Indiana’s life sciences community is teeming with innovation and activity — from strategic company acquisitions and entrepreneurial startups to facility expansions and new life-saving pharma and medical device products on the market.
The capital market continues to be a critical piece of this ecosystem. More, and new, money is needed to bolster our younger companies. The State of Indiana’s commitment to invest $250 million in the Next Level Fund — for both early-stage and high-growth companies seeking capital – is a testament from state leadership that Indiana’s interrelated tech and life sciences industries will have everything to do with the future growth of Indiana’s 21st-century economy.
Recently, Indiana’s life sciences sector delivered a resounding “proof of concept” of the difference that early-stage capital funding could make when it comes to developing promising innovation. Eli Lilly and Company in late February acquired CoLucid, a late-stage development startup for the novel treatment of migraine headache pain, for $960 million. CoLucid was developed for commercialization through a major business transaction originally capitalized and led by the participating firms in the Indiana Future Fund, a $73 million venture capital fund-of-funds that BioCrossroads organized in 2003.
The IFF was a trailblazer in bringing new capital to the state, and by 2009, it was time to create the next generation of IFF. BioCrossroads helped organize INext, which has continued to fuel Indiana’s life sciences companies.
What has been the impact of these funds? How have they influenced Indiana’s life sciences sector? What else can be done to increase Indiana’s share of the capital market?
Join us for a discussion about Indiana’s life sciences capital market from the original organizers and leaders of these funds and hear from the companies who succeeded as a result of the influx of funding. Speakers include:
- Jim Greffet, Business Development, Eli Lilly and Company
- David L. Johnson, President & CEO, BioCrossroads
- David Mann, Managing Partner & Co-founder, Spring Mill Venture Partners
- Oscar Moralez, Founder & Managing Director, VisionTech Partners
- Sid Murdeshwar, Principle, Co-Investments, AlpInvest
- Jayson Punwani, Senior Principal, Pappas Ventures
- Bo Ramsey, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Indiana Public Retirement System
- Rich Reynolds, Vice President, Co-Investments, AlpInvest
- John Rice, Ph.D., Director, Life Sciences, CincyTech LLC
- Kylie Veleta, Reporter, Inside Indiana Business