Tag Archives: startups

Investor Panels at RESI Boston September

24 Jun

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

RESI Boston returns on September 17, 2025 at the Westin Copley Place, once again serving as a core event during Biotech Week Boston. Organized by Life Science Nation, RESI (Redefining Every Stage of Investment) brings together life science and healthcare companies with hundreds of investors and strategic partners for a day of partnering, networking, educational content, and exhibits.

A highlight of every RESI conference is the investor panel programming, where active investors and strategics speak directly to entrepreneurs about what they’re looking for, how they invest, and how startups can position themselves for success. The upcoming September event will feature deep dives into some of the most dynamic areas of healthcare innovation, featuring speakers from impact investors, corporate venture arms, Big Pharma, family offices, and more.

Impact Investors & Venture Philanthropy Panel

The Role of Impact Investing in the Healthcare Ecosystem

Impact investors and venture philanthropists are playing a growing role in backing early-stage healthcare ventures, especially those addressing health equity and underserved areas. In this panel, leaders in the field will discuss how they define and measure impact, what they look for in mission-driven ventures, and how they work with founders to align values with milestone-based progress. Attendees will gain insight into how this capital is deployed to catalyze innovations that go beyond traditional ROI.


Mental & Behavioral Health Panel

Investing in Solutions for Higher Quality of Life and Wellbeing

With 1 in 8 people globally affected by mental disorders, demand for novel solutions in behavioral health continues to grow. This panel features investors who are actively backing companies developing digital tools, neurotechnologies, care delivery innovations, and novel therapeutics. Panelists will explore challenges such as stigma, reimbursement, and regulation—along with what it takes for startups to stand out in this vital and rapidly evolving market.


Oncology Innovation Panel

Latest Scientific Breakthroughs and Future Outlook

Oncology continues to attract robust investor interest, yet the bar for scientific rigor and differentiation is high. This session gathers investors focused on oncology diagnostics, therapeutics, and platforms to discuss what excites them in the current landscape and what it takes to succeed. Topics include scientific novelty, clinical de-risking, commercial potential, and where the next wave of oncology innovation may arise.


Corporate VC Panel

Venture and Innovation Arms Making Strategic Investments

Corporate VCs offer much more than capital, they bring strategic alignment, deep expertise, and long-term partnership opportunities. In this session, leaders from CVC arms of major pharma, biotech, and medtech companies will discuss how they source and evaluate early-stage deals, what startups should expect post-investment, and how founders can navigate alignment with a corporate parent. This panel is essential for startups seeking strategic investors.


Diagnostics Panel

Investing in Innovations for Preventative and Personalized Care

As diagnostics become increasingly central to precision medicine and population health, investors are paying close attention. Panelists in this session will discuss how they evaluate new diagnostic technologies, from regulatory and reimbursement outlooks to commercial differentiation and unmet need. For entrepreneurs developing platforms in oncology, infectious disease, or chronic conditions, this discussion will provide actionable guidance on positioning and funding strategies.


Partnering with Big Pharma Panel

What Startups Need to Know to Get on Big Pharma’s Radar

Securing a partnership with Big Pharma can be a transformative milestone. This panel features business development and venture leaders from leading pharmaceutical companies who will share what they look for in early-stage collaborations. Learn how they assess risk, stage readiness, and strategic fit—plus how startups can build compelling cases for co-development, licensing, or investment.


Family Offices Panel

Perspectives on Early-Stage Investments

Family offices have become increasingly visible in early-stage healthcare deals, often offering patient capital and values-driven investment strategies. This panel will unpack how these investors approach opportunity evaluation, what sets them apart from traditional VCs, and how they support portfolio companies beyond capital. Attendees will also hear practical advice for engaging family offices and building meaningful relationships.


Whether you’re developing breakthrough diagnostics, therapeutics, platforms, or care delivery solutions, the RESI Boston investor panels offer a unique opportunity to hear directly from the funders shaping the future of healthcare.

Interested in sharing your insights at RESI? Reach out to join our speaker lineup!

Register by July 11 to lock in Super Early Bird Rates and save $300. Secure your spot today and join 400+ investors and strategic partners this September in Boston.

Introducing BD Assist: LSN Sets Up the Meetings For Your Global Investor Roadshow

24 Jun

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

DF-News-09142022Life Science Nation (LSN) pioneered investor engagement through its RESI Conferences, global investor database, and entrepreneurial education programs. LSN is taking a significant leap forward with the launch of BD Assist, a full-service investor outreach and meeting management product designed to augment and complement your in-house BD efforts.

With BD Assist, LSN aids in the tedious task of booking meetings with your partner targets:

  • LSN Labs AI Agent will optimize your messaging for outreach.
  • Identify and prioritize well-matched capital and licensing partners
  • Conduct coordinated outreach
  • Schedule and confirm investor meetings on your behalf

The product development, regulatory, and operational complexities of running a life science company are already challenging enough. BD Assist removes one of the most tedious but significant burdens: finding, securing, and managing investor meetings.

Why LSN Is Uniquely Positioned to Do This
LSN combines getting the right target list, a proven canvassing and follow-up methodology, and a dedicated outreach team to deliver results. LSN is a well-known, trusted, and credible entity in the partnering space. We know what life science investors are looking for and which meetings they’ll take. Over the past decade, we’ve taught hundreds of startups how to craft their story, manage outreach, and execute CRM-powered campaigns. The results are real; see our Australian accelerator cohort, where 90% of companies secured funding or strategic partnerships.

BD Assist takes on the daily work of driving your campaign forward. We handle the outreach, schedule your meetings, manage follow-up, and sync it all to your CRM in real time. You stay focused on the science, and we set up the business development meetings. If you’re raising capital or licensing in the next 12 months, BD Assist is your opportunity to launch a turnkey global campaign without hiring a whole BD team.

Ready to activate your global roadshow?
Contact us at salescore@lifesciencenation.com to get started.

The RESI Boston June 2025 Program Guide Release

10 Jun

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

DF-News-09142022The official program guide for RESI Boston, June 2025 is now available! Redefining Every Stage of Investment (RESI) is built to connect life science and healthcare innovators with a global network of investors representing a wide range of funding strategies, from Seed through Series B and beyond.

This guide provides an overview of what to expect throughout the conference, detailing all of the content and layout for our in-person event on June 16th. Inside, you’ll find the full agenda, speaker bios, panel descriptions, and key information to help you navigate your RESI experience. Whether you’re participating in investor meetings, pitch sessions, workshops, or ad hoc networking, this guide is your resource to stay informed and get the most out of RESI Boston.

Access the full guide here:

Introducing the Investor Judges for the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge at RESI Boston 

10 Jun

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

RESI Boston takes place on June 16, and Life Science Nation is pleased to announce the investor judges participating in this event’s Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC). With more than 50 companies presenting across 14 sessions, the IPC offers life science startups a high-impact opportunity to gain visibility, pitch directly to active investors, and receive valuable feedback in real time.

Each session will feature investor and strategic partner judges with expertise spanning therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, digital health, and life science tools. Following every pitch, judges will lead a live Q&A to assess the opportunity and share insights from the investor perspective.

Every IPC company will also have a dedicated table in the RESI Exhibition Hall, making it easy for attendees to connect with founders and learn more.

All registered attendees will be invited to vote online for their favorite companies, and the Top 3 companies will be announced at the end of the day’s cocktail reception. Winners will receive a prize and be featured in an upcoming issue of the LSN newsletter.

Scroll down to see which investors will serve as judges for this year’s IPC:

John Abeles
John Abeles
General Partner
Northlea Partners
Chris Aleong
Chris Aleong
VP
BioIdeations
Christina Ansted
Christina Ansted
Sr. Managing Partner
RCP Venture Capital
Jit Basak
Jit Basak
Investor
Launchit Ventures
Jay Batchu
Jay Batchu
Entrepreneur in Residence
Xontogeny
Randy Berholtz
Randy Berholtz
Sr. Advisor
Mesa Verde Venture Partners
Jeff Berman
Jeff Berman
Managing Partner & Co-Founder
Big Tree Innovation Fund
Kalyan Chakravarthy
Kalyan Chakravarthy
Sr. Manager, External Innovation
Ipsen S.A.
Jo Chaturvedi-Durant
Jo Chaturvedi-Durant
Sr. Investor & Venture Partner
VU Venture Partners
Shailesh Chavan
Shailesh Chavan
Managing Partner
Transatlantic Life Science Venture
Nicolas Cindric
Nicolas Cindric
Partner
Yahara Ventures
Javier Coindreau
Javier Coindreau
General Partner (Boston)
Sila B Health Ventures
Bettina Ernst
Bettina Ernst
Director
BERNINA BioInvest
Alex Fair
Alex Fair
Managing Partner
Medstartr Capital
Dimitra Georganopoulou
Dimitra Georganopoulou
Managing Director
Qral Ventures
Serban Georgescu
Serban Georgescu
Due Diligence Chair
Mass Medical Angels
Ken Grise
Ken Grise
Principal
Sixty Degree Capital
Marco Gulla
Marco Gulla
Investment Associate
Health Technology Holding (HTH)
George Hong
George Hong
Investor
H Advisor Group
Guanghui Hu
Guanghui Hu
Venture Partner & CEO
Viva BioInnovator
Kristin King-Jankiewicz
Kristin King-Jankiewicz
Member & Head of Group Management
Boston Harbor Angels
Claire Leurent
Claire Leurent
Managing Director
AbbVie
Vivian Li
Vivian Li
SA
K2 Venture Partners
Ali Malihi
Ali Malihi
President
Back Bay Group
Nune Martiros
Nune Martiros
Sr. Associate
Paladin Capital Group
Jim McGough
Jim McGough
Managing Partner
Mid Atlantic Bio Angels
Ralph Morales III
Ralph Morales III
Venture Partner / Executive-in-Residence
Aquillius Ventures
Jose Navarro
Jose Navarro
Scientific Director & Partner
quadraScope Venture Fund
Lizzie Ngo
Lizzie Ngo
Principal
Longwood Fund
Yoichi Omae
Yoichi Omae
BD Director
Asahi Intecc USA Inc
Soyoung Park
Soyoung Park
General Partner
1004 Venture Partners
Chandra Ramanathan
Chandra Ramanathan
VP and Head of External Innovation, Life Sciences Innovation Group
Danaher Corporation
Nans Rivat
Nans Rivat
VP
PACE Healthcare Capital
Shreya Sawant
Shreya Sawant
Venture Partner
Aquillius Ventures
Pranav Seshadri
Pranav Seshadri
Investor
T.Rx Capital
Jason Shieh
Jason Shieh
Partner/Co-Founder
HelixPoint Capital
Oliver Sims
Oliver Sims
Investment Manager
Octopus Ventures
Alex Spicer
Alex Spicer
M&A Associate
SERB Pharmaceuticals
Sri Sriadibhatla
Sri Sriadibhatla
Director, Healthcare Investment Group
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southern Pennsylvania
Isaac Stoner
Isaac Stoner
EIR
Slater Technology Fund
Asad Taherbhoy
Asad Taherbhoy
Angel Investor
Angel Star Ventures
Wei Tao
Wei Tao
Board Director & Chair, Bio/Genomics
Life Science Angels
Vince Wong
Vince Wong
CEO and President
BioCrossroads
Chris Yoo
Chris Yoo
General Partner and Managing Director
Xcellerant Ventures
Doug Zingale
Doug Zingale
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Blue Goose Capital
Patrick-Cooke
Patrick Cooke, PhD
Associate
Merck Digital Sciences Studio
SERB Pharmaceuticals
Samuel Freedman
M&A Analyst
SERB Pharmaceuticals

Navigating CFIUS: Awareness and Opportunity for Biotech Startups in a Changing Investment Landscape

10 Jun

By Sougato Das, President and COO, LSN

Sougato-Das

CFIUS, short for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, is an interagency committee tasked with reviewing foreign investments into U.S. companies that may present national security risks. Though created in 1975, CFIUS has recently expanded its focus to include sectors such as biotechnology, in light of evolving global priorities and concerns.

A recent presidential memorandum has signaled heightened attention to biotech transactions, particularly those involving sensitive technologies and personal health data. The memo also outlines a more streamlined process for investment reviews involving allies of the United States, while suggesting a more cautious stance toward investments from jurisdictions deemed non-aligned. Although not yet codified into law, these signals indicate that the regulatory environment is tightening for some international investors.

Biotech startups should not interpret this shift as a prohibition, but rather as an evolving framework that will increasingly require awareness, strategic planning, and legal clarity when engaging global investors and partners. This is particularly relevant for companies with potential funding interest from regions such as Asia, including China and, more recently, jurisdictions currently under enhanced CFIUS scrutiny.

Global Fundraising: A Numbers Game with Strategic Implications

For over a decade, Life Science Nation has been building and guiding early-stage companies through capital fundraising and licensing campaigns from a global perspective. There are two fundamental reasons why this work must be approached as a numbers game. In today’s fragmented global funding landscape, visibility, volume, and variety are essential for finding and securing the right partners. First, if you confine your outreach to your home region or country, you can quickly exhaust the pool of suitable targets. Second, when you do find a lead investor or licensing partner, they typically want to see a geographically diversified syndicate. As development progresses and commercialization strategies take shape, having informed and engaged partners across key global regions becomes not optional, but essential.

Failing to secure global relationships early on, whether due to limited strategy, policy restrictions, or lack of access, can create real obstacles to growth. Overly restrictive capital policies risk unintentionally slowing innovation and creating pressure for startups to move offshore. In an increasingly interconnected life science ecosystem, enabling global access to capital and partnerships is critical to maintaining U.S. leadership in biotech innovation.

Moving Forward

As the landscape for global biotech investment continues to evolve, early-stage startups will benefit from understanding CFIUS and related frameworks. While the regulatory terrain may shift, it still presents a significant opportunity for those who prepare strategically.

Early-stage biotech companies that navigate these cross-border dynamics with foresight and structure will be best positioned to engage international capital, generate high-value data, and build toward global commercialization.

Startups are encouraged to attend RESI Boston on June 16th or connect with industry experts for a deeper discussion. Register RESI Boston June now.

RESI Boston June Investor Panelists 

3 Jun

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

The full-day panel schedule at RESI Boston on June 16 will spotlight the top investment themes shaping the life science ecosystem. From family offices and health systems to pharma and AI-focused funds, the RESI stage will feature active investors across the spectrum sharing how they evaluate opportunities and what’s driving their deal flow.

Panels will cover key topics such as sector-specific outlooks, alternative funding sources, emerging technologies, and cross-border strategy. These sessions are designed for entrepreneurs to better understand investor priorities, refine their pitch, and build lasting relationships in the industry.

RESI Boston takes place in person at the Westin Copley Place on June 16, with virtual partnering continuing June 17–18 and June 23. Whether you’re attending in person or virtually, don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from investors who are actively shaping the future of healthcare innovation.

Join the panelists below at RESI Boston June:

John Abeles
John Abeles
General Partner
Northlea Partners
John Abeles
Salma Al-Zu’bi
Investment Principal
Hikma Ventures
Marc Appel
Marc Appel
Managing Partner
Pacific Bridge NY
Caleb Bell
Caleb Bell
Advisor
Beyond Next Ventures
Ethan Berg
Ethan Berg
Managing Partner
G4 Investments, LLC
John Boyce
John Boyce
Managing Director & Co-Founder
28 Capital
Dirk Büscher
Dirk Büscher
Sr Director Grifols Innovation & New Technologies
Grifols
Danny Carbonero
Danny Carbonero
Investor
PsyMed Ventures
Nicolas Cindric
Nicolas Cindric
Partner
Yahara Ventures
Leo Cui
Leo Cui
Partner
FoundersX
Bettina Ernst
Bettina Ernst
Director
BERNINA BioInvest
Marc Estigarribia
Marc Estigarribia
Managing Director
MSQ Ventures
Eileen Flowers, PhD
Eileen Flowers, PhD
Director, Technology Development & Licensing
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Ser-Chen Fu
Ser-Chen Fu
Partner
Pacific 8 Ventures
Ayah Hamdan
Ayah Hamdan
Director & Ventures, Health
Plug and Play Ventures
Zizi Imatorbhebhe
Zizi Imatorbhebhe
CEO & Executive Partner
Bios Health Group
Cheryl Kuai
Cheryl Kuai
Managing Director
Sixty Degree Capital
Michael Langer
Michael Langer
Founder & Managing Partner
T.Rx Capital
John Leader
John Leader
Partner
Green Park & Golf Ventures
Chloé Lepretre
Chloé Lepretre
Head of Global R&D Search & Evaluation
Servier
Andrew Merken
Andrew Merken
Shareholder
Polsinelli PC
Fiona Miller
Fiona Miller
Managing Partner
quadraScope Venture Fund
Ravi Mistry
Ravi Mistry
Venture Partner / Officer & Founding Team Member
3i Partners
Ralph Morales III
Ralph Morales III
Venture Partner / Executive-in-Residence
Aquillius Ventures
Daniel O'Mahony
Daniel O’Mahony
Partner
Seroba Life Sciences
John Parker
John Parker
Founder & Managing Director
Springhood Ventures
John Pennett
John Pennett
Angel Investor
Mid Atlantic Bio Angels
Prashant Shah
Prashant Shah
Partner
O2h Ventures
Jeremy Sohn
Jeremy Sohn
Managing Partner
P74 Ventures
Nicolas Stalder
Nicolas Stalder
Sr. Investment Manager
Debiopharm Innovation Fund
Adam Steinert
Adam Steinert
CTO
Yahara Ventures
Jeff Stinson
Jeff Stinson
Director
HealthTech Arkansas
Alex Strasser
Alex Strasser
Sr. Associate
Apollo Health Ventures
Bob Sweeney
Bob Sweeney
Principal & Co-Founder
Global Health Impact Fund
Thomas Thornton
Thomas Thornton
Vice President, Innovation, Jefferson Ventures
Jefferson Health
John Tremblay
John Tremblay
Investor
Launchpad Venture Group
Mark Vreeke
Mark Vreeke
Co-Founder
Chemical Angel Network
Sally Wang Liang
Sally Wang Liang
Managing Partner
Xpanse Venture
Don Zinn
Don Zinn
US Vice President US Business
Crossject

The Hero’s Journey: A CEO’s mission to find a cure to save his sons – Part II

3 Jun

Sougato-DasThe best products are often developed when the product manager is also a customer, or in the case of biotech, when the CEO is also a patient. Hear from Nick Sireau of Serenatis Bio, who developed a product that’s on the market for an ultra-rare disease, and is now preparing for a series A raise for an OCD asset after a successful seed raise. Nick’s story, including how Life Science Nation’s training, data, and events helped him, is an inspiring tale of keeping the patient first while navigating the labyrinth of the investment landscape. When Nick one day received a newsletter from Dennis Ford, CEO of LSN, saying that you need 600 – 800 investor leads to do a successful raise, he re-evaluated his strategy and realized it was a numbers game, and he had to play it fast. He searched LSN’s investor database of thousands of investors to find the best fits in the least amount of time, and participated in training from Greg Mannix, VP of International Business Development of LSN, on how to pitch and optimize partnering strategies. Now he’s on the hopeful path of bringing a treatment to a condition that is absolutely devoid of good treatment options, that can dramatically reduce quality of life and even lead to suicide. If you are an entrepreneur fundraising, this video will give you sage advice that you can use right away to accelerate your raise.