Jon Ellenthal builds companies where no playbook exists.
For more than three decades, his work has focused on turning unconventional ideas into scalable businesses that reshape how industries operate and deliver real value at scale. He is drawn to problems that sit at the intersection of systems, markets, and human need—and to the challenge of making them work.
He is currently President of Apiject, a public benefit corporation working to transform how injectable medicines are filled, finished, and delivered, enabling faster, more flexible, population-scale access to vaccines and therapeutics.
Ellenthal also played a central role in shaping TEDMED into what it is today. As President, he helped evolve it from a single annual event into an ongoing, cross-disciplinary community connecting ideas, people, and systems in service of a healthier future. He remains a Founding Patron, continuing to support the organization’s mission and growth.
Earlier in his career, Ellenthal served as CEO of Synapse Group, scaling the company from startup to an industry leader with an exit valuation approaching $1 billion. He later led Walker Digital, the innovation lab founded by Priceline creator Jay Walker, and co-founded Upside, a platform designed to rethink business travel.
Across his work, Ellenthal has focused on building ventures that solve real problems—bringing together the right questions, partnerships, and systems to create lasting impact. His approach is grounded in a simple idea: innovation matters only when it works.
