Nucleate x NFX: From Lab to Venture-Backed Biotech
Join Nucleate DojoHouse, Nucleate Bay Area and NFX, for an evening on how novel science becomes a venture-backed biotech company, sponsored by Rho.
We're bringing together early-stage founders, investors, and researchers from across the Bay Area biotech community for a night of ideas, pitches, and connection. Hear a lineup of founders share the science behind their companies, listen to a panel of biotech leaders on translating breakthrough research into venture-backed companies, and stick around for open networking over food and drinks.
Agenda
5:30 – 6:00 — Doors open: settle-in & networking
6:00 – 6:05 — Welcome & intro
6:05 – 6:55 — Startup pitches
6:55 – 7:30 — Panel discussion
7:30 – 8:30 — Open networking (food & drinks)
Startup Flash Talks
Greg Timblin — Co-Founder & CEO, Inapill (oral anti-inflammatory therapeutics)
Keaton Carano — Co-Founder, Inixi Bio (biologics to prevent cancer initiation)
Kris Barnes — CEO, Lento Bio (eye drops to reverse age-related vision loss)
Rafal Pielak — Founder & CEO, Soteri Skin (skin-barrier therapeutics targeting pH)
Ben Kellman — Co-Founder & CEO, Augment Biologics (AI-engineered glycosylation control for biologics)
Adair Borges — Co-Founder & CSO, Ditto Biosciences (AI-mined proteins for autoimmune disease)
Egan Peltan — Founder & CEO, Euler Biologics (antibody therapies to preserve physical function in aging)
Andrew Bartynski — Co-Founder & CEO, Kopra Bio (engineered viral immunotherapy for cancer)
Panel
Nick Bayless — CTO, Centivax (broad-spectrum vaccine development)
Ashley Zehnder — CEO, Fauna Bio (comparative genomics for drug discovery)
Alicia Levey — Venture Partner, Versant Ventures (biotech investing & new company creation)
Kevin Haas — Chief Development & Technology Officer, Veracyte (genomic diagnostics for cancer)
About the Host(s) and Sponsor:
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.
Nucleate Dojo is Nucleate's undergraduate leadership and development program, designed to connect emerging biotech talent with the broader startup ecosystem through mentorship, educational programming, and hands-on founder engagement. Each summer, the program brings a select cohort together to live and work out of the Nucleate DojoHouse in San Francisco - an immersive residency at the heart of the Bay Area biotech community.
NFX is a leading early-stage VC firm based in SF, specializing in pre-seed and seed-stage startups. NFX partners with exceptional founders to build category-defining, network effects-focused, companies. With a deep founder heritage, the firm brings strong founder/operator experience and long-term support from first check through scale.
Rho is the all-in-one banking platform for startups and the accountants supporting them. With banking setup in minutes, cashback cards, and powerful tools for managing spend, paying bills, and closing the books, Rho helps high-growth startups move fast and stay focused, backed by support that goes to the end of the earth to help you win. Rho is a fintech company, not a bank. Checking and card services are provided by Webster Bank, N.A., member FDIC; savings account services are provided by American Deposit Management Co. and its partner banks.