Meet Meki Durakovic: The Hospitality Force Behind Boston’s Culinary Hotspots

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Interview with Meki Durakovic, a Visionary Restaurant Owner by Caitlin Dolegowski, Marketing Manager, LSN

Meki Durakovic CaitiCaitlin Dolegowski

For life science professionals attending RESI and Bio in June, Boston offers more than innovation—it offers unforgettable hospitality. One of the city’s driving forces behind that experience is Meki Durakovic, a restaurateur whose journey from Europe to Boston has transformed the local dining scene.

Meki got his start running his family’s restaurant at 19 and quickly became known for hosting community events and building customer loyalty. After gaining global experience in Germany, he moved to Boston in 1996, working his way through every level of the hospitality business—from the kitchen to management—ultimately joining the influential Lyons Group.

Today, Meki is the co-owner of some of Boston’s most dynamic venues: Fin Point Oyster Bar & Grille, Tradesman Coffee, Lily’s, Amber Road, Urban Wild, One Beacon, and more. His venues mix warm hospitality, locally sourced menus, and inviting atmospheres perfect for both after-hours business gatherings and casual networking.

As the life sciences world converges on Boston this June, Meki’s restaurants offer more than just meals—they offer a taste of the city’s spirit. Make sure to experience his take on Boston hospitality while you’re in town.

Caitlin Dolegowski (CD): Could you tell us about your Restaurant Group and the several standout restaurants in Boston? Can you describe each one and what makes it unique?

 Meki Durakovic (MD):

  • Tradesman – Best Coffee Shop in Boston with unique pastries & specialty croissants, fresh sandwiches and more. We have Tradesman locations on Broad Street and Federal Street in the financial district as well as in Charlestown. (50 Hood Park Dr. Charlestown, MA )
  • Amber Road – Our newest venue which boasts an open-kitchen, open air concept and patio and serves refined global-inspired New England cuisine, craft cocktails, and an extensive wine list. We recommend this space for elevated full private buyouts for events up to 180 guests. (100 Federal St, Boston, MA)
  • Fin Point – The first restaurant opened by our group that has become the place to be in Boston’s downtown Financial District. Here we host everything from corporate lunches and impressive cocktail receptions to weddings, full corporate buyouts for 200 guests and more. The sophisticated dining space features a raw bar and high-end seafood dishes with global influences. (89 Broad St, Boston, MA)
  • Urban Wild – Boston’s newest entertainment destination features high-tech bowling like you’ve never seen, indoor and outdoor patios with games, and a giant beer garden covered in custom artwork for a true experience. The venue holds up to 600 guests and is located in Charlestown’s quickly growing Hood Park Neighborhood. (100 Hood Park Dr, Boston, MA)

CD: For visitors coming to Boston for RESI and the Bio convention in June, which of your restaurants would you recommend for a great dining experience?

MD: All of the above!

CD: Could you tell me what guests should know about making reservations at your restaurants? Do you recommend booking in advance, and how far out should they plan?

MD: Reservations can be made online on Open Table or by calling directly. Reservations for bowling at Urban Wild can be made 7 days in advance on our website. For events, email our Director of Events, Katie Lofstrom, at events@mnmrestaurantgroup.com

CD: For those looking to take a meeting over a meal, which of your restaurants provides the best setting for a business lunch or dinner?

MD: Fin Point has a fully private dining room perfect for those more private, important meetings and occasions. The room seats up to 20.

CD: What would you advise for those seeking an event where they book a space for a networking event, or want to book the whole bar or restaurant? Please describe your menus, cuisines, and creative dishes. What are some must-try items for first-time guests?

MD: Any of our venues are perfect for hosting full private buyouts. We make the planning process easy!

CD: If RESI attendees seek a spot to gather with colleagues after the conference, do any of your restaurants have bar seating, lounge areas, or late-night options?

MD: All of our venues have bar & lounges, perfect for late-night or mingling after work or after dinner!

MOWOOT Wins RESI EUROPE 2025 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC)

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Interview with Dr. Markus Wilhelms, CEO & Co-founder by Greg Mannix, VP, EMEA Business Development, LSN

Dr. Markus Wilhelms Greg Mannix

Following their first-place win at the RESI Europe 2025 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge, Dr. Markus Wilhelms, CEO and Co-founder of MOWOOT, discusses their technology, fundraising plans, and what lies ahead for the company.

Greg Mannix (GM): What inspired the development of MOWOOT’s technology, and what unmet need are you addressing?

Markus Wilhelms (MW): Bowel dysfunctions and intestinal transit disorders like chronic constipation affect up to a quarter of the population, often caused by faulty colonic movement patterns. Current treatments are pharmaceutical or invasive and focus on managing symptoms, not addressing the root cause. Our ‘Intermittent Colonic Exoperistalsis’ technology, developed in collaboration with one of Europe’s leading neurorehabilitation hospitals, provides a non-invasive, wearable solution. The MOWOOT device acts as a pacemaker for the large intestine, mobilizing the feces and stimulating proper colonic movement in just 20 minutes a day. This easy-to-use and non-threatening approach offers high clinical response rates and strong patient adherence, without the side effects of conventional treatments.

GM: What stage of fundraising are you currently in, and what types of investors are you hoping to connect with?

MW: Our device is already available in several EU markets, with private & public case-by-case reimbursement secured. We aim for broad public healthcare reimbursement in the UK and Germany by 2025 and are currently raising €10M to support our EU expansion and US market entry in 2026. We are open to discussions with all types of investors, including business angels, family offices, VCs, and strategic corporate investors, as long as we align on deal terms, ticket size and vision.

GM: How has RESI Europe contributed to your fundraising or networking efforts?

MW: RESI Europe provided valuable networking opportunities with investors globally. We had productive meetings during the event as well as on the online platform and are now following up to deepen these conversations.

GM: What was the most valuable aspect of participating in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge?

MW: Winning the IPC validated our investment opportunity and increased our visibility. It helped us reach investors who might have missed us due to packed schedules, creating additional endorsement and exposure.

GM: What kind of feedback did you receive from the judges or investors during the event?

MW: The feedback on our presentation was very positive, with the jury particularly highlighting the clarity of everything regarding technology, regulatory, and clinical evidence. Most of the questions focused on use of funds, market access strategy and details of reimbursement requirements across different regions, which we were able to address during the Q&A. Given the time constraints of the 6-minute pitch, the Q&A provided a valuable opportunity to fill in any gaps.

GM: How does your team plan to build on the momentum from RESI Europe?

MW: We are actively following up with all new contacts and continuing to receive investor inquiries, thanks to our IPC win. Our data room is prepared, and we expect to move into due diligence with several candidates soon.

GM: What’s next for MOWOOT in the coming 6–12 months?

MW: Over the next 6-12 months, our goal is to secure broad public healthcare reimbursement in the UK and Germany, and we anticipate that scaling in these markets will require robust marketing support. Additionally, we are preparing for a new clinical trial designed to meet the specific reimbursement requirements in France and the US, as confirmed in discussions with local authorities. It’s an exciting period ahead, marking the beginning of our scale-up phase!

Hot Investor Mandate: Global Life Science Focused Fund Invests in Therapeutics, Medical Device, Diagnostics Companies Addressing Unmet Medical Need

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A life sciences focused venture fund with global vision and reach is dedicated to advancing innovative medicines. It has raised multiple USD funds from renowned institutional funds as well as strategic investors and has investments in more than 30 private companies and several public companies, one third of which it has seeded or incubated. The firm’s highly experienced investment Partners have greater than 100 years of combined investing experience, and along with their Venture Partners and advisors have collective experience in emerging and established biotech, multinational pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and key regulatory agencies. The firm has a strong preference for leading investments and play an active role in their portfolio companies supporting their success. The firm’s global team resides in New York, Boston, Silicon Valley, Singapore, and Shanghai. 
 
The firm invests in disease areas of high unmet need and invests across the sub-sectors of life sciences, across geography and development stage. The firm leverages a unique cross-functional talent base to create value from company formation all the way to public market investing. 
 
The firm is an active lead investor, and the firm has a board seat in most of its investments. It deploys its unique cross functional experts and assists portfolio companies with capital markets strategies, business development, clinical development, regulatory and commercial strategies. Outside of the board requirement, the firm seeks to back management teams with passion and capability in advancing the company’s technology. 

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

Hot Investor Mandate: International Asset Management Firm Invests Up to $50M in Therapeutics, Devices, and Healthtech Companies With US and China Market Potential 

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Headquartered in Hong Kong, with offices in the US, an international asset management hub is actively investing in technology and healthcare. The firm focuses on early-stage and expansion opportunities, and can invest in both equity and debt. It typically participates in Series A to Series B rounds, with check sizes ranging from $1M to $50M. The firm primarily focuses on the US and Europe and is particularly interested in companies aiming to expand into Asian markets. The firm has partnerships with manufacturing, CRO, and distribution channels in China and is open to leveraging these resources for its portfolio companies. The firm is open to both leading and co-investing. 
 
The firm primarily considers opportunities in therapeutics, medical devices, and healthtech. For therapeutics, the firm prefers companies/assets in the post-IND phase or those generating clinical data. For medical devices, the firm is open to all classes: for Class I devices, the firm prefers products that have already received approval; for Class II and Class III devices, it prefers mid to late-stage products with CE/FDA approval. For healthtech companies, the firm prefers those already generating revenue. The firm focuses on indications with large market potential, particularly in the US and China. 
 
The firm does not have specific requirements for a company’s founding team. 

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

Hot Investor Mandate: Life Science Focused VC Firm Invests in Early-Stage, USA-Based Life Science Companies Across All Sectors and Indications

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A life-sciences focused venture capital firm is currently making investments into US-based companies. The firm primarily makes equity investment into seed and early stage rounds ranging from $250,000 to $1 million initially and up to $2 million over the lifetime of the investment.  The firm could make as many as 3 new investments over the next 6-9 months. 
 
The firm is looking for U.S. companies in sectors of Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Life Science Tools and digital health. The firm is agnostic in terms of subsectors and indications within these areas and is also interested in orphan indications and wireless medical devices. The firm looks to invest in early-stage companies including pre-clinical stage companies with some supporting in-animal data, although it is not a requirement. 
 
The firm is looking for privately held companies with experienced management teams. The firm looks to play an active role as an investor and generally looks to take a board or board observer seat following investment. 

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

Hot Investor Mandate: USA-Based Investment Firm Seeks Early and Growth Stage Companies in Medical Devices, Diagnostics, and Digital Health in Underserved Regions

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An investment firm that manages innovative venture capital funds and is based in San Diego, California. The firm invests in early, growth, and expansion-stage technology and life science companies. The firm principally invests in early and growth-stage investments in Series A, B, and C preferred equity rounds with other top-tier institutional and corporate investors. The investment size is variable and dependent on the company’s capitalization plan and future capital requirements. The firm currently focuses its investment activities in parts of the western USA that are under-served by venture capital. The firm is actively seeking institutional investment limited partners and new investment opportunities. 
 
In the Life Sciences area, the firm seeks to invest in medical device, product, diagnostics, specialty pharma, and healthcare IT.  The firm is opportunistic in terms of sub-sectors and indications.  The firm generally seeks clinical stage therapeutics that are at least Phase II, and diagnostics and medical devices that are very close to or with FDA approval. 
 
The firm is led by a seasoned VC with a track record of investing.  The firm generally co-invests with other top-tier institutional and corporate investors, and will work with companies to help them organize an investment syndicate. The firm seeks investment opportunities in rapidly growing companies with world-class products and solutions that address major market needs; along with talented leadership, management teams, and boards with deep industry experience and track records of success. 

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com. 

How Family Offices Are Cracking the Code on Biotech Investing 

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RESI Boston to Feature Global Family Office BioForum Luncheon, June 16, 2025

By Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, Life Science Nation (LSN)

DF-News-09142022Life Science Nation (LSN) is pleased to announce the Global Family Office BioForum (GFOB) return at RESI Boston June, which will take place on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the Westin Copley Place in Boston’s Back Bay. This luncheon, held from 12:00 to 1:00 PM, brings together a curated group of family office investors focused on healthcare and life sciences.

The GFOB luncheon is part of the Redefining Every Stage of Investment (RESI) partnering conference, GFOB creates a private setting where family offices can share strategies, exchange deal flow insights, and explore potential co-investment opportunities in early-stage therapeutics. A public Family Office panel will also be held earlier in the day as part of the broader RESI agenda.

This year’s RESI Boston event will be particularly significant:

  • Over 400 life science investors and licensing partners will attend, each actively seeking new portfolio companies or co-development partners.
  • 50–75 family offices are expected to participate in the conference, creating a powerful opportunity for companies to connect directly with mission-driven capital.
  • A dedicated public Family Office panel will feature five active family office investors, each sharing how they source, vet, and evaluate early-stage biotech and medtech assets for their portfolios.

 Two Keynotes. Two Models. One Mission: Smarter Access to Biotech.

This year’s GFOB Luncheon features two complementary keynote speakers who will share actionable strategies for how family offices can participate in biotech investing without building internal venture teams or becoming scientific experts.

Chris GarabedianChris Garabedian
Founder & CEO, Xontogeny | Portfolio Manager, Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund

Chris Garabedian will offer a playbook for how family offices can confidently invest in early-stage therapeutics by partnering with seasoned operators. At Xontogeny, Chris has created a model that pairs hands-on operational support with strategic early capital, guiding startups from idea to clinical inflection points while minimizing founder dilution and maximizing value creation.

Backed by the Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund, Xontogeny supports biotech, medtech, and healthtech companies with both funding and execution—giving family offices a way to co-invest alongside industry-proven teams and access a pipeline of high-quality, professionally guided ventures.

Rick BerensonRick Berenson
Executive Committee Member, Mass Medical Angels (MA2)

Rick Berenson will present a practical approach for how family offices can assess early-stage biotech without building a whole internal diligence team. As a 15-year leader at Mass Medical Angels (MA2)—a Boston-based life science group made up entirely of industry veterans—Rick has helped refine a model that quantifies risk and potential return by leveraging the “wisdom of an expert crowd.”

He’ll explain how MA2 has used targeted micro-investments to derisk promising projects and turn them into investable biotech companies and how family offices can take advantage of this model to build a capital-efficient, scalable biotech investment pipeline.

RESI: A Smarter Way to Partner

RESI is unique because it enables matches based on stage of development and product type, making it one of the most efficient and results-driven partnering events in the life science industry. Companies come to RESI to be found. Investors and licensing partners come to source assets. The structure, scale, and precision of RESI’s partnering model make it the go-to forum for early-stage innovation and global dealmaking.