Jordi Naval (Barcelona, 1969) holds a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Barcelona (UB) and a degree in Biochemistry from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Over the past 18 years Naval has been involved in the creation of several start-ups (Infociencia, Anaxomics, Enemce Pharma, Genocosmetics Lab and Aelix Therapeutics) and was Director of the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation between 2015 and 2017 and President of the Escola d'Emprendedors Foundation from 2010 to 2017. He was appointed new CEO of Biocat last July.
Director of Digital Health at Stanford Byers Center of Biodesign
Marta Gaia holds degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering from Politecnico Di Milano, Italy (BS, MS) and Stanford University (PhD), and a certificate in Entrepreneurship from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In 2016, the Silicon Valley Business Journal named her one of the 'Silicon Valley 40 Under 40'.
From pharmaceuticals to innovation in Europe: in 2015 French-born Sylvie Bove was named CEO of EIT Health, the first European initiative to promote European leadership and competitiveness in health innovation. Bove has 20 years experience managing and directing companies in the field of life sciences. She has overseen the launch of new products while working with large companies in the healthcare sector, such as Coloplast and Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and she helped found the Copenhagen Healthtech Cluster.
Executive Vice President for International Affairs at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Mr. Damond is responsible for developing and implementing the industry association’s international advocacy and outreach program, including the areas of trade policy and foreign government relations. Prior to taking up this position at BIO, Mr. Damond was vice president for International Government Relations in Pfizer’s Washington office from 2006-2011.
Edward Kliphuis joined the previous biopharma fund MS Ventures in 2014 and transitioned to Investment Director New Businesses. Previously, Edward was at Kempen & Co, a pan-European merchant bank based in Amsterdam, where he was on the Life Sciences Securities team. He was instrumental in the team’s ongoing fundraising efforts for listed European small- and mid-cap biotech companies in over 20 deals in 2012 and 2013. Edward holds an MSc in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from Leiden University, the Netherlands, specializing in pharmacology and science-based business.
Director of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
Since October 2016, Dr. Pericàs has combined his position as director of the ICIQ with the responsibility of heading up BIST. Before taking on the role as director of the ICIQ in 2000, he was a professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona. Pericàs’s research career focused on chemistry and has received Catalan government's Distinction for the Promotion of University Research, the Janssen-Cylag Award from the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry and the Narcís Monturiol Medal from the Government of Catalonia.
Senior Advisor and former Head of Business Development at the Wellcome Trust
Dr. Seabrook, PhD, MBA served as Head of Business Development at the Wellcome Trust, responsible for intellectual property management and its transfer, through licensing or new company formation. Seabrook also led the Technology Transfer Division, which aims to add value to basic scientific findings when they can be developed into products. This division reduces the risk, the proof of concept, and makes it attractive to follow-on investors (licensing perspective or financial community).
