Javier Evelyn

Javier Evelyn is a mission driven founder, operator, and product leader at the intersection of AI, digital health, and inclusive innovation. He is Founder, CEO, & Principal Investigator of Alerje, a venture backed, National Science Foundation supported company building AI enabled clinical software to improve care for the 220 million+ people worldwide living with food allergies. Alerje evolved from its roots in emergency medical devices into a broader precision care platform including its digital food allergy immunotherapy tools and patented epinephrine auto-injector. Under his leadership Alerje recently achieved a strategic medical device exit, complemented by over 13 international patents and recognition as a “medical device technologies to watch” at CES Innovation Awards 2024. Before founding Alerje, Javier co-founded a family owned insurance agency where he led operations and sales. From there he transitioned into health tech, working in mobile app development building projects for a multi-billion dollar PBM/insurer (MeridianRx/Meridian Health Plan), combining technical fluency, commercial strategy, and business operations. Javier’s work has earned broad recognition and industry acknowledgment: he is an inaugural recipient of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, named among Crain's Detroit Business “40 Under 40”, and honored by TechTown Detroit with its Toast of the Town award. He has been selected as a Fellow of the Aspen Ideas Health Fellowship, the Harvard Young American Leaders Program, a 2022 BMe Vanguard Fellowship, and he also joined the EY Entrepreneur Access Network. Beyond founding Alerje, Javier serves or has served on the advisory boards of a number of organizations including First Independence Bank, the Accelerate Blue Fund (University of Michigan), MATTER Health, AdvaMed Accel, FAACT (food allergy advocacy), the “Case for Investment” Advisory Committee at Rock Health, and the Academy of Food Allergy Counseling. Born and raised in Chicagoland Broadview, IL, the Afro-Panamanian father and husband graduated from Illinois State University. Javier calls Michigan his adopted home, where he continues building solutions at the intersection of health, equity, and technology.