Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Partner operating in the Life Science space. If you think a Partner is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Pamir Gelenbe
Venture Partner of Hummingbird Ventures
Pamir is a Managing Partner at Libertus Capital and invests on decentralised systems, entreprise blockchain, and digital assets. He is an investor in Kraken, Ledger, Crypto Facilities and Shapeshift. Previously, he served as a Partner at Hummingbird Ventures, and also worked at Morgan Stanley and D.E. Shaw. Pamir graduated from Duke University and Columbia University with a BSc. in Electrical Engineering and MSc. in Operations Research.
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About CryptoFacilities, Gram Games, Hummingbird Ventures, Libertus Capital, On Device Research, ShapeShift: Hummingbird Ventures is a venture capital fund for high-growth digital media and software companies.
Firat Ileri
Partner of Hummingbird Ventures
Firat is a Partner at Hummingbird Ventures. His current portfolio includes Armut, Argent, Aspire, Billiontoone, Brigit, Ciceksepeti, Instacarro, Kernal Biologics and Layer. He previously worked with Frontier Car Group, Gram Games, Peak Games and Merlin prior to their acquisition. He is interested in marketplaces, frontier tech, fintech and gaming. Previously, he worked at J.P. Morgan at the Emerging Markets Structuring and Solutions group. He received B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Management Science and a Master of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT.
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About Hummingbird Ventures, Layer: Hummingbird Ventures is a venture capital fund for high-growth digital media and software companies.
Reza Halse
Partner, RA Ventures of RA Capital Management
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About MRL Ventures Fund, RA Capital Management: RA Capital Management is an investment advisor specializing in the life-sciences and drug development sectors.
Kevin Johnson
Co-Founder & Partner of Medicxi Ventures
Prior to co-founding Medicxi Ventures, Kevin was a partner with Index Ventures for 12 years, having joined the firm’s life sciences team in 2003. Kevin spearheaded Index’very first experimental asset-centric investment, in PanGenetics, which was later acquired by Abbott Pharmaceuticals. He was formerly on the board of directors of Versartis (Nasdaq: VSAR) and is currently involved with include Acutus and Levicept among others. Prior to joining Index, Kevin was with Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), where he was appointed Head of Research in 1994 and, in 1997, Research Director and Chief Technology Officer. He led the development of CAT’s platform technologies and their application in the discovery of a number of human antibodies, two of which are now on the market: Humira (Abbott Pharmaceuticals) and Benlysta (GlaxoSmithKline). Kevin was part of the management team that floated CAT on the London Stock Exchange; it was subsequently acquired by AstraZeneca.Kevin received a BSc in Molecular Biology from Edinburgh University and a PhD in Pathology from Cambridge University.
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About Medicxi Ventures, PanGenetics: Medicxi is a life sciences-focused investment firm.
Richard Lee
Operating Partner of Medicxi Ventures
Richard Lee is the Operating Partner at Medicxi.
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About Medicxi Ventures, Medicxi Ventures: Medicxi is a life sciences-focused investment firm.
Simon Fulbrook
Partner of Goodwin Procter
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About Goodwin Procter: Goodwin Procter provides corporate law and litigation services.
Richard Lever
Partner of Goodwin Procter
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About Goodwin Procter: Goodwin Procter provides corporate law and litigation services.
Peter Finan
Partner of Epidarex Capital
Pete Finan is the former head of the Novartis Institute of BioMedical Research (NIBR) site in the UK where he oversaw the activities of 350 scientists and clinicians working in the respiratory disease area. Prior to this he was an Executive Director in the Developmental and Molecular Pathways department at NIBR in Cambridge, Massachusetts leading programs in oncology, inflammation and regenerative medicine and Head of Biology at Karus Therapeutics. Pete is also a Partner at Epidarex Capital and has led / co-led the financing of six new companies in the Epidarex portfolio. He has a BSc and PhD from the University of Leeds.
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About AdoRx Therapeutics, Enterprise Therapeutics, Epidarex Capital: Epidarex invests in early-stage, high growth life science and health technology companies in under-ventured markets within the UK and them.
Hugo Harrod
Partner of MVM Life Science Partners
Hugo is a partner at MVM Life Sciences LLP, a venture capital firm with over $500 million under management, investing in technologies and products for the life science and healthcare markets. Before joining MVM Life Sciences LLP, he qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG working with biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients. Hugo is a member of the boards of Horizon Discovery Ltd, Vantia Limited and eZono AG. Hugo has a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from Oxford University.
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About MVM Life Science Partners: MVM Life Science Partners is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in start-up, early stage, mid venture, late venture.
Thomas Casdagli
Partner of MVM Life Science Partners
Tom joined MVM in 2002. Before joining MVM, he qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Tom has a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from Oxford University. Tom is a member of the boards of Alliance Pharma plc and Patient Connect Service Ltd. He was previously a director of Xention Pharma and Lombard Medical Technologies plc.
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About MVM Life Science Partners: MVM Life Science Partners is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in start-up, early stage, mid venture, late venture.
Neil Akhurst
Finance Partner of MVM Life Science Partners
Neil joined MVM in 2008 and is the firm’s Finance Partner. Before joining MVM, he qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Neil has a Master’s degree in Physics from Oxford University.
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About MVM Life Science Partners: MVM Life Science Partners is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in start-up, early stage, mid venture, late venture.
Sam Gray
Managing Partner of Apposite Capital
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About Apposite Capital, OrthoD Group: Apposite Capital is a London-based investment firm focused on healthcare services and life sciences companies.
Laura Fletcher
Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships in Theraputics of Deep Science Ventures
Before joining DSV, Laura was Associate Director of Cancer Research UK’s Commercial Partnerships team, heading the Strategic Alliances function which drives the charity’s strategic drug discovery and platform relationships with a range of commercial partners. Her other experience at CRUK and Cancer Research Technology over 14 years included transacting a wide range of significant licenses, collaboration, and spin-out deals. She holds a 1st class degree in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in cell signaling from the University of Bristol and has additionally worked in academic and commercial research roles in the US and the UK.
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About Deep Science Ventures: DSV is a venture studio and a fund that develops a systematic, optimized approach to science company development and investment.
