Funding with Alternative Capital Sources
Monday, June 2, 2025 | 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Securing funding remains a critical challenge for emerging companies, particularly in the biotech, medical device, and surgical instrumentation sectors. While traditional capital sources—angel investors, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, and venture capital—each come with their strategies and nuances, a wide range of alternative funding options have emerged over the past five decades.
This program will explore these often overlooked or misunderstood sources of capital, including non-dilutive funding such as federal and state grants, venture studios and foundries, strategic partnerships, and other creative financing mechanisms.
Join us for a dynamic discussion covering:
- The evolving landscape of non-traditional funding
- Strategic Partnerships with Big Pharma
- The role and impact of incubators, accelerators, and nonprofits
- Key policy considerations under the current administration
Come hear from seasoned experts as they share strategies and critical insights for securing non-dilutive funding—essential tools for emerging companies striving to survive, compete, and grow in today’s challenging landscape of tightening capital. Our panel features Jon Weaver, CEO of Mass Biomedical Initiative; Gary Magnant, founder of Formation Venture Engineering, a venture foundry; Julie Fife, Managing Partner at DeBusk & Fife and a leading authority on government grant funding; and Imran Nasrullah, Chief Business Officer of Grove Biopharmaceuticals and former U.S. Head of BD&L/Open Innovation at Bayer AG, as well as U.S. Search & Evaluation at Boehringer-Ingelheim.
The discussion will be moderated by John Hession, a veteran emerging company attorney, longtime angel investor, and recent member of the Investment Advisory Committee for Hub Angels VII.
Following the panel, join us for a lively, moderated Q&A session, where your questions and insights will enrich the conversation.
Gain actionable insights into how early-stage life sciences companies can diversify their funding strategies and strengthen their position for long-term success.
Panelists
MODERATOR
John Hession, Advisory Board, Hub Angels
John has been an emerging company business attorney and angel investor for four decades. He has worked with over 400 companies at various growth stages and industries, including life sciences, biotechnology, and medical devices, and has structured approximately $10Bn in private company financings, debt, and equity.
Jon Weaver, CEO, Massachusetts Biomedical Initiative
Jon is the President and CEO of MBI, a regional hub of the life sciences industry in Central, MA, focused on establishing the region as a global biomanufacturing hub. MBI achieves that mission by incubating early-stage life science companies, growing the biotech cluster, and building a diverse life science workforce.
Gary Paul Magnant, Founder, Formation Venture Engineering
Co-founder and General Partner at Formation Venture Engineering – a firm that builds and invests in life science companies. Co-Founder and former CEO of Thrive Bioscience, Inc., Sage Science, Inc., and Owl Scientific (now part of Thermo Fisher). Gary serves on numerous life science company boards and enjoys mentoring younger entrepreneurs.
Julie L. Fife, PhD, Managing Partner, DeBusk & Fife
Julie is Managing Partner at DeBusk & Fife, a boutique firm devoted to helping healthcare-focused small businesses secure non-dilutive funding for innovative diagnostics, drugs, devices, and research tools. She has more than 15 years of domestic and international experience in various materials science, imaging, and human health-related fields. She previously worked as a Civilian Employee for the US Army, and she also led teams of international researchers and industrial clients at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.
Imran Nasrullah, MS, JD, CBO, Grove Biopharmaceuticals
Imran is an outcomes-driven biopharmaceutical leader recognized for delivering innovation and being creative, dynamic, and cross-functionally capable. He has extensive experience covering business development, alliance management, partnering, and licensing activities in diagnostics, personalized medicine, therapeutics, and technology platforms. He has a proven track record from Boehringer Ingelheim, Massbio, Genzyme Genetics, and Millennium Pharmaceuticals.
Sponsors
