Jean Michel Karam

Jean Michel Karam (born November 14, 1969 in Jdeideh, Lebanon) is a Franco-Lebanese engineer, inventor and entrepreneur in the field of microelectronics and cosmetics.

Education

When he arrived in France in 1990, Karam received an Electrical Engineering degree in 1993 from the Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieurs en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Paris (ESIEE Paris) and a master's degree in Microelectronics from the Université de Paris VII. In 1996, he received a PhD in Microelectronics from the Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble[1] (INPG).

Career

In 1994, he began his career as a research engineer at the TIMA-CM (Techniques de l'Informatique et de la Micro-électronique pour l'Architecture Informatique) laboratory in Grenoble, France. This Research & Development center associated with the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the INPG allowed him to gain his first work as a Research Director heading up a team of researchers focused on the design and fabrication methods of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Three years after its creation, it comprised 35 researchers for MEMS research.

In November 1997, Karam founded his first company, MEMSCAP, a supplier of products based on MEMS technology. During its first two years, Karam raised more than 13 million euros from venture capitalists in order to develop his company and finance his research programs.

On March 2, 2001, MEMSCAP had its went public on the Eurolist C of the NYSE Euronext, Paris (code ISIN: FR0010298620-MEMS), raising 101 million euros (140 million US dollars), on a basis of 430 million euros of market capitalization, making his compagny a leading player in the market of MEMS with high added value.[2][3]

In 2002, Karam initiated research on applied technology in dermatology and skincare within INTUISKIN, at that time a fully owned subsidiary of his MEMSCAP Group.

In 2010, in association with a group of investors and figures from the cosmetics industry, he decided to spin-off INTUISKIN from MEMSCAP. In this context, he launched the skincare brand IOMA, a collaboration between technology experts and dermatology and cosmetics specialists, of which the former president of Thierry Mugler, Véra Strubi, presently a member of the board of directors. As of 2019 Karam is Chairman and CEO of both MEMSCAP and INTUISKIN/IOMA. He is also the president of the LEYLA charity, a non-profit-making association of public benefit, which fights against orphan or rare diseases.

Additionally, Jean Michel Karam also continues to be involved in innovation and research – he currently owns more than 50 patents – as well as contributing to numerous scientific and economic publications.

MEMSCAP

MEMSCAP is the European MEMS leader a supplier of products based on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). Largest producer, a great portion of MEMSCAP sales are made through the export market.

To date, MEMSCAP has acquired 6 companies: one in Norway (2002), one in the United States (2002), three in France (2003, 2005 and 2007) and one in Israel (2003).[4]

MEMSCAP has transitioned from software design for producing microsystems to designing the microsystems themselves. MEMSCAP's activity is focused on three principal activities:[5]

  • Aeronautics (around 50% of its activity): more than 80% of airplanes are equipped with its pressure sensors.
  • Optical communications (around 25% of its activity): sale of fiber optics devices, such as variable optical attenuators. The company controls 70% of the world market for variable optical attenuators.
  • Medical and biomedical (around 25% of its activity): its blood pressure sensors equip intensive care and surgery rooms as well as the artificial heart made by the French company CARMAT. The MEMSCAP devices are integrated in a pill containing mini-cameras for colonoscopies, enabling the detection of colon cancer without a surgical procedure.[6]

INTUISKIN

INTUISKIN is the world leader in skincare technologies.[7] Created in 2002 by Karam, INTUISKIN specializes in applied research in technology, science, dermatology and skincare.

IOMA

Although research associated to IOMA started in 2002, the commercial launch of IOMA brand occurred in 2010. The brand is a collaboration between experts in technology, led by Karam, and specialists in dermatology and skincare.

IEVA

In 2016, Jean Michel Karam founded IEVA with David Moulinier (currently Managing Director of IEVA) and other prominent names in the industry. IEVA is the result of the convergence of the know-how acquired over more than twenty years by its team of engineers with expertise in microelectronics, sensors, micro-mechanics and artificial intelligence and the experience of more than ten years in research and development in the field of personalized cosmetics.

Awards

Karam and his company have won over 10 international awards including :

  • U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) of the United States Department of Commerce – Award of Excellence for international commercial development (2012)
  • SEMICON MicroNanoSystems Innovation Award (2009)[8]
  • European Semiconductor/Wacker Siltronics Award for best European start-up company (2001)
  • Deloitte & Touche Technology “Fast 50” First Prize for Rhone-Alps region, France (2001 and 2002)
  • Euronext Special Prize for “First listed company in Rhone-Alpes Region” (2002)
  • AGEFI Grand Prize of Venture Capitalist (2002)
  • The French Stock-IT Award for the company with the highest growth (2001 and 2002)

LEYLA Charity

In 2007 in Bernin, France, Karam founded the LEYLA Charity, named for his mother who died in 1995, at age 48, from amylose, a rare and orphan disease. The purpose of this foundation is to fight against rare or neglected diseases.

References
  1. Business Week Memscap Sa
  2. Karam, Jean Michel. "Memscap".
  3. Karam, Jean Michel. "Lindedin Jean Michel Karam". Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.
  4. MEMSCAP, Historique, 2011-2012
  5. MEMSCAP, Applications et segments de marchés, 2011 - 2012
  6. « L’article du jour », Lyon entreprises, March 7, 2012
  7. Press Release, categorynet.com, September 13, 2010
  8. BusinessWire News MEMSCAP Gets 2009 SEMICON Award for MicroNanoSystems Innovation
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