Born in Camagüey, Cuba, Joseph Hernandez is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and visionary leader in healthcare and biotechnology. A Cuban refugee and the son of a political prisoner, he fled the grip of communist rule at the age of seven, arriving in the United States with nothing but hope — and a determination to build a better life.

 

Over the course of his career, Joseph has founded and led more than a dozen healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. He currently serves as the Founder and Senior Managing Partner of Blue Water Venture Partners LLC, where he continues to invest in technologies that improve public health and address critical human diseases.

 

His professional journey began at Merck & Co. and continued at Affymetrix in Silicon Valley, where he oversaw the launch of a dozen groundbreaking diagnostic products. At Digene Corp, Joseph helped pioneer the first FDA-approved test for human papillomavirus (HPV), a major milestone in cancer prevention and early detection, which led to the company’s acquisition by Qiagen.

 

A proud product of Florida public schools, Joseph earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, a Master of Science in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Florida. He later completed a Master of Science in Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Yale University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Global Healthcare Leadership at the University of Oxford.

 

Joseph is the proud father of three children — Alexander, 18; Sebastian, 14; and Estella, 11 — whose futures continue to inspire and motivate his work every day.

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