Nick Pliam

Nick Pliam, M.D., Ph.D., is a Partner at Decheng Capital, a global venture capital firm specializing in life sciences, and is based in San Francisco, CA. At Decheng, Dr. Pliam leverages his extensive clinical, scientific, and entrepreneurial experience to build and support innovative companies in the medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical sectors. He currently serves on the boards of several portfolio companies, including CardiMED, Centricity Vision, Medical Creations, and Polares Medical, with a focus on disruptive medical devices and therapeutics.

Before joining Decheng Capital at its founding in 2011, Dr. Pliam held the role of Venture Partner at Bay City Capital, where he played an integral part in the launch and development of leading neuromodulation and medical device businesses such as Nevro. He has also co-founded and advised several biotechnology and medical technology enterprises, and has experience as a managing director in boutique investment banking.

Dr. Pliam earned his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School, completed a Ph.D. in Endocrine Physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, and undertook residencies at UCSF and Stanford University Medical Center in general and orthopedic surgery. His undergraduate studies were in German Literature at UC Berkeley, with time at Georg August Universität in Germany, underpinning his multidisciplinary approach to healthcare investing.