Fred Knechtel
About Fred Knechtel
Fred Knechtel is Chief Financial Officer of Profusa, Inc. (PFSA), age 64, serving as CFO of the SPAC predecessor (NorthView Acquisition Corp.) and continuing as CFO following the July 11, 2025 business combination closing . He has led finance and operations across startups and multi‑billion public companies, with prior finance/CFO leadership at Northrop Grumman, Stanley Black & Decker, DuPont, Remy International, Sims Metal Management, and GENEWIZ (Azenta) . PFSA’s near‑term operating plan under his finance leadership targets EU Lumee oxygen commercialization and revenue commencement in 2Q 2026, with projected potential revenue of $0.5–$2 million in 2026, $9–$13 million in 2027, and $200–$250 million by 2030 . PFSA received a Nasdaq deficiency notice on MVPHS with a compliance deadline of April 27, 2026, which the company is working to address .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop Grumman | Finance/CFO leadership | — | Guided organizations through profitable growth, capital restructuring, M&A/sales, and IPOs |
| Stanley Black & Decker | Finance/CFO leadership | — | Guided organizations through profitable growth, capital restructuring, M&A/sales, and IPOs |
| DuPont | Finance/CFO leadership | — | Guided organizations through profitable growth, capital restructuring, M&A/sales, and IPOs |
| Remy International | Finance/CFO leadership | — | Guided organizations through profitable growth, capital restructuring, M&A/sales, and IPOs |
| Sims Metal Management | Finance/CFO leadership | — | Guided organizations through profitable growth, capital restructuring, M&A/sales, and IPOs |
| GENEWIZ (Azenta) | Finance/CFO leadership | — | Guided organizations through profitable growth, capital restructuring, M&A/sales, and IPOs |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NorthView Sponsor I, LLC | Managing Partner | — | SPAC sponsor and holder of founder shares/warrants; a vehicle central to PFSA’s public listing |
Fixed Compensation
- PFSA’s available proxy/S-1 disclosures identify the CEO as the sole named executive officer and do not disclose Knechtel’s base salary, target bonus, or actual bonus (CEO compensation is shown; CFO details are not provided in these filings) .
Performance Compensation
- No disclosure found for Knechtel’s RSU/PSU/option grants, performance metrics, vesting schedules, or incentive design in the available PFSA proxy/S‑1 materials .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Multi‑period beneficial ownership and breakdown:
| Metric | As of Jul 30, 2025 | As of Sep 22, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 8,985,042 | 8,985,042 |
| Ownership % of Outstanding | 24.0% | 19.7% |
| Direct Shares | 288,407 | 288,407 |
| Direct Warrants | 37,983 | 37,983 |
| Sponsor Shares (NorthView Sponsor I, LLC) | 4,033,530 | 4,033,530 |
| Sponsor Warrants (NorthView Sponsor I, LLC) | 4,625,122 | 4,625,122 |
| Disclosure Notes | Knechtel disclaims beneficial ownership beyond his pecuniary interest in sponsor holdings | Knechtel disclaims beneficial ownership beyond his pecuniary interest in sponsor holdings |
Additional alignment and restrictions:
- Founder shares lock‑up: sponsor founder shares are restricted from transfer until the earlier of one year post‑business combination or meeting the $12 VWAP threshold; affects sponsor holdings where Knechtel is managing partner .
- ELOC lock‑up agreements: officers and directors entered lock‑ups in connection with the $100M equity line, constraining near‑term sales .
- No pledging of personal PFSA shares is disclosed in the beneficial ownership footnotes; corporate collateral and digital asset custody agreements do not indicate executive share pledging .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role and appointment | CFO of PFSA following July 11, 2025 closing; served as CFO of the SPAC predecessor (NVAC) and continued post‑merger |
| Proxy authority | Named as a proxy for special meetings (Aug 29, 2025 and Oct 7, 2025) |
| Lock‑up agreements | Officers and directors entered lock‑ups under the $100M ELOC facility |
| Founder shares lock‑up | Sponsor founder shares subject to lock‑up and $12 VWAP early release condition |
| Severance / CoC / Clawbacks | No employment agreement, severance multiple, change‑of‑control, or clawback disclosures for Knechtel in available PFSA filings |
Performance & Track Record
- Strategy and guidance: Knechtel outlined phased commercialization (EU oxygen 2Q26; US oxygen 2027; EU glucose mid‑2027) with per‑procedure revenue of €600–€800 and potential revenue scaling to $200–$250M by 2030 .
- Liquidity plan: Finance roadmap includes $22M PIPE (multi‑tranche; $12M drawn), $100M ELOC (~$5M drawn), and Bitcoin treasury strategy, supporting runway to commercialization .
- Nasdaq compliance risk: PFSA received an MVPHS deficiency notice with 180 days to regain compliance; management intends to monitor and evaluate options .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Committee composition, consultant use, conflicts, and peer benchmarking details are not disclosed in the available PFSA special meeting proxies and S‑1 .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Knechtel’s substantial beneficial ownership (~20–24% depending on outstanding shares) and sponsor lock‑up create strong economic alignment but also represent concentrated insider control; constraints from ELOC lock‑ups reduce near‑term selling pressure .
- Execution risk: The plan depends on timely EU MDR approval, distribution ramp (~35% EU coverage), and achieving per‑procedure economics; delays could push revenue realization beyond guided timelines .
- Financing/market risk: PIPE convertibility and ongoing ELOC usage introduce dilution risks amid the Nasdaq MVPHS deficiency; successful commercialization is key to mitigating equity overhang .
- Data points to monitor: Any future DEF 14A/10‑K detailing CFO compensation design (performance metrics, vesting), Form 4 insider activity post‑lock‑up expiration, and changes in sponsor ownership or lock‑up releases .