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From the Triangle to the Summit: Ben Scruggs on Venture Capital in 2026
EPISODE 49 [LIVE]
What’s the Buzz?! | From the Triangle to the Summit: Ben Scruggs on Venture Capital in 2026
What does it take to scale a life sciences venture fund — and a mountain — at the same time?
In this episode of What's the Buzz?!, host Chris Frew sits down with Ben Scruggs, Principal Partner at Hatteras Venture Partners, for a wide-ranging conversation on venture capital, regional ecosystem building, and what's next for life sciences in North Carolina.
Nearly a decade into his role at Hatteras, Ben brings a rare combination of pattern recognition and local conviction. He'll share the story behind closing over $200M across HVP VII and the new Hatteras Opportunity Fund I — what LPs were betting on, what the Opportunity Fund unlocks that a flagship fund simply can't, and the long game Hatteras is playing through its three NC-focused managed funds: Pisgah, WakeMed, and Carolina Research Ventures.
Ben will also reflect on one of the firm's defining bets — co-leading the Series A in HistoSonics back in 2009 and watching it grow into a $2.25B exit — and what that journey reveals about patient, high-conviction investing.
Beyond the portfolio, we'll hear about Ben's recent ascent of Kilimanjaro as part of the Timmerman Traverse, a fundraising climb that raised over $1M for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation — a reminder that the best builders in this industry invest in more than companies.
We'll close with a look at the Triangle's life sciences inflection point: what's accelerating, what's still missing, and what Hatteras is focused on in 2026.
Streamed on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.
About the Guest
Ben Scruggs, PhD
Ben is a Partner at Hatteras, where he focuses on biotechnology and life science tools companies. He has been involved in building and scaling transformative healthcare companies across a range of therapeutic areas, including inflammation, oncology, neurodegeneration, ophthalmology, cell therapy, and gene therapy.
Ben currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Altis Biosystems, a human stem cell–derived platform company advancing more predictive in vitro models for drug development. Prior to Altis, he led strategic initiatives at Tune Therapeutics, a biotechnology company pioneering epigenetic editing. He has extensive experience working alongside scientific founders and academic innovators, and also serves as Manager of L2 Ventures, a seed- stage fund supporting startups affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ben currently serves on the boards of IMMvention Therapeutix and Veralox Therapeutics, and is a board observer at GeneCentric Therapeutics. He has previously served as a board observer at Dropworks (acquired by Bio-Rad), Qpex Biopharma (acquired by Shionogi), and Rodin Therapeutics (acquired by Alkermes). Before joining Hatteras in 2016, Ben completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, where his research focused on transcriptional regulation and stem cell biology.
Ben received his Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University in St. Louis, supported by an NIH/NHLBI fellowship, and holds a B.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. His scientific training spans genomics, metabolism, and RNA biology, and his work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals including Molecular Cell and Cell Metabolism.
Professional Engagements: Ben is a member of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Corporate Advisory Group and the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering’s Council of Advisors. He is also a committee member the NC State Chancellor’s Innovation Fund. He previously served on the NHLBI National Network of Mentors and North Carolina Microbiome Steering Committee. He participates in multiple national working groups focused on accelerating the adoption of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and reducing reliance on animal testing in biomedical research.
About the Host
Chris Frew
Chris is the Founder of BioBuzz Networks, Inc, a life science talent community and hiring platform, and CEO of Workforce Genetics, LLC (WGx), a prominent life science recruitment firm. He has been supporting companies in the regional life sciences industry with recruiting and marketing solutions for 20+ years.
Previously serving as the Vice President of Sales at Breezio, a leading innovator in cloud-based online communities, and the Vice President of Tech USA’s Scientific Division, which he founded and grew into a national practice. Chris has almost two decades of experience successfully leading teams, projects and fostering engaged communities within the Life Science industry.
He is a Maryland native and a graduate of Towson University.
About the Program
What's the Buzz?!
This weekly podcast, broadcast live, features life sciences leaders and regional ecosystem builders who share bold ideas, real stories, and what’s ahead for our industry.
Hosted by our CEO, Chris Frew, and powered by Heffron, this 30-minute virtual series is streamed across LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook — reaching thousands of professionals every episode.
The show highlights one-on-one conversations with founders, executives, strategists, and ecosystem builders. While focusing on the biohubs where we are most active, What’s the Buzz?! also explores emerging regions, trends, and innovations shaping the future of life sciences.
Topics include:
➡️ Biotech growth & investment trends
➡️ Workforce development & talent strategies
➡️ Emerging tools & technologies
➡️ Policy & ecosystem influence
➡️ Public-private collaboration
About the Sponsor
Heffron
Founded in 1922, Heffron Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned firm in the Washington, D.C. region redefining construction and service for complex, highly regulated environments.
With deep expertise in plumbing and HVAC, design-build, renovation and tenant services, and complex systems installation, Heffron supports mission-critical life sciences and biotech facilities alongside education, government, and commercial projects. Their work includes university research labs, federal research buildings, corporate R&D headquarters, and GMP-compliant biotech spaces.
Known for integrity, collaboration, and technical excellence, Heffron delivers reliable, high-performance systems through clear communication and consistent on-time, on-budget execution.