2026 Final Agenda
Bio-IT World Venture, Innovation & Partnering
Connect Capital and Science to Shape the Future
May 19, 2026
As part of the 25th Annual Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, the 3rd Annual Bio-IT World Venture, Innovation & Partnering Conference (May 19, 2026) delivers an executive-level platform for investors, corporate leaders, and entrepreneurs driving the next wave of biotech and precision medicine. This boutique event convenes C-suite leaders from venture capital, private equity, corporate venture arms, growth-stage companies, and pharma. The 2026 program zeroes in on AI-driven discovery, platform- vs. product-investment models, evolving M&A and partnership strategies, IPO and private liquidity pathways, and regulatory shifts shaping capital deployment. Sessions are designed to provide investors with clear insights into market dynamics, risk-adjusted returns, and scalable innovation strategies. Through candid discussions, fireside chats, and curated panels, participants will explore how capital is being allocated, where innovation pipelines are headed, and how to identify long-term winners. Alongside investor-focused dialogue, attendees gain access to 150+ exhibits, 11 scientific tracks, and global partners from 30+ countries to broaden their market perspective.
Tuesday, May 19
Registration and Networking Coffee
Organizer's Welcome Remarks
Chairperson's Opening RemarksÂ
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Funding the Modern Pipeline: Capital Strategy across Biology, Technology, and Informatics
Rebecca Stevenson, CFO, Souffle Therapeutics , CFO , Souffle Therapeutics
Panelists:
Lovisa Afzelius, PhD, MBA, General Partner, Flagship Pioneering , General Partner , Flagship Pioneering
Brett B. Cook, Partner, F-Prime Capital , Partner , F Prime Capital
Sophie Jones, CFO, Seismic Therapeutic , CFO , Seismic Therapeutic
John J. Keilty, Venture Partner, Third Rock Ventures , Venture Partner , Third Rock Ventures LLC
KEYNOTE FIRESIDE CHAT:
Leadership at the Cutting Edge: Innovation, Strategy & Biotech’s Next Frontier
Networking Coffee Break
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Innovation in Science & Business Models Advancing Drug Discovery
William T. Mayo, Founder, Wellfleet Advisors , Founder , Wellfleet Advisors
Panelists:
Bill Fitzgerald, Vice President of Growth and Ecosystem, SandboxAQ , Vice President of Growth and Ecosystem , SandboxAQ
Irene Rombel, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, BioCurie, Inc. , CEO & Co Founder , BioCurie Inc.
Claire E. Smith, Partner, SpringTide Ventures , Partner , Springtide Ventures , SpringTide Ventures
A New Edge in Pharma BD and Investing: AI Scouts
A new generation of deep-research AI agents is transforming how pharma and investors identify drug assets globally and give BD teams and investors a structural advantage in sourcing the next generation of deals. This talk unveils one of the first rigorous benchmarks for AI-powered drug scouting and a multilingual agent that dramatically outperforms every leading deep-research AI system. Attendees will discover how this thesis-driven search can uncover overlooked opportunities, accelerate business development, and reshape how capital finds the next winning asset.
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
At the Helm: Emerging and Established CEOs in Debate on Building Companies
Joanne L. Viney, PhD, Co-Founder & President & CEO, Seismic Therapeutic , Cofounder & President & CEO , Seismic Therapeutic
Panelists:
Luba Greenwood, JD, CEO, Mwyngil Therapeutics and Board Member, Bioptic AI , CEO , Mwyngil Therapeutics
Rachel Humphrey, MD, President and Founding CEO, Normunity , President and Founding CEO , Normunity
Catherine Sabatos-Peyton, PhD, CEO, Larkspur Biosciences, Inc. , CEO , Larkspur Biosciences Inc
Adam Townsend, CEO, Merida Biosciences , CEO , Merida Biosciences
Anna Marie Wagner, Co-Founder & CEO, Transfyr , Co-Founder & CEO , Transfyr
Sponsored by: Transforming Clinical Development with an AI-Native, Patient-Derived Intelligence Platform
Billions of dollars are invested into preclinical drug discovery, yet the promise of AI falls short in clinical trials which results in a $1B dollar bottleneck and 7+ years in development. This fireside chat will address the challenge—and how one company is transforming clinical development and commercialization with a proprietary patient-driven AI model. STW is the first platform that provides access directly to the patients and their data in an organized data structure.
Sponsored by: Real-Time Clinical Trials and Data Integrity
Rama K. Rao, Founder and CEO, Bloqcube Inc. , Founder and CEO , Bloqcube Inc
Networking Luncheon & Focused Roundtable Discussions (Sponsorship Opportunities Available)
Networking Luncheon & Focused Roundtable Discussions (Sponsorship Opportunities Available)
Roundtable Discussions are informal, moderated discussions, allowing participants to exchange ideas and experiences and develop future collaborations around a focused topic. Each discussion will be led by a facilitator who keeps the discussion on track and the group engaged. To get the most out of this format, please come prepared to share examples from your work, be a part of a collective problem-solving session, and participate in active idea sharing.
Roundtable Discussion:
Sponsored by: Constructing the Agentic Life Sciences Enterprise — Overcoming the Multimodal and Governance Bottlenecks
Simon Brief, Field Sales Manager, Google Cloud , Field Sales Manager , Google Cloud
Norah Tang, Field Sales Representative, Google Cloud , Field Sales Representative , Google Cloud
This theme examines the operational, architectural, and regulatory hurdles of moving beyond single-task AI models to build a fully integrated network of autonomous scientific collaborators [3]. Using the AI Co-Scientist as a cutting-edge case study of multi-agent R&D [6], it explores the realistic challenges of scaling such systems in a highly regulated vertical.
Roundtable Discussion:
Sponsored by: Transforming Clinical Development with an AI-Native, Patient-Derived Intelligence Platform
Julie Ross, President & CEO, StuffThatWorks , President & CEO , StuffThatWorks
Exploring how patient-derived data and foundational AI models can reshape clinical development, trial design, and decision-making, while identifying the most underappreciated inefficiencies in clinical trials to be addressed.
Chairperson's Afternoon Remarks
Rana Lonnen, Life Sciences and Healthcare Investor , Life Sciences and Healthcare Investor
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Driving Innovation Together: The New Rules of VC, Pharma & Industry Leader Collaboration
Rana Lonnen, Life Sciences and Healthcare Investor , Life Sciences and Healthcare Investor
Panelists:
John Chan, Global Head Digital Informatics & AI, Novartis Pharmaceuticals , Global Head Digital Informatics & AI , Data and Digital , Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Cris De Luca, Partner, Sanofi Ventures , Partner , Digital Investments , Sanofi Ventures
Rohan Ganesh, Partner, Obvious Ventures , Partner , Obvious Ventures
Kristina Kitko, Head of AI Investment, Eli Lilly and Company , Head of AI Investment , Lilly Ventures , Eli Lilly and Company
KEYNOTE FIRESIDE CHAT:
Engineering Access: Scalable Genomics, Technology & the Future of Medicine
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
The Future of Lab Funding: Building Stronger Pathways between Academia, Capital, and Spinouts
Michael Langer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, T.Rx Capital , Head of Search and Evaluation , Corp Dev , Pear Therapeutics
Panelists:
Jason Fuller, Partner, Deerfield Management , Partner , Deerfield Management
Paulina Hill, PhD, Partner, Sanofi Ventures , Partner , Sanofi Ventures
Sam Reiman, Director and Trustee, Richard King Mellon Foundation , Director , Richard King Mellon Foundation
Aaron Weaver, Chief Commercial Officer, Molecule AG , Chief Commercial Officer , Molecule AG
Panel Moderator:
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Sponsored by: AI Agents in Life Sciences
Samantha Perrone, Area Market Leader, Startups and AI/Digital Natives, Google , Area Market Leader , Startups & Digital Natives , Google Inc
Panelists:
Joseph Shonkwiler, Healthcare and Life Science Lead, Venture Capital Business Development, Google , Lead , Healthcare & Life Sciences & Venture Capital , Google Inc
Surge Biswas, Founder & CEO, Nabla Bio Inc. , Founder & CEO , Nabla Bio Inc.
Tony Kulesa, Partner, Pillar VC , Partner , Pillar VC
Sponsored by: Healthcare in 2026: Recovery, Reset, and What Comes Next
Katherine Andersen, Head, Life Science & Healthcare, HSBC Bank Plc , Head , Life Science & Healthcare , HSBC Bank Plc
Healthcare investing has improved noticeably from 2023 lows, but the recovery remains selective rather than broad-based. Capital has returned, but conviction has narrowed. Investors are rewarding differentiated science, clinical validation, AI-enabled infrastructure, disciplined execution, and companies with credible paths to exits.
Chairperson's Closing Remarks
Morgan Cheatham, MD, Partner, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences, Breyer Capital , Partner, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences , Breyer Capital
Networking Reception
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PLENARY KEYNOTE PROGRAM
Grab Your Seat! 25th Annual Golden Ticket Prize Giveaway & Organizer’s Remarks*
Cindy Crowninshield, Executive Event Director, Cambridge Healthtech Institute , Executive Event Director , Cambridge Healthtech Institute
*Must be present to win.
Welcome Remarks from the City of Boston and the Office of Mayor Michelle Wu
PLENARY KEYNOTE INTRODUCTION:
Sponsored by: Getting Ready for Effective AI: Starting with FAIR Principles
PLENARY KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
Rare Conversations: Explorations of the Research, Funding, and Advocacy for Rare Diseases
In a unique plenary series of intimate conversations, we will explore the models, drivers, and challenges facing rare disease research. By uniting leaders in precision medicine, bioinformatics, national rare-disease infrastructure, and real-world legislative advocacy, we will give attendees an expansive, cross-disciplinary view of what’s required to deliver faster, more accurate, and more equitable rare-disease cures.
Welcome Reception & 25th Anniversary Celebration in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
The Bio-IT Kickoff Reception is a reunion, reconnect with friends, explore cutting-edge research, and celebrate innovation! This year, join us in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Bio-IT World Conference & Expo with cake and champagne as we mark a quarter century of advancing science and technology. Enjoy poster presentations, networking, and vote for the Best of Show and Poster awards.
Close of Summit
Close of Day
CONFERENCE CONTENT
Eileen Murphy, MEd
Conference Producer
(+1) 781-738-0049
[email protected]
PARTNERING & SPONSORSHIP
Brian Caine
Business Development Manager, Investor Series
(+1) 908-809-0946
[email protected]