Activation Capital

Activation Capital has announced the selection of 10 fast-growing startups from across the country for the inaugural Frontier BioHealth program, which commenced with an in-person gathering on August 8-9, 2024! Each company will benefit from highly specialized training, targeted mentorship, and extensive relationship-building opportunities to accelerate its growth in the life sciences and healthtech sectors. Frontier BioHealth by Activation Capital is an educational and support program designed to provide highly specialized training, targeted mentorship, and relationship building to help scale pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and health-focused consumer products companies. As an independent nonprofit corporation operating on behalf of the Virginia Research Biotechnology Partnership Authority, Activation Capital is committed to advancing life sciences and other cutting-edge technologies through scientific research, commercialization, and ecosystem development. The innovative startups selected for Frontier BioHealth are Atticus, GenAssist, Gisens Biotech, KeViRx, Inc., Light Switch Bio, Oncoustics, OrthoPreserve, Pele Therapeutics, Rapid Forensic Cell Typing, Inc, and Vizma Life Sciences. “Frontier BioHealth embodies Activation Capital’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the life sciences,” said Jim Pannucci, PhD, Vice President of Entrepreneurship at Activation Capital. “We are excited to see how these talented startups will leverage our resources and mentorship to make a significant impact in their fields. This program not only supports these innovative companies but also strengthens the Richmond entrepreneurial ecosystem, making it a thriving hub for future growth and success.” Funded (in part) through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the program offers access to a wide variety of resources from Activation Capital and its national-level partnerships with gener8tor, FedTech, and Fat Robin Consulting. Participants will benefit from tailored educational programming, expert coaching from global thought leaders and serial biomedical entrepreneurs, investor access, corporate partnerships, and fully funded travel to Richmond, VA. Read more about the 10 startups selected for the inaugural Frontier BioHealth program here: https://lnkd.in/gaZjintK #FrontierBioHealth #ActivationCapital #VABioTechPark #InnovationEcosystem #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Startups #LifeSciences #Healthcare #Pharmaceutical #BioTech #MedicalDevice

Empowering women, advancing science! Activation Capital is proud to sponsor Women Building Bio, a one-day event on September 25 dedicated to uniting and inspiring life sciences professionals. Join us for impactful presentations, engaging Q&A sessions, and excellent networking in the biotech industry. Let’s shape the future together! https://lnkd.in/e6Kxbyrk #WomenInScience #BioInnovation #LifeSciences #WomenBuildingBio Virginia Bio

We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible strides being made by VA Bio+Tech Park member, Perfusion Medical! 🎉 Perfusion Medical, a Virginia Commonwealth University startup, has been awarded $1.8M by the U.S. Air Force to advance the development of a groundbreaking drug aimed at treating massive blood loss in trauma patients. We are proud to have such a visionary company as part of our VA Bio+Tech Park community, driving innovation and making a significant impact in the medical field. 🚀 Read more about this exciting development here: https://lnkd.in/eAFMYtFw #Innovation #MedicalBreakthroughs #BioTechPark #LifeSciences #HealthcareInnovation #ActivationCapital

Attention all finance professionals! Activation Capital is seeking an Accounting Manager who thrives in a hands-on environment and is ready to lead our accounting operations. If you’re someone who can handle annual budgeting, grant accounting, and performance reporting, we want to hear from you! Join us in our mission to foster innovation and make a difference in Central Virginia. This is your chance to be part of an entrepreneurial team that is changing the landscape of tech and business. https://lnkd.in/eJ9ft54a #JobOpening #Employment #AccountingManager #Hiring #JobSeekers #CareerDevelopment #Entrepreneurs #Innovation #ActivationCapital

🚀 What an amazing start to Frontier BioHealth! Last Thursday and Friday, we kicked off an incredible journey with our inaugural cohort of 10 groundbreaking startups, poised to revolutionize life sciences innovation. The kickoff event was hosted at the VA Bio+Tech Park, providing the perfect backdrop for this exciting launch. Meet our cohort: Atticus Pharma, GenAssist, Gisens Biotech, KeViRx, Inc., Light Switch Bio, Oncoustics, OrthoPreserve, Pele Therapeutics, Rapid Forensic Cell Typing, Inc, and Vizma.AI. A special thank you to our national partners, gener8tor, Fat Robin, and FedTech for their invaluable support and collaboration. We also want to express our gratitude to our guest speakers and everyone who joined us—your energy and ideas are shaping the future of health. Here’s to new beginnings and groundbreaking discoveries! 🧬 If you're interested in learning more about the program or mentoring opportunities, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eWRg5Csq Funded [in part] through a Grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration. #FrontierBioHealth #ActivationCapital #VABioTechPark #InnovationEcosystem #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Startups #LifeSciences #Healthcare #Pharmaceutical #BioTech #MedicalDevice

Exciting times ahead! We are thrilled to see the Inclusive Community Development Committee taking steps to support and grow the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Central Virginia. Together, we can drive innovation and foster a thriving ecosystem for all. Looking forward to all the great things to come!

We're #hiring! The Accounting Manager role will organize our organization’s financial systems and records to accommodate our unique structure and growth plans. This is a hands-on opportunity with an entrepreneurial team on a mission to super charge innovation in Central Virginia! The Accounting Manager will be responsible for leading Activation Capital's day-to-day accounting operations ensuring compliance and the span of work will encompass annual budgeting and forecasting support, grant accounting, management and performance reporting, and more. Do you believe in the power of innovation to change the world? If so, use the link below to learn more about joining our mission is to grow Virginia’s community of advanced tech entrepreneurs and empowering them to solve the world’s toughest problems: https://lnkd.in/eJ9ft54a #JobOpening #Employment #AccountingManager #Hiring #JobSeekers #CareerDevelopment #Entrepreneurs #Innovation

Please join us in welcoming Robert Ward as Activation Capital’s interim president and chief executive officer. Robert is a senior executive with over 25 years of experience leading organizations, driving strategy and innovation, developing high performing teams and executing complex transactions! He has served as Virginia’s chief transformation officer where he supported agency secretaries with technologies to improve their operations. And prior to that, he was senior adviser to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Robert has also served previously as the president and CEO for Skanska Commercial Development U.S., where he set the strategic direction of the company while driving continuous improvement through operational effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation. “We are excited to welcome Rob Ward as interim CEO of Activation Capital,” said VCU President and Activation Capital board chair Michael Rao. “Rob brings extensive experience in corporate real estate and strategic development in his career at Skanska, a background that will help us advance Activation Capital’s mission and capital project priorities. As a Virginia Tech alumnus and Virginia resident, Rob understands Virginia and our strengths as an ideal location to grow pharmaceutical manufacturing and innovative biotechnology industries.” Read more about Robert Ward and his role as Activation Capital’s interim president and chief executive officer here: https://lnkd.in/dKbJaK_f #ActivationCapital #InnovationEcosystem #VirginiaTopState #BusinessExcellence #Innovation #Pharmaceutical #Biotech #Biohealth #LifeSciences #Startup #Entrepreneurship

Don't miss tomorrow's "Petersburg Empower Hour - Unlocking Business Opportunities" featuring Vanessa Womack, Inclusive Community Development Coordinator consultant at Activation Capital and the Alliance for Building Better Medicine. Join us on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM EDT at the City Point Innovation Resource Center in Petersburg, VA. This monthly event, hosted by The Metropolitan Business League, is a fantastic opportunity for business leaders, decision makers, and community builders to share business opportunities, explore potential partnerships, and learn from each other. Tomorrow's event will feature a thought-provoking workshop on "Why Inclusive Community Development is Critical to Grow the APM and Biotech Ecosystem in Region 4." Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gHwspQ9f

Exciting times at Activation Capital as we review nearly 150 applications for our Frontier BioHealth program! We’re thrilled to see that 62% of applicants have technologies beyond the lab R&D stage, representing diverse areas of interest including life sciences/biotech, pharma, medical devices, deep tech, and more. The program kicks off in person on August 8-9, and we can't wait to introduce the 5-10 companies selected for the initial cohort. Look out for an exciting showcase event in mid-November, where the region will have the opportunity to learn about these innovative ventures—stay tuned for more details! https://lnkd.in/e3SwKNWJ #FrontierBioHealth #Innovation #LifeSciences #StartupSupport #ActivationCapital #Biotech #HealthcareInnovation gener8tor FedTech Fat Robin