BOSTON — Trained as a physician at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and later as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, Dr. Atul Dhir has spent more than three decades at the intersection of medicine, business, and entrepreneurship. His work has bridged two worlds: the rigor of medicine and the dynamism of entrepreneurship.
Now, as Co-Chair of TiECON East 2025, Dr. Dhir is helping shape a conference that highlights not only the business of entrepreneurship, but also its emotional and personal dimensions.
“Entrepreneurship is not optional; it is vital,” says Dr. Dhir. “The challenges we face in healthcare, climate, technology, and society demand the creativity, adaptability, and resilience that only entrepreneurs bring.”
Over his career, Dr. Dhir has held leadership roles across pioneering healthcare organizations—from biotech to digital health to payer-provider systems. Today, as CEO of Principia Health, he focuses on supporting entrepreneurs through advisory, investment, and mentorship. He works closely with early-stage CEOs and physician leaders, while also teaching entrepreneurship to global audiences across business schools, medical institutions, and government agencies.
He believes physicians, often trained to avoid risk, can become powerful changemakers with the right mindset. That’s why one of his personal missions is to empower doctors to think like entrepreneurs, bringing clinical insight and entrepreneurial creativity together to drive systemic change.
“From my years in healthcare, I’ve seen firsthand that many of the most complex problems cannot be solved by traditional approaches alone,” he reflects. “An entrepreneurial mindset is essential to bring fresh thinking, new structures, and bold solutions where the stakes are highest.”
That dual focus, on innovation and intention, is exactly what this year’s TiECON East is all about. “We want to create a space where founders and aspiring founders connect deeply—not just on strategy and funding, but on purpose and resilience,” he says.
As Co-Chair of TiECON East 2025, Dr. Dhir is helping shape a conference that goes beyond strategy and funding to explore the deeper purpose and resilience at the heart of entrepreneurship
TiECON East 2025 – Event Details
Date: Friday, September 26, 2025
Location: Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA
Website & Registration: www.tieconeast.com
To watch the full video interview, please click here, or on the image below.
