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2025 Final Agenda

CHI's 3rd Annual

Clinical Trial Venture, Innovation & Partnering

Accelerating Innovation, Accessibility and Scale

February 4 - 5, 2025 ALL TIMES EST

SCOPE Summit’s Clinical Trial Venture, Innovation & Partnering Conference takes place February 4-5, 2025, in Orlando, FL. This premier boutique conference runs in parallel with the 16th annual SCOPE Summit (Summit for Clinical Ops Executives). The 3rd Annual Clinical Trial Venture, Innovation & Partnering conference brings together senior-level investors, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and start-up leaders, from the clinical trials space. This high-level event consists of thought-provoking, industry-led panels, fireside chats, and numerous networking opportunities for CEOs, investors, and potential acquirers, to foster meaningful connections. You are invited to join us at this conference, focused on venture and innovation, to acquire valuable strategic insights, honest perspectives, and practical business recommendations for collaboration and investment. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to explore the exhibit hall and connect with both emerging and established companies in this field, enabling you to grasp the direction the industry is heading.

Tuesday, February 4

1:00 pm

Registration Open

3:25 pm

Organizer's Welcome Remarks

3:25 pm

Co-Chair Welcome Remarks

Jessica J. Federer, Board Member, Angelini Ventures

Sunny Kumar, Partner, GSR Ventures

Rana Lonnen, General Partner, Science Capital

3:30 pm

Session Moderator's Remarks

Shwen Gwee, Founder & Chief Disruptor, Health Disruptors, Inc.

3:35 pm

Identifying and Addressing Pharma's Unmet Needs: Strategic Insights for Investment

PANEL MODERATOR:

Jodi Akin, Founder, Hawthorne Health

This panel will examine key challenges and unmet needs in the pharmaceutical industry. Attendees will gain an understanding of clinical operational demands and innovation opportunities, helping them make informed investment decisions. The discussion will bridge clinical operations and investment strategies, highlighting trends and high-potential opportunities in the evolving clinical trial landscape.

PANELISTS:

David Apfel, Executive Director, Head, External Innovation, R&D Data Science and Digital Health, Johnson & Johnson

Nils Bottler, Principal, Angelini Ventures

Brian Matesic, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners

Sam Srivastava, CEO, WCG

4:15 pm

FIRESIDE CHAT: Driving ROI in Clinical Trials with Real-World Data Innovation

David Apfel, Executive Director, Head, External Innovation, R&D Data Science and Digital Health, Johnson & Johnson

Brigham Hyde and a pharmaceutical partner will reveal how real-world data is transforming clinical development, enabling faster, smarter decisions that reduce costs and time-to-market. By leveraging these data assets for rapid hypothesis testing, protocol optimization, and regulatory alignment, this innovation not only accelerates drug development but also offers a significant return on investment. Investors will gain insights into how these advancements create a competitive advantage in the evolving clinical trials landscape.

Interviewed By:

Brigham Hyde, CEO, Atropos Health & Venture Partner, Audere Capital LLC, Atropos Health

4:40 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION:

Start-Up Company Showcase

PANEL MODERATOR:

Shwen Gwee, Founder & Chief Disruptor, Health Disruptors, Inc.

Today’s start-ups are leveraging breakthrough technologies to innovate, automate, and revolutionize clinical trial design and efficiency, improve patient engagement, and overcome regulatory hurdles to accelerate clinical research success. This panel highlights the work of five startup technology companies and their missions to transform and advance healthcare.

PANELISTS:

Sebastien Coppe, CEO, ONE2TREAT

Angela Holmes, CEO, OMNISCIENCE

Sohit Gatiganti, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, GROVE AI

Kalyan Obalampalli, Founder & President, CLIN.AI

Paresh Shah, Founder and CEO, CLINILINK HEALTH

5:55 pm

Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall

Wind down at the end of a busy session day with colleagues and old and new friends. Networking is always in full swing at this reception, so raise a glass with your favorite exhibitors and take a chance at winning one of our fabulous raffle prizes (must be present to win). Continue your networking over dinner at one of the Rosen Shingle Creek's fine dining or casual restaurants and eliminate the need to face Orlando traffic.

7:15 pm

Close of Day

Wednesday, February 5

8:30 am

Registration and Morning Coffee

9:00 am

Organizer's Welcome Remarks

9:00 am

Co-Chair Welcome Remarks

Jessica J. Federer, Board Member, Angelini Ventures

Sunny Kumar, Partner, GSR Ventures

Rana Lonnen, General Partner, Science Capital

9:05 am

Session Moderator's Remarks

Jennifer Levin Carter, CEO, Medzown

9:10 am

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Shaping Tomorrow's Clinical Trial Market Today: Deal Trends and AI's Role

Shane C. Senior, Managing Director & Owner, Crosstree Capital Partners, Inc.

The clinical trial market is transforming, driven by tech-enabled services and AI. In this session, Shane, Senior, Managing Director, and Co-Founder of Crosstree, will examine how past investments and acquisitions have shaped the industry and highlight future strategic value-creation opportunities. AI is both a threat and opportunity hiding in plain sight that will influence winning and losing investment strategies. As the industry pivots towards tech and AI-integrated solutions, the future is clear: investing in tech-enabled services today is critical for staying competitive and avoiding obsolescence in the rapidly evolving landscape of clinical trials.

9:35 am
PANEL DISCUSSION:

Where Are Investors Placing Their Bets? An Oxford-Style Debate

PANEL MODERATOR:

Jessica J. Federer, Board Member, Angelini Ventures

In a rapidly evolving clinical trial landscape, where are investors directing their capital? This dynamic panel features experts from private equity, venture capital, and corporate ventures discussing emerging trends and technologies reshaping the industry. Expect lively debates on investment strategies and the flexibility needed to adapt to market shifts, providing attendees with real-time insights into the critical factors driving investment decisions in clinical trial innovation.

PANELISTS:

Sofia Guerra, Vice President, Bessemer Venture Partners

Christina L. Jenkins, Co-Founder & General Partner, Convergent Ventures LLC

Sunny Kumar, Partner, GSR Ventures

Carrie Williams, Vice President & Partner, McKesson Ventures

Blake Wu, Partner, Healthcare Team, New Enterprise Associates NEA

10:15 am
PANEL DISCUSSION:

Fueling Innovation: How Pharma Venture Arms Are Transforming Clinical Trials

PANEL MODERATOR:

Jeremy P. Goldberg, Operating Partner, Healthcare, Arsenal Capital Partners

This panel features leaders from the venture arms of major pharmaceutical companies and prominent investors, offering insights into how they are deploying capital to drive innovation in clinical trials. Speakers will delve into the evolving investment strategies of large pharma, highlighting specific areas of focus and examples of technology-driven advancements transforming clinical operations. This conversation will provide a unique and educational perspective on how these investments are shaping the future of clinical trial innovation

PANELISTS:

Konstantina Katcheves, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Alliance Management and Acquisitions, Teva Pharmaceuticals

John R. Pavletic, Executive Director, Lilly Ventures

Dave Stevenson, Managing Director, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund

Kindra Tatarsky, Partner, Cerity Partners Ventures

10:55 am
Recruitment 2.0: Creating the Infrastructure and Marketplace for the Next Generation of Clinical Trials

Manuri Gunawardena, CEO, Executive, HealthMatch

Join Manuri Gunawardena, CEO & Founder of HealthMatch to hear how HealthMatch is recreating the traditional patient recruitment model, powering SMOs and pharma alike.

HealthMatch is creating the infrastructure and marketplace for a more efficient recruitment environment, desperately needed with an avalanche of new therapies reaching clinical due to rapidly increasing breakthroughs unlocked by new technology.

Manuri will touch on HealthMatch's journey to date, why patients and site's alike are empowered by the model and how laying the infrastructure, enabled by AI is critical for a productive clinical research environment moving forward.

11:05 am

Networking Coffee Break

11:35 am
KEYNOTE PANEL DISCUSSION:

Leading the Future of Clinical Trials: CEO and Founders' Perspectives on Innovation and Transformation

PANEL MODERATOR:

Rana Lonnen, General Partner, Science Capital

This panel will feature four leading CEOs and founders discussing key challenges and high-impact innovations in clinical trial design. Topics include digital twins, process automation, and competitive data use. Learn how these leaders are driving efficiency and success while creating lucrative investment opportunities in the evolving clinical trial landscape.

PANELISTS:

Liz Beatty, Chief Strategy Officer, Inato

Scott Chetham, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Faro Health

Zach Taft, CEO, IgniteData

Emmanual Walckenaer, CEO, Yseop

12:15 pm
Revolutionizing Clinical Trials with AI: Bridging Complexity and Speed for a New Era of Innovation

Maree Beare, CEO, Clinials

Maree Beare, CEO, Clinials Clinical trials face rising complexity, demanding faster, more efficient, and inclusive solutions. Clinials leverages AI to streamline protocols, accelerate site feasibility, and enhance stakeholder communication, saving time and costs, creating a new standard for communication in the life sciences industry. With multilingual tools promoting diversity and a global expansion roadmap, Clinials transforms trials into smarter, faster, and more inclusive processes, delivering life-changing treatments sooner.

12:25 pm

Networking Luncheon

As part of the VIP Summit, join us for a special luncheon where you can collaborate, network, and connect with industry leaders. Enjoy a relaxed environment to share insights and build relationships, all while staying in the session room for seamless participation. This is an opportunity to engage with your peers in a focused, interactive setting.

1:25 pm

Session Moderator's Remarks

Raolat M. Abdulai, MD, MMSc, CMO, Galvani Bioelectronics

1:30 pm
FIRESIDE CHAT:

Driving Innovation in Clinical Trials: Insights for Investors from Industry Leaders

Jennifer Levin Carter, CEO, Medzown

Julie A. Ross, President & CEO, Advanced Clinical

Join Julie Ross, CEO of Advanced Clinical, and Deirdre BeVard, SVP of R&D Strategic Operations at CSL, for an engaging fireside chat on the evolving landscape of clinical trials and its implications for investors. This session will explore how market shifts, regulatory changes, and innovation requirements are reshaping clinical development. Key discussion points include: Navigating new pressures such as decentralized trials, patient-centric approaches, and evolving disease profiles. Addressing the gap between market innovations and their impact on timelines.Strategies for aligning investments with emerging regulatory and market demands. Drawing from their unique perspectives—spanning contract research organizations (CROs) and pharma—Julie and Deirdre will share actionable insights into what’s driving success, where challenges remain, and how the investment community can play a pivotal role in supporting the next wave of clinical trial innovation. Perfect for investors seeking to understand the changing dynamics of clinical development and identify opportunities for impactful investment.

1:55 pm
Unlocking Value: Transforming Clinical Business Operations with AI-Powered Solutions by Strategikon

Anca Copaescu, CEO, Strategikon Pharma

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the clinical business operations landscape, enabling unprecedented levels of efficiency, transparency, and strategic insight. Strategikon showcases its cutting-edge AI-powered solutions that redefine how biopharmaceutical companies and their service providers manage outsourcing, budgeting, and vendor relationships .Attendees will gain insight into how Strategikon's innovative tools streamline complex clinical trial workflows, enhance data-driven decision-making, and accelerate development timelines, ultimately improving patient outcomes. We will demonstrate how our advanced AI capabilities not only reduce operational inefficiencies but also create tangible value by driving cost savings and improving predictability in clinical development. Join us to discover how Strategikon is shaping the future of clinical operations, delivering measurable impact for stakeholders across the biopharmaceutical ecosystem.

2:05 pm
FACILITATED ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

Roundtable Discussions are informal, moderated discussions, allowing participants to exchange ideas and experiences and develop future collaborations around a focused topic. Each discussion will be led by a facilitator who keeps the discussion on track and the group engaged. To get the most out of this format, please come prepared to share examples from your work, be a part of a collective, problem-solving session, and participate in active idea sharing.


Table 1: Strategies for Successful Transactions, Acquisitions, and Investments in Healthcare

Moderator: Dexter Braff, President and Founder, The Braff Group


Table 2: Advancing Health Equity and Women's Health: A Strategic Opportunity in Clinical Trial Investments

Moderator: Denise Bronner, PhD, Founder & CEO, Empactful Ventures


Table 3: Tailoring Technology to Better Support Your Patient-Centered Trial

Moderator: Charlotte Bradshaw, CEO & Founder, Evrima ​

2:35 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION:

Investing in AI for Clinical Trials: Navigating Risk and Maximizing ROI

PANEL MODERATOR:

Mitesh Rao, MD, Founder & CEO, OMNY

AI is transforming clinical trials, but understanding the investment landscape is crucial. This panel, featuring experts from venture capital, pharma, and healthcare, will explore key factors in AI investments for clinical trial technologies. Topics include data deployment, infrastructure challenges, and cybersecurity risks. Gain valuable insights to assess the true potential of AI-driven solutions and make informed investment decisions that balance risk with ROI.

PANELISTS:

Dana Callow, Founder & Managing Partner, Boston Millennia Partners

Jill Johnston, Chief Innovation Officer, WCG Clinical

Brian Martin, Chief AI Product Owner, BTS; Head of AI, R&D Information Research; Senior Research Fellow, AbbVie, Inc.

Prasanna Rao, Chief Products and Innovation Officer, Saama

3:15 pm

Visionary Leadership in Clinical Trial Innovation: A Fireside Chat with Miruna Sasu

Miruna Sasu, President and CEO, COTA, Inc.

Join us for an inspiring fireside chat with Miruna Sasu, Chief Executive Officer at COTA and a trailblazer in life sciences innovation. With decades of leadership experience at top-tier organizations like Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb, Miruna has revolutionized the integration of real-world data and digital strategies to accelerate drug development.This engaging conversation will explore her transformative journey, the promise of real-world data in oncology, and the strategic mindset needed to drive scalable innovation. Miruna’s passion for mentoring future leaders and advancing patient outcomes will energize and challenge investors to reimagine the potential of clinical trial technology.Discover the opportunities to invest in visionary solutions that bridge cutting-edge technology and meaningful healthcare advancements. Let this session inspire your investment strategies and empower women in leadership to shape the future of clinical trial innovation. 

Interviewed By:

Lori Ellis, Head of Insights, BioSpace

3:40 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION:

Unlocking the Patient Recruitment Puzzle: A Smart Investment in Enhancing the Patient Experience and the Future of Trials

PANEL MODERATOR:

Laura Y. Hilty, Principal, Investments & Growth, HealthX Ventures

Patient recruitment remains one of the biggest challenges in clinical trials, but where are the real opportunities? This panel will dive into the latest strategies and innovations in patient recruitment, uncovering what’s actually driving success. We'll explore the market potential of these approaches and assess whether investing in patient recruitment technologies and solutions could be a game-changing move for investors seeking long-term value in the clinical trial landscape.

PANELISTS:

Sean Lynch, Clinical Innovation Head, Innovative Trial Operations, Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Denise Bronner, PhD, Founder & CEO, Empactful Ventures

Eirini Schlosser, Founder & CEO, Dyania Health

Delmonize Smith, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Acclinate

4:20 pm

Co-Chair Closing Remarks

Sunny Kumar, Partner, GSR Ventures

4:25 pm

Close of Summit