At the recent Yale University Innovation Summit, Westlake Village BioPartners managing director Sean Harper presented an overview of the current advances in life sciences, his views on what is happening in the biotech venture capital world right now, and also provided some advice to entrepreneurs on how to build a successful business.
As part of Harper’s keynote, he outlined why he believes now is the Golden Age of Biotechnology—a period when technological progress is speeding up the rate of innovation in an exponential manner. Driving this progress is a better understanding of human biology (and how to manipulate it) and a bigger toolkit to attack disease.
Life Sciences Investing Through Fresh Eyes
Being relatively new to the venture capital world, Harper drew on his large-company biopharma experience to provide his perspective on what is happening right now in life sciences investing. He touched on some hot topics, including:
- Sustainability and whether we are in a biotech bubble
- The role of emerging companies and big pharma
- The current feeding frenzy for great science
Harper also provided advice to entrepreneurs on how to build a successful startup, covering areas such as beginning with a solid foundation, building effective relationships, and finding the right VC partners.