By Rory McCann, Marketing Manager & Conference Producer, LSN
Longevity, Health & Innovation, the newest partnering conference from Life Science Nation (LSN) and Mary Furlong & Associates, brings early-stage companies together with investors and strategic partners to network and start relationships around the needs and trends of the longevity market. View our panels of market experts and investors leading the conversations toward innovation.
With our inaugural Longevity, Health & Innovation conference fast approaching, I spoke to Dr. Mary Furlong, President and CEO of Mary Furlong and Associates, our partner for LHI. MFA is widely considered a leader in the longevity and aging marketplace, largely due to Mary’s experience in the space.
Listen below to find out more about how Mary got started, where she thinks the industry is going and the importance of events such as LHI in moving technologies and solutions forward.
Mary Furlong, Ed.D, MFA’s president and CEO, is a leading authority on the longevity marketplace. She has guided the business development and marketing strategies of leading corporations, emerging companies, and nonprofit organizations for more than 30 years.
Her list of clients/sponsors includes AARP, Caring.com, CareLinx, First Republic Bank, GreatCall Inc., Link•age, PetPlan, and UnitedHealthcare (UHC). Mary founded MFA in 2003 to help socially- and consumer-conscious companies understand the real needs of this growing market.
In addition, Mary is the Dean’s Executive Professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.
Before launching MFA, Mary founded the nonprofit organization SeniorNet in 1986 and ThirdAge Media in 1996. Throughout the course of her work for both organizations, she raised $130 million in venture capital funds, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.
During Mary’s tenure, SeniorNet served more than 500,000 adults age 50 and older. Much of her time was spent in the field at the organization’s learning centers, observing the applications that worked and the issues related to the technology. ThirdAge Media reached more than 2 million members – most age 45 and older – when Mary served as its CEO and visionary leader of the editorial team.
Mary has appeared on CBS, PBS, NPR, and NBC’s Today show to discuss trends in aging and technology, and her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Business Week, Fortune, People, and Fast Company, among other publications.
In 2001, Fortune Small Business named Mary one of its “Top 25 Women Entrepreneurs,” and Time-honored her in 1999 as one of its “Digital 50.” She also served as a White House Commissioner on Libraries and Information Science during the Clinton administration, and she has conducted hearings on aging and technology for the U.S. Senate. She was named one of the 100 most influential women in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and has been a recipient of the ASA Leadership Award. Mary is an advisory member of the Ziegler Link•age Longevity Fund, L.P.
Mary is the author of Turning Silver into Gold: How to Profit in the New Boomer Marketplace, which was published in February 2007 by Financial Times Press. She also co-authored the book Grown-Up’s Guide to Computing, published by Microsoft Press in 1999.
By Gregory Mannix, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President International Business Development, LSN
Attending Digital RESI as a fundraising company is all about making connections with investors, strategic partners, service providers and other companies and entities that can help move your project to the next phase. One way for a company to maximize their visibility is the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge. Approved companies will upload a pre-recorded 4-minute pitch and take part in a livestreamed Q&A Session with a panel of expert investors. Furthermore, each participant will be featured on the Digital RESI Live Agenda with a dedicated landing page like this:
We caught up with Joe Camaratta (JC), President and CEO of Quantitative Radiology Solutions (QRS), to ask him about his own experience pitching at Digital RESI September.
How was your pitch session experience?
JC: The advice from the RESI team was invaluable in preparing our materials for our investor pitch. In addition to advice on the pitch deck itself, the team provided examples of other collaterals useful in introducing our company to potential investors. The panel provided valuable advice on additional data to reinforce the importance of the problem that we are solving, and on our competitive differentiation. I reached out to several members of the panel regarding further discussion of our technology.
Did you have a productive RESI conference?
JC: QRS identified over 40 potential investors where our current raise would be a good fit for their investment philosophy. We were able to establish an introduction with many of them using the RESI partnering platform. In addition, the panel sessions provided timely advice on how investors are adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, and their expectations of entrepreneurs.
Do you anticipate follow-up meetings with any investors from the session or from RESI?
JC: We have already followed-up with 10 investors to provide additional information around our opportunity. In addition, we continue to target those investors that we identified as potential fits but did not have time for a discussion at RESI.
When asked about his participation as a panelist on live pitch Q&A sessions, Gary Gershony, a member of Life Science Angels said, “The pitch sessions at RESI were a great opportunity to engage with the CEO/Founders of very innovative Life Science startups. Despite the COVID-related transition from in-person to virtual meetings, the RESI team did an outstanding job organizing these sessions, ensuring that the live Q&A was very productive, and facilitating follow-up with these exciting companies.”
We are currently accepting applications for the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge at Digital RESI November on a first come, first serve basis. Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to pitch and connect with investors and strategic partners who are interested in learning more about your company!
By Karen Deyo, Senior Investor Research Analyst, LSN
In the world of digital events, virtual partnering, and Zoom fatigue, it’s more important than ever to stay connected, especially when fundraising, sourcing technology, or expanding a portfolio. Whether you’re thriving in slippers at your home office or itching to share cocktails and small plates (that you didn’t prepare) while networking, virtual partnering events can be a powerful asset to your fundraising and deal-flow.
The Life Science Nation (LSN) conference team has designed our digital events with the user in mind, for optimum convenience and connectivity. Take advantage of these elements and keep the conversations going!
Common Goal
When logging into a partnering platform, you know that every attendee you scroll through shares a common goal. The specifics of that goal may not line up with yours, but someone at a partnering event is there to make deals. With LSN’s partnering platform, we make it easy for participants to target and connect with those who are the right fit for technology, as well as stage of development. Whether you’re a seasoned partnering pro or new to the arena, a virtual format, as well as the LSN partnering platform, takes the guesswork out.
Equal Access
Have you ever attended a conference and witnessed an incredible presentation that spoke directly to you, only to find yourself 30-attendees-deep in a line to connect with the speaker? The virtual ecosystem provides equal access to speakers and industry leaders who may otherwise be tough to get facetime with. While there’s no guarantee the reception to a meeting request, your chances increase when you’re able to review a profile that communicates what the recipient is looking for… It might be you!
Interactive Features
Be sure to take advantage of live events and interactive features within the virtual event. One of the most popular aspects of the digital model is tailoring your experience, not only around your objectives and interest, but also around your schedule. Despite that convenience, many of the best conversations begin in live panels and interactive pitch sessions. If you’re able to join a panel or pitch to a live investor audience, even better! Virtual events like LSN’s make connection convenient, however, active participation in live features will give you a competitive edge.
If you’re dreaming of the days of in-person networking, we hope you’ll take advantage of the features available in the digital format. The game is afoot, and the best deals aren’t waiting. We hope to see you at Digital RESI November 17-19, and then again at the LSN Healthtech Partnering Week, January 14-15, 2021. Check out our newest events at 4D Meets AI and Longevity, Health & Innovation!
Candice He (CH): Hi Baylor, could you briefly introduce Yuhang Capital and its mandate of the early-stage life science investments?
Baylor Wei (BW): Yuhang Capital aims to cultivate innovation, support entrepreneurs, and ultimately realize the vision of improving human health and creating better life. We are headquartered in San Francisco, California, and have office in Hangzhou, China. Our team manages both an USD and an RMB fund across public and private company investments worldwide.
We provide seed funding to help start-ups go from 0 to 1. At this stage, we are mainly looking for a driven team who are working to solve a pressing problem, who can really innovate, and who have a clear plan to eliminate their technology risks at the lowest possible cost. We are dedicated to creating long-term value for our portfolios and the larger start-up community.
CH: As you’ve mentioned, Yuhang has offices in both China and the U.S. Compared to other countries, do you think the Chinese market is especially suitable for life science start-ups to grow?
BW: Absolutely. China has expanded to be the second largest pharmaceutical market globally with $137 billion USD in total spending in 2018. Over the past 5 years, China has gradually become the strategic hub for multi-national pharmaceutical companies. For example, Pfizer has moved three of its research units to China to bring more developed products to the country; in 2019, Sanofi also launched new business unit “China and Emerging Markets” to leverage the tremendous growth opportunities in these markets. The Chinese market has made up 4%-18% of the global revenue for multi-national pharmaceutical companies, which also shows its great potential.
In addition, the policy in China has shifted to support more the use of IoT and other innovative technologies to solve healthcare problems. This is also what we are most interested in. As an example, we have been working with the CITRIS and the Banatao Institute to build CITRIS-Zhejiang, with the focus on the intersection of technology and healthcare. Finally, while the healthcare resources in China had been increasing in recent years, there is still a big gap given the large population. In the coming ten years, we expect even higher demands for talents, technology and innovative drugs and medical devices to fill in the gaps in the Chinese healthcare industry.
CH: Could you specify what kind of company Yuhang is looking for in this competition, in terms of sectors, indications, or stage of development? Does Yuhang have a geographic preference?
BW: We are interested in start-ups who use innovative technology to address key issues in life science and healthcare. These include, but are not limited to biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, human therapeutics, digital medicine and health services. We believe innovation should have no borders. We welcome teams from any geographical area to join in this global movement. We try to impose less restriction on eligibility for the competition, but we are looking for great science and a driven team.
CH: That sounds like a great fit for the LSN start-up community! How many winners will be selected? Will they receive cash rewards or service supports?
BW: In total, 16 winners will be selected and will be getting both cash rewards and service supports. The First Prize will receive 6 million RMB, up to 10 million RMB interest-free bank loan and up to three-year free office space of 1,000 square meters. In addition, Yuhang Capital and our partnering venture capital funds will also consider follow-on investment based on further due diligence.
CH: Can’t say no to that! So how did Yuhang get involved in hosting this competition? What is Yuhang’s long-term vision? Would you focus on equity investments or are you ready to do more on top of the investment?
BW: The reasons that Yuhang decided to host this competition is exactly due to our long-term vision, which is to cultivate innovation, support entrepreneurs, and ultimately realize the vision of improving human health and creating better life. We are committed to bringing long-term value to the global healthcare community, and this has to be coming from equity investments and beyond.
CH: Thank you very much for the interview, Baylor.
By Rory McCann, Marketing Manager & Conference Producer, LSN
The Inaugural Life Science Nation (LSN) Healthtech Partnering Week 2021 launches January 11-15, 2021 with three back-to-back digital partnering conferences: Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI), 4D Meets AI, and Longevity, Health & Innovation (LHI). These three events make up the ultimate partnering experience within healthcare and life science through their match-based partnering system, as well as pitch sessions, informational workshops, and panels.
Panels have been a valuable resource for both early-stage companies and investors to learn how other industry professionals are navigating challenges and building successful businesses and partnerships. Participants increase their exposure in addition to receiving complimentary registration in return for adding such value to attendees. We are still accepting applications for new panelists, and if you are an early-stage company developing new tech to advance healthcare or an investor with industry insight, joining a panel gives you increased exposure to share your story with our community. Read more about the events and apply to join a panel!
The Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) conference series was created by LifeScienceNation(LSN) to bring together startups with early-stage investors and strategic channel partners to maximize the capability of these companies, from seed to series B, to find partners who are a fit for their technology and stage of development. RESI is cross-border and cross-domain, connecting start-ups with ten categories of global investors across the silos of drugs, devices, diagnostics, and digital health. RESI caters to both the earliest stage start-ups, those seeking grants, seed and angel capital, and the early-stage firms who seek series A and B funding.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the healthcare landscape, and redefining what is possible in life science. The business of AI is broken down into two groups: the buyers and the sellers. 4D Meets AI is a partnering conference that connects the investors and strategic partners and matches them to companies developing and commercializing AI technology in drugs, devices, diagnostics, and digital health (the 4 Ds) to revolutionize healthcare. In addition to pitch sessions and one-on-one meetings hosted by our premier partnering platform, 4D Meets AI features investor and application panels to expand your knowledge of the industry and learn the latest trends and developments. This two-day digital conference provides the opportunity to meet strategic partners, learn from the experts, and build relationships to advance the future of healthcare.
The aging boomer population contributed $8.3 trillion in economic activity to the 2018 US economy, and that number is projected to triple by 2050. The need for advancements in drugs, devices, diagnostics, and digital health for the treatment of age-related conditions is crucial. Longevity, Health & Innovation (LHI) is a new partnering conference focused on conditions related to aging, market challenges, and solutions via early-stage companies and their promising tech and products. LHI brings fundraising startups together with investors in longevity innovation to make deals in order that today’s seniors live longer, healthier lives.
By Jessica Yang, Senior Research Analyst, Asia Business Development, LSN
The next Digital Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) conference is coming soon November 17-19, 2020. Whether identifying a lead investor, filling out a funding round, or exploring strategic partnerships, Digital RESI has a robust pool of groups to network with. Digital RESI provides a unique partnering platform with full video integration through which attendees can determine a potential fit and make valuable connections between companies and investors. LSN has been overwhelmed by the investor interest in this event, with almost 150 investors signed up in only the first two weeks.
We expect a total of over 300 investors at the upcoming Digital RESI. Take a look at those who are already committed and register here to meet them digitally!
The firm is focused on therapeutics companies and does not invest in medical devices, diagnostics, or digital health. The firm is open to considering assets of very early stages, even those as early as lead optimization phase. The firm considers various modalities, including antibodies, small molecules, and cell therapy. Currently, the firm is not interested in gene therapy. Indication-wise, the firm is most interested in oncology and autoimmune diseases but has recently looked at fibrotic diseases and certain rare diseases as well.
The firm is opportunistic across all subsectors of healthcare. Within MedTech, the firm is most interested in medical devices, artificial intelligence, robotics, and mobile health. The firm is seeking post-prototype innovations that are FDA cleared or are close to receiving clearance. Within therapeutics, the firm is interested in therapeutics for large disease markets such as oncology, neurology, and metabolic diseases. The firm is open to all modalities with a special interest in immunotherapy and cell therapy.
A strategic investment firm of a large global pharmaceutical makes investments ranging from $5 million to $30 million, acting either as a sole investor or within a syndicate. The firm is open to considering therapeutic opportunities globally, but only if the company is pursuing a market opportunity in the USA and is in dialogue with the US FDA.
The firm is currently looking for new investment opportunities in enterprise software, medical devices, and the healthcare IT space. The firm will invest in 510k devices and healthcare IT companies, and it is very opportunistic in terms of indications. In the past, the firm was active in medical device companies developing dental devices, endovascular innovation devices, and women’s health devices.
A venture capital firm founded in 2005 has multiple offices throughout Asia, New York, and San Diego. The firm has closed its fifth fund in 2017 and is currently raising a sixth fund, which the firm is targeting to be the largest fund to date. The firm continues to actively seek investment opportunities across a […]
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