Nucleate New York Presents: Activator Demo Day 2026
Nucleate New York's 5th Annual Ecosystem Celebration
Nucleate New York’s Activator Demo Day marks the culmination of our flagship accelerator program - a celebration of the founders, operators, researchers, and investors building the future of biotech in NYC and beyond.
This year’s Demo Day will feature startup pitches from our 2026 Activator teams, a fireside chat with James Flynn (Managing Partner at Deerfield Management), curated panels with leading voices in biotech and venture, and meaningful networking across the ecosystem.
Whether you are investing in breakthrough science, advising early-stage companies, translating research from the bench, or building infrastructure for innovation, Demo Day is where emerging companies meet the capital, expertise, and community that move them forward.
🎙️ What to Expect
[10:00 – 12:30] Opening Sessions: Panels & Activator Pitches (Round 1)
Kick off the day with a Founder Focused Panel offering insights into what it takes to build a fundable startup, followed by curated pitches from Nucleate’s 2026 Activator cohort.
Panel: Founder Stories: How Companies Take Shape In New York; Panelists: Matt Mezer (Co-Founder, UTR Therapeutics), Ajay Vishwakarma (Founder & CEO, Cell BioEngines), David Heller (COO, C16 Biosciences).
[12:30 – 3:45] Additional Panels, Activator Poster Session & Pitches (Round 2)
Explore the innovative work of our 2026 Activator teams during an engaging poster session, followed by a focused panel on company building, capital strategy, and navigating today’s biotech landscape. Round out the session with another set of curated pitches from Nucleate’s 2026 Activator cohort.
Panel: Building durable companies in Biotech: Strategy, Capital, and Growth; Panelists: Helen Lu (Director, Gotham Foundry), Erika Smith (EIR, Yale Ventures), Yaniv Sneor (Founder, Mid Atlantic Bio Angels)
[3:45 – 5:30] Fireside Deep-Dive with Our Keynote Speaker James Flynn (MP at Deerfield Management) and Nucleate Activator Awards
Get ready for an exclusive, inside look at how James Flynn has shaped the Biotech Ecosystem in NYC over the past two decades as MP of Deerfield Management and Founder of CURE. Insightful, inspiring, and not to be missed! Followed by a celebration of excellence with awards honoring standout Activator participants.
[5:30 – 7:00] Investor & Founder Networking Reception
A high-signal networking environment designed to foster meaningful connections between founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders.
Why Attend?
Discover investable, early-stage biotech companies
Connect with NYC’s most active biotech builders
Gain insight into emerging scientific and venture trends
Strengthen your position within the regional innovation ecosystem
Activator Demo Day 2026 is powered by Fenwick & West LLP and Emerging Innovations Consulting and ICR
Nucleate New York's Activator program is supported by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Wuxi Biologics, Builds Bio and Brown Rudnick
About the Host:
Nucleate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 41 geographic regions and participation from over 280 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent within a global biotech community. Through open-access educational programming, Nucleate helps democratize biotech innovation — removing barriers and helping founders concentrate on building transformational technologies. Visit www.nucleate.org for more information, and visit https://nucleate.org/privacy-policy/ to read our privacy policy.
We want to thank our HQ supporters for championing our open-access mission and empowering the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs!
Platinum: Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, MilliporeSigma
Philanthropic Support: Lyda Hill Philanthropies
Preferred Partners: Pillar VC, Amino Collective, Fenwick, Excedr, Mercury, Brex, Fedsprout, Browne Consulting
In-Kind Support: AcademicLabs, Lens.org