New England Healthcare Executive Network Member Meeting
Monday, April 6th, 2026 | 8:00 am – 10:00 am
FOLEY HOAG LLP
Seaport West, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston
Program Description
Raising capital has never been more complex. Market selectivity is high, diligence cycles are longer, and investors are looking for clear signals of capital efficiency, differentiation, and execution readiness.
Join NEHEN for a high-impact discussion on how life sciences companies are getting funded today—and what founders, executives, and investors need to know to compete for capital in 2026.
This program will bring together experienced venture investors and advisors to unpack:
• What Series investors are actually prioritizing right now
• How expectations have shifted around valuation, syndicate construction, and milestones
• Common gaps that derail financings
• What “venture-ready” really means in the current environment
• How founders can position their story, data, and strategy to stand out
Whether you’re actively fundraising, planning ahead, or evaluating opportunities from the investor side, this session will provide practical insights and a real-world perspective from leaders shaping today’s venture landscape.
This year, we’re thrilled to welcome Erez Kaminski, Founder and CEO, Ketryz Corporation; Stephanie Oestreich, Managing Director, Myeloma Investment Fund; and Claire Smith, Partner, SpringTide.
The discussion will be moderated by David Fogel, Managing Director, Swifton CFOs and Member, Mass Medical Angels.
Gain valuable perspectives from these industry leaders as they share their predictions and strategies for the year ahead.
Following the panel, join us for a lively, moderated Q&A session, where your questions and insights will enrich the conversation.
We look forward to seeing you at this dynamic and thought-provoking event!
Meet the Experts:
Stephanie Oestreich
Ph.D. Managing Director, Myeloma Investment Fund (MIF)
Stephanie Oestreich is Managing Director of the Myeloma Investment Fund (MIF). She is also on the faculty of MIT, a member of SpringBoard Ventures, an advisor at grIP Venture Studio, to Biognosys (a Bruker company), Invitris, CART company CelineTx and to the drug development and investment company OrangeGrove Bio. Previously she was Chief Business Officer at Galecto, Vice President at cell therapy company Mnemo Therapeutics, a Venture Partner at RA Capital and Executive Vice President at Evotec where she built its North American investment arm and started an incubator with Samsara BioCapital. She also worked as International Business Leader at F. Roche Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., and for Novartis in Business Development and in Commercial. Stephanie conducted the research for her Ph.D. in biochemistry in the lab of a Nobel Prize winner at Harvard Medical School and obtained an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Claire Smith
Partner, Springtide
Claire is a partner at SpringTide and has spent her career focused at the intersection of healthcare, life sciences, and business. Prior to SpringTide, she was an investor at Meridian Street Capital, where she focused on seed-stage health tech, and Anterra Capital, where she focused on the intersection of biotech and agriculture while launching several animal health startups. Previously, she served as the Chief of Staff at Crestovo, a microbiome therapeutics startup acquired by Finch Therapeutics. She began her career at ClearView Healthcare Partners, a boutique life sciences consultancy, where she advised pharma and biotech clients on a variety of growth strategy topics. Claire holds bachelor’s degrees in biological engineering and management science from MIT. She is on the board of Leash Labs and serves as a board observer at IgniteData and Paterna Biosciences.
Erez Kaminski
Founder and CEO, Ketryx Corporation
Liz Leahy is the Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Engagement and Chief of Staff at the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans where she leads MAHP’s work to engage and deepen relationships with stakeholders across the healthcare industry to advance MAHP’s mission of fighting for affordable, high-quality, and equitable health care. Prior to joining MAHP, Liz worked in private practice civil litigation and with a variety of public interest groups including the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, Community Catalyst, and the Community Dispute Settlement Center. For more than a decade, Liz taught courses at Merrimack College in the Women and Gender Studies Department and Pre-Law minor focused on the intersection of gender studies, law, and public policy and has been a visiting lecturer at Tufts University’s EX-College and Boston University.
Moderated By:
David Fogel
David Fogel, CPA, Managing Director, Swifton CFOs LLC and Member, Mass Medical Angels
David Fogel is Managing Director of Swifton CFOs LLC, an outsourced consulting firm that provides emerging businesses with strategic and cost-effective financial leadership. He is an active member of the screening and due diligence committees of Beacon Angels, TBD Angels, and Mass Medical Angels. As a contributor to the ongoing development of greater Boston’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, he has been an active presenter and panelist with TechStars, MassChallenge, Harvard Medical School, Life Science Nation (RESI Conferences), CleanTech Open, Mass Innovation Network, Greentown Labs, Startup Boston, Tufts University, Babson College, Brown University, Brandeis University, TiE Boston, Enterprise Forum, MIT Smart Start Program, M2D2, MDG, Mass General Hospital Institute, Venture Forum, YouthCities, and NEHEN. David is the Treasurer of the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis and has been on the Board of Directors since 2018. David is an Adjunct Instructor of Finance at Northeastern University for the past seven years teaching Entrepreneurial Finance. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).