U-M Inventors Invited to Pitch at Exclusive Science2Startup

8/14/2023

This May, Science2Startup (S2S) reconvened in Boston for the first time since 2019. This invitation-only forum is organized annually by leading venture capital funds, Atlas Venture, F-Prime Capital, Osage University Partners (OUP), RA Capital Management and 5AM Ventures. This event serves the world’s top scientists by providing them with a platform and opportunity to present their therapeutics research while connecting with leading investors and executives in the Boston biotech ecosystem. 

This year, Innovation Partnerships and our inventors were invited to participate in the forum’s panels, presentations and networking receptions. Out of 125 submissions from 61 institutions across 8 continents,  U-M inventors were selected as 2 of the 10 finalists. James Morrissey, Professor of Biological Chemistry, presented his novel platform for the reversal of all types of heparin in current clinical use. James Shayman, Professor of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, presented his work on next generation inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthase for the treatment of neuronopathic and non-neuronopathic glycosphingolipid storage disorders. In addition to Drs. Morrissey and Shayman, previous S2S finalist, Mukesh Nyati, Professor of Radiation Oncology, participated in a panel to discuss his progress since presenting as a finalist in 2019. S2S offered these three inventors unparalleled exposure to more than 230 entrepreneurs, executives and venture capitalists.

“Receiving an invitation to attend S2S for a fourth time is a tremendous honor for U-M,” said Dave Repp, senior associate director of ventures at Innovation Partnerships. “Seeing three of our incredible inventors pitch to an auditorium filled with so many leaders in drug development was a very proud moment. It’s an achievement to have one project be selected to present, so to have three was truly extraordinary.”