Inaugural Nucleate Innovators Forum
From Seed Rounds to Pharma Deals: Meet the Innovators Shaping Biotech
What does it take to turn breakthrough science into a biotech company, raise capital, and secure a partnership with big pharma?
Join us for the inaugural Nucleate Innovators Forum, a free virtual event showcasing the founders and innovations emerging from the Nucleate community.
From early-stage ventures securing their first financing to startups striking deals with global pharmaceutical companies, we'll hear directly from the innovators building the next generation of biotech.
Anatomy of a Deal: From Science to Signature
How does a collaboration between a biotech startup and big pharma actually come together?
Join Barbara Lueckel (Roche) and Gleb Kuznetsov (Manifold Bio) for a behind-the-scenes conversation about their collaboration to develop next-generation brain shuttles for neurological diseases. We'll explore the journey from initial discussions to a signed agreement, the perspectives on both sides of the table, and lessons for founders navigating pharma partnerships.
Moderated by Oliver Dodd, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Nucleate.
Innovator Talks
Meet the founders translating breakthrough science into biotech ventures.
Hear short talks from Nucleate founders sharing their technologies, company-building journeys, and latest milestones.
Austin Draycott | CloverLeaf Bio — Developing a new class of RNA-based cancer therapeutics, following a $33M seed financing backed by AbbVie Ventures, Lilly, and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund.
Daniel Saragnese | SereNeuro Therapeutics — Advancing non-opioid treatments for chronic pain, following an oversubscribed pre-seed financing and the company's first NIH SBIR grant.
Jack Stahl | Tinker Therapeutics — Developing next-generation RNA medicines that target multiple disease pathways simultaneously, with an initial focus on complex neurological diseases including Alzheimer's.
Deepti Singh | InGel Therapeutics — Pioneering regenerative cell therapies to restore vision in patients with retinal degeneration, combining specialized retinal cells with engineered hydrogels for targeted delivery.
Laura White | Andon Bio — Building a platform to make protein production more predictable, using novel RNA measurement technologies to help scientists design proteins that can be manufactured efficiently.
Whether you're a scientist exploring entrepreneurship, a biotech founder, an investor, or an industry leader, join us to discover the next generation of biotech innovation.
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!: