma joined board; Sergey Grigoryants promoted to CTO; Dr. Christopher Elliott joined Scientific Advisory Board
- **2025-01** — Aurie planning launch into Veterans Health Administration (VHA) spinal cord injury hospitals
- **2024-04** — Raised $6M seed round led by Lakehouse Ventures; total funding reaches $14.24M
- **2024-01** — Won Harvard President's Innovation Challenge Grand Prize ($75K); accepted into MedTech Innovator Program and Remarkable Tech US accelerator

## Links

- Website: https://livewithaurie.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/souvik-paul-aurie/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/souvik-paul
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-13