Forum Explores Foundation Funding Options

Perhaps hungry young life-science companies could learn from people suffering from more basic forms of hunger: sometimes the help of a non-profit can be a life saver.

Too often, non-profits are not among the bright blips on entrepreneurs’ funding- source radar. And in an era of angel and venture paucity, specialized foundation grants might be the ticket to improved prosperity – especially in health-care discoveries.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center and CED want to help life-science entrepreneurs throughout the state learn more about uncorking the foundation genie with their next Biotech Forum on Wednesday, December 7, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Shy VCs moving toward later-stage companies

Even as traditional venture capital investment in biotech firms has flattened (see chart below) and tightened even more for earlier-stage companies, foundation funding opportunities are believed to be growing, both in number and size (see Michael J. Fox example below).

And the benefits of foundation funding extend beyond the cash involved. Recipients generally get access to thought leaders, and the vetting process leading to a foundation grant lends valuable credibility to the technology and the company from recognized experts.

Foundation funding is also valuable because it’s usually non-dilutive, given without the need to turn over part of the company for the money.

Panel of foundation experts offers inside scoop

This Biotech Forum, to be held at the Biotechnology Center in Research Triangle Park, will field a panel of experts discussing such topics as best practices for receiving foundation funding and how to develop and make the most of relationships with these organizations.

The panel, to be moderated by Peter Ginsberg, the Biotechnology Center’s vice president of Business & Technology Development, includes:

• Bob Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Tracey Mumford, associate director, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
• Eileen Neacy, chief operating officer, CHDI Foundation (Huntington’s Disease)
• Max Wallace, CEO, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure

Advance registration is $20 for CED members and $40 for non-members. On-site registration, available from 5 to 5:30, is an additional $10 for each category.

The program runs from 5:30 to 7, followed by a networking hour.

Here's the yearly first- and third-quarter U.S. biotech venture capital investment since 1995, from the current MoneyTree Report – a project of PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association using data from Thomson Reuters 

Millions Invested in Parkinson’s Research by Michael J. Fox Foundation, 2001-2010