Joe Kiani

Joe Kiani is an Iranian-born American engineer, entrepreneur, and healthcare innovator recognized for his impact on patient monitoring technology. While consulting on the development of a low-cost pulse oximeter, Kiani identified motion artifact and low perfusion issues that affected traditional pulse oximeters. After proposing a solution that was declined, he returned all compensation and founded Masimo, a medical technology company specializing in patient monitoring solutions. Kiani holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from San Diego State University, as well as honorary doctorates from San Diego State University and Chapman University.

Kiani established Masimo as a global leader in medical technology, developing advanced patient monitoring systems. He is a co-inventor of modern pulse oximetry, and Masimo's "Signal Extraction Technology" (SET) became the foundation of the company's product line. Masimo SET improved the reliability of pulse oximetry, reducing false alarms and enhancing the accuracy of the "fifth vital sign." This technology enabled clinicians to better detect critical congenital heart disease and reduce blindness in premature infants. Under Kiani's leadership, Masimo grew into a publicly traded company employing thousands worldwide, and Kiani is named as inventor on more than 500 patents or patent applications related to medical technology.

Motivated by the prevalence of preventable hospital deaths, Kiani founded the Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF), which convened the Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit to promote the goal of zero preventable patient deaths. The PSMF reported that tens of thousands of lives had been saved and that dozens of healthcare technology companies pledged to share data to improve patient safety. Kiani also testified before the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee about anticompetitive practices in hospital group purchasing organizations, contributing to the development of new codes of conduct in the industry.

Kiani's work has been recognized with honors such as the Society of Critical Care Innovation Award, the Robert Wears Patient Safety Award, TIME's Best Inventions for the "W1 Medical Watch," and Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year in Life Sciences. The Newborn Foundation presented him with the Hubert H. Humphrey Dawn of Life Award. He was appointed to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Following a change in Masimo's board, Kiani resigned as CEO and became the leader of Willow Laboratories, a health and wellness company focused on diabetes technology. Willow Laboratories holds more than 100 issued patents and dozens of pending patents. Kiani also serves as CEO of Like Minded Labs, a media technology company, and collaborated with Chris Evans and Mark Kassen to create "A Starting Point," a video-based civic engagement platform. Throughout his career, Kiani has contributed to advancements in medical technology, patient safety, and health innovation.