Women Startup Challenge 2019 Europe HealthTech Jury

Anne joined Advent France Biotechnology, a VC firm specialising in early-stage investments in the Life Sciences, as Partner in September 2017. She was previously Senior Associate at Sofinnova Partners (2013-2017) and has over 15 years’ experience in the Life Sciences sector, acquired as Business Development Executive at Cancer Research Technology (2007-2013), the technology transfer arm of British charity Cancer Research UK, and Senior Medicinal Chemist at Cambridge Biotechnology Ltd (2003-2007). Anne's experience includes equity financing (seed and series A), tech transfer & scouting, business development, and biotech R&D.

Anne carried out postdoctoral research at Yale University after gaining her PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Bristol. She holds a diplôme d'ingénieur from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rouen, specialising in Chemistry. She is an author on seven peer-reviewed papers and an inventor on eight patent families. As part of the investment team at Sofinnova Partners, Anne supported investments in 5 companies which have raised over $200M to date through seed, Series A & B financings and listing on EuroNext.

Peter is partner at Accelerace – one of Europe’s leading accelerators and early stage investors. He is a senior leader in biotech with 20 years of experience in drug discovery and development. Peter has a passion for innovation and dedicates his time to help life science startups, build supporting infrastructure in the life science ecosystems, provide advice, and invest in promising startups.

Vanessa is a digital health founder, certified health coach, speaker and above all a health enthusiast. She studied General Management (B.Sc.) and Entrepreneurship & Innovation (M.Sc.) and worked in Management Consulting for more than 5 years. With a focus on the transformation and restructuring of international health care companies, Vanessa learned about the challenges of different healthcare markets. Since 2018, motivated by her desire to deeply transform the way we are looking at healthcare and wellness, Vanessa has started advising and founding companies in the healthcare sector.

Vanessa works as a Senior Venture Developer for Digital Health Factory, a company builder and investment firm focusing primarily on digital therapeutics. She is also the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Go Beyond Why, a consulting firm that helps companies leverage innovation in healthcare and beauty. Vanessa's passion lies in female and mental health tech.

Experienced in business development and strategy in Life Science and Healthcare. Arvind’s strengths lie in her ability to problem solve in multiple ways, by applying her cumulated knowledge and expertise to balance short term needs with long term strategic goals. 

Arvind has a broad scientific foundation: Small molecules NCEs, peptides, proteins, antibodies and technology platforms in a wide range of therapy areas including; oncology, metabolic, virology, inflammation, respiratory, CNS, GI and dermatology. International experience: US, UK and the Nordics and worked has across the industry from large pharmaceutical companies, to healthcare spinouts.

She is passionate and goal oriented but equally, pragmatic and straight forward.  Her diversity enables her to gain a global perspective; scientific, medical and commercial. Things Arvind is proud of include; the IPO of Zealand Pharma, setting up of Albireo the GI spin-out from AstraZeneca and the acquisition of Ziarco by Novartis.

Julien is the iPEPS-ICM incubator manager located inside the Brain and Spine Institute on the campus of the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital, the French largest hospital and at STATION F, Europe’s largest startup campus.

He is currently supporting the development of over 30 startups in neurosciences/neurotechnology and digital health and is involved in the creation of several academics startups . He is also a mentor/expert for several organizations (business schools, EIT Health, etc.).

Julien holds a PhD in cell biology from Institut Pasteur (Paris, Fr) and a business degree from INSEAD. He first started within the business development department at Institut Curie (Paris, Fr) where he has been in charge of growing collaborations between academia and the industry in US and Europe.

Anne joined Advent France Biotechnology, a VC firm specialising in early-stage investments in the Life Sciences, as Partner in September 2017. She was previously Senior Associate at Sofinnova Partners (2013-2017) and has over 15 years’ experience in the Life Sciences sector, acquired as Business Development Executive at Cancer Research Technology (2007-2013), the technology transfer arm of British charity Cancer Research UK, and Senior Medicinal Chemist at Cambridge Biotechnology Ltd (2003-2007). Anne's experience includes equity financing (seed and series A), tech transfer & scouting, business development, and biotech R&D.

Anne carried out postdoctoral research at Yale University after gaining her PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Bristol. She holds a diplôme d'ingénieur from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rouen, specialising in Chemistry. She is an author on seven peer-reviewed papers and an inventor on eight patent families. As part of the investment team at Sofinnova Partners, Anne supported investments in 5 companies which have raised over $200M to date through seed, Series A & B financings and listing on EuroNext.