From Academic Discovery to Startup: Building and Funding Biotech Companies.
Join us for an engaging conversation with Doug Gooding, Managing Director of the Emory Drug Development Fund and CEO of Drive Therapeutics.
Throughout his career, Doug has worked across venture capital, company formation, drug development, intellectual property strategy, and biotechnology leadership. As both an investor and operator, he has helped launch, fund, and grow numerous life science companies, guiding innovations from academic discovery through venture-backed development and commercialization.
In this session, Doug will share insights into how scientific discoveries become startups and what it takes to secure the funding, partnerships, and strategic support needed to move innovations from the laboratory to the clinic and the marketplace. Drawing on his experience as a venture investor, biotech executive, founder, and CEO, he will discuss company formation, fundraising, drug development strategy, technology evaluation, and the realities of building successful biotech ventures around academic innovation.
This event is designed for students, postdocs, researchers, aspiring founders, entrepreneurs, operators, and investors interested in biotechnology innovation and company building. Attendees will gain practical insights into venture creation, financing early-stage technologies, navigating the transition from academia to entrepreneurship, and understanding what investors look for when evaluating emerging opportunities.
Whether you are interested in launching a startup, commercializing research, or learning how breakthrough discoveries become funded biotech companies, this session will provide valuable perspectives from someone who has spent his career working at the intersection of science, investing, and entrepreneurship.
Meet the Host
Berkeley Pharma Tech Foundation is a nonprofit committed to expanding biotech understanding and improving access to the industry through education, mentorship, and networking. We host roundtables, speaker panels, and community events to connect aspiring scientists and entrepreneurs with industry leaders. Our goals: launch a funded research program within two years and build a state-of-the-art lab in the Bay Area within five. Follow us on LinkedIn or reach out to Vanloan Nguyen to get involved!