Leaps Talk #1: Biotech, Health & the Era of Fast Capital
Featuring Erika Cheung and Seth Bannon, held at Tech Open Air Berlin 2019
The “fail fast” approach has helped bring about some of the most transformative tech of the modern age. The Theranos story brought to light how this mantra could go horribly wrong, putting many lives at risk. The biotech industry is eager to accelerate the pace of innovation but must constantly balance this with the need to ensure patient safety. How can we enable faster, more nimble ways to address the world’s most pressing health challenges, while ensuring safety and earning people’s trust? What needs to change in the pharma industry, investors, and society?
Erika Cheung
Erika was one of the whistleblowers that prevented Theranos from processing patient samples with faulty technology by reporting to regulators. She then went on to build the accelerator program, Betatron, in Hong Kong investing and mentoring technology companies across Asia. She is the founder of Ethics in Entrepreneurship - a social movement aimed at promoting ethical practice within the tech industry.
Seth Bannon
Seth Bannon is a Founding Partner at Fifty Years, a seed fund that backs entrepreneurs solving the world's biggest problems with technology. Seth has invested in over 50 startups shaping the world for the better - from a company engineering microbes to produce industrial chemicals sustainably (Solugen), to a company building small satellites to cover the earth in internet (Astranis), to a company culturing meat to eat (Memphis Meats).
Alasdair Thong
Venture Partner at Luminous Ventures and Ada Ventures (two UK early stage VC funds), Business and Corporate Development Lead at BIOS Health (an early stage neural interface start up). Alasdair was previously a Director in the investment team at Leaps, the disruptive innovation and VC arm of Bayer AG. He concentrates on the intersection of information technology and life sciences, and holds a particular investment focus on deep tech in life sciences and digital health. Previously he held roles in the life science investment teams of two leading European VC firms, Medicxi and Index Ventures.
TOA
TOA is Europe’s leading technology festival. Their mission is to help people future-proof their businesses and their lives. TOA believes that technology is transforming the way people work, live and relate. ‘Only if you understand technology can you take advantage of the opportunities it creates’.
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Norrsken Foundation
Norrsken Foundation and Leaps by Bayer both strongly believe that fostering innovations with impact and a greater purpose for humanity will ultimately lead to returns – both socially and financially. The Norrsken House is a coworking space for startups striving to contribute to the greater good and is being financed by the Norrsken Founders Fund. Leaps by Bayer is a proud member of the Norrsken House as well as a sponsor.
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