Register now for the First Look SoCal Life Science Innovation Showcase on May 21 + 22

The First Look SoCal Innovation Showcase is an annual event that celebrates the best early-stage startups commercializing deep tech and life science breakthroughs emerging from the top universities and research institutions in Southern California. This year we are dividing the annual event into two separate showcases to provide the best experience for Life Science and Deep Tech startups.

Each startup will present a 3-minute quick pitch followed by 9 minutes of Q&A led by a panel of leading investors, corporates, and subject matter experts who will provide invaluable insights and access to capital. Celebrate and connect with industry leaders and investors at the post-event networking reception.

THE FIRST LOOK SOCAL LIFE SCIENCE INNOVATION SHOWCASE IS PARTNERING WITH UCLA

For the first time ever, we are partnering with UCLA to host the First Look SoCal Life Science Showcases at UCLA’s LABEST Week which features two full days of world-class life science conferences at the Luskin Center on the UCLA campus. Selected startups (representing all of SoCal’s research and academic institutions) focused on MedTech will present on Wednesday, May 21, while Bioscience startups will present on Thursday, May 22. Both of those events together attract over 1,500 life science industry professionals from leading corporations, VCs, and research institutions around the world. Plus there are workshops and panels for early stage founders and much, much more.

Check out the LABEST Week website for attendee info, agenda and registration:

MedTech Showcase on May 21

Showcase runs from 1:30p – 4:10p in the Legacy room (2nd floor)

MedTech Startups Presenting

Bioscience Showcase May 22

Showcase runs from 1:00p – 3:00p in the Illumination room (2nd floor)

The Bioscience Showcase is brought to you by:

Showcase Moderated by:

Charles Thomas, Partner at KPPB

Charles’s expertise in biotechnology, medicine, and biochemistry extends from his years of experience in both industry and academia. Learn more about Charles and KPPB, leader in IP legal services

Bioscience Startups Presenting

Life Science Showcase Judges

Christopher Rowland

Chief Executive Officer & Board Member KWGB Partners

Bio

Jessica Richter

EVP, CRO & Consulting Services Veranex

Bio

Debbie Lin, Ph.D.

VP Strategic Partnerships, Venture Partner Caris Life Sciences

Bio

Ryan Krone, Ph.D.

Sr. Director, Innovation Advanced Technologies Edwards Lifesciences

Bio

Ryan Potts, Ph.D.

Vice President and Head, Induced Proximity Platform Amgen

Bio

Stephanie Chan, Ph.D.

Program Officer University Lab Partners

Bio

Suzy Engwall

President and CEO Healthtech Strategies

Bio

Sonia Setayesh, Ph.D.

Investment Partner Civilization Ventures

Bio

Christopher Rowland

Chief Executive Officer & Board Member KWGB Partners

Christopher (Chris) Rowland has over 35 years of successful, results-oriented experience in general
management, sales, and marketing within the medical device industry. He has more than 15 years of
experience as President and CEO in multicultural business environments. Currently, he serves as Chairman
of the Board for two MedTech companies and is an active board member or advisor for five additional
MedTech companies.

Chris has a proven track record in revenue growth, realignment, and turnarounds in challenging
competitive environments. He has experience in managing small, mid-cap, and large global multinational
companies. His significant international experience includes managing organizations in the US and abroad,
with several expatriate assignments and as a CEO of US, Israeli, and Chinese-held corporations.
Chris holds over 20 patents that have generated more than $1 billion in revenue. He has a strong history
of identifying new opportunities, launching new products, and developing new markets. Previously, he
served as CEO or President of companies acquired by Covidien/Medtronic, Teleflex, and a Chinese
strategic investor.

Chris earned a B.Sc. in Marketing from Southern Illinois University and completed the Executive
Leadership Program at Harvard Business School and the Executive Management Program at Columbia
Business School.

Jessica Richter

EVP, CRO & Consulting Services Veranex

Jessica Richter is the executive vice president of the regulatory, clinical and quality services arm of Veranex. Jess joined Veranex in 2017 to expand our business development activities and to direct strategic growth initiatives. She has extensive experience in leadership, sales and market development activities from her six years at Medtronic’s early technologies division and in the GI space. She has spearheaded successful, high-impact projects in the areas of strategic sales planning, physician education, collaboration with patient advocacy groups and corporate project management. Jess has spent over ten years driving commercial sales activities within the medical device, software and communications arena. At Veranex, Jess interfaces with U.S. and international executives, investors, legal representation and clinical and policy advisors to expand industry networks and to deliver meaningful support to the firm’s clientele and partners. She holds a BA in Mass Communication/Media Studies from UC Berkeley.

Debbie Lin, Ph.D.

VP Strategic Partnerships, Venture Partner Caris Life Sciences

Dr. Lin is Vice President – Strategic Partnerships at Caris Life Sciences. Prior to her role at Caris, she was an Executive Director at Boehringer Ingelheim’s Venture Fund. Having spent over 14 years at Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr. Lin held various roles in the US and internationally, including leading US digital healthcare efforts and investments, board directorship, and in global strategy and corporate development, and supporting drug launches in field-based roles in Health Economics and Medical Affairs.

She has earned a reputation as an executive deeply passionate and committed to steering her organization in new business strategy and development, intrapreneurial and strategic thinking, and executional excellence. She is an empathetic and dynamic leader who takes pride in helping to transform large organizations and pushing the envelope in new business strategies. A Life Science & Digital Health Investor and Pharmaceutical Executive, Dr. Lin is also committed to supporting women and minorities in science and leadership.

Dr. Lin holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacogenomics and Bioinformatics from the University of California San Francisco, a BS in Chemistry and Public Policy from Pomona College, and an MSc. Eng. from Stanford University School of Engineering.

Ryan Krone, Ph.D.

Sr. Director, Innovation Advanced Technologies Edwards Lifesciences

Ryan Krone is currently in his fourth year as Sr. Director of Innovation in the Advanced Technology incubator. Prior to Edwards, Ryan has spent his career in early technology development and innovation roles for both large medical device companies as well as start-ups, including his own. He was a Stanford Biodesign Innovation Fellow and has worked in structural heart, women’s health, neurology and cancer detection. His training is in Mechanical Engineering, where he holds a PhD.

Ryan Potts, Ph.D.

Vice President and Head, Induced Proximity Platform Amgen

Dr. Ryan Potts is VP of Research and Head of the Induced Proximity Platform at Amgen that works on ways to bring two or more molecules in close proximity to each other to tackle drug targets that are currently considered “undruggable.” He also leads Amgen’s Research & Development Postdoctoral Fellows Program. Ryan received his BS in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he was awarded his PhD in cellular and molecular biology from UT Southwestern Medical Center. After completing his PhD, Ryan served on the faculty at UT Southwestern Medical Center for eight years before accepting a position on the faculty at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He joined the team at Amgen in 2020. In this interview, he shares more about his life and science.

Stephanie Chan, Ph.D.

Program Officer University Lab Partners

Suzy Engwall

President and CEO Healthtech Strategies

Suzy Engwall is the CEO and Founder of HealthTech Strategies, LLC, a boutique consulting firm. She is a healthcare innovation leader, speaker, startup advisor and mentor that has been working to make change in healthcare for almost 2 decades.

At HealthTech Strategies, Suzy works with teams from multiple areas within the healthcare innovation ecosystem including startups, healthcare organizations and investors. She mentors and advises early-stage startups to help them navigate the challenging landscape of bringing a product to market in the highly regulated healthcare space. She also consults with healthcare organizations to set up their corporate innovation programs and assist them in the commercialization of new product.

Sonia Setayesh, Ph.D.

Investment Partner Civilization Ventures

Sonia is an Investment Partner at Civilization Ventures, leading scientific diligence on early-stage biotech companies. She earned her PhD at USC, where she developed liquid-biopsy assays—including an early breast-cancer test in collaboration with clinical sites—and previously helped advance two targeted immunotherapies into clinical trials. Sonia also brings hands-on oncology BD experience and has served as VP of Nucleate HQ and Biotech Connection Los Angeles.

Look Forward To…

Connect with investors, peers, and mentors

Unparalleled opportunities to connect with investors, mentors and other support resources crucial for early stage startups.

Startup quick-pitch presentations

Two separate events for Life Science (MedTech and Biotech) and Deep Tech (Robotics, Aerospace, Advanced Manufacturing, Energy, Materials) where each event features startups doing 3-minute quick pitch presentations followed by 9 minutes of moderated Q&A led by a panel of investors, corporate leaders, and subject matter experts.

One of the largest showcases of university-based deep tech and life science startups

This is SoCal’s premiere gathering of the best startups emerging from the region’s top research institutions so it attracts the region’s community in a rare concentrated program that celebrates the entrepreneur’s journey from lab to market.

Networking Reception

Stay for drinks and small bites as we celebrate and connect with attendees and speakers (on 5/22).