Partners
We are a team of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, investors, and operators who actively work alongside startups to help them grow and succeed
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board of the BioFab Startup Lab comprises leading experts in regenerative manufacturing, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, and investment. These distinguished professionals are leveraging their expertise and networks to ensure the success of the Startup Lab, thereby facilitating accelerated commercialization of enabling technologies and regenerative manufacturing therapies.
Engineering and Innovation for Cell Therapy Manufacturing Consultant, EngInn LLC
President & CEO at University City Science Center I Board Member I Global Advisor
Executives in Residence (EIRs)
Our EIRs are experienced professionals and successful entrepreneurs in biotech and innovation. These individuals work closely with the Startup Lab Portfolio Companies to provide mentorship and strategic guidance. The EIRs help drive innovation, accelerate business development, and support growth of companies as they bring cutting-edge technologies to market.
Jonathan Dabora
Jonathan Dabora is a seasoned Company Builder, Innovator and Biopharmaceutical Leader. Jon was instrumental in the financing, development and commercialization of over a dozen new medicines, including ENTRESTO, PROMACTA, KISQALI, NINLARO and BLINCYTO. Jon’s focus is on helping Startup Lab companies to advance regenerative medicine breakthroughs into successful commercial products.
- Market Research
- Therapy Development – Cell Therapies
- Pitch Development & Story Telling
Chris Fraser
Chris Fraser is a Finance and Business Leader who has transformed start-ups into successful mid-sized companies. His expertise spans Finance, General Management, HR, IT, and Customer Service, aiding commercialization journeys. A chartered accountant with an economics degree from Warwick University, he helps start-up lab members with their business development.
- Financial Modeling & Finance Strategy
- Finance Administration & Accounting
- Team & Leadership Development
Sean Finnerty
Sean is a laser-focused sales executive with over two decades of experience driving sales growth. Proven track record in building and leading high-performing sales teams, developing data-driven sales strategies, and optimizing sales processes. Skilled in market research, competitor analysis, and identifying new business opportunities to maximize revenue growth.
- Go-To-Market Strategy
- Team & Leadership Development
- Pitch Development & Storytelling
Adam Jakus
Adam Jakus is a biofabrication champion with tissue therapeutic development and entrepreneurial expertise encompassing product development, IP, manufacturing, team building, storytelling and investment acquisition. He focuses on very early-stage therapeutic companies that need support in establishing their overall strategy and approaches to product development and company growth.
- Therapy Development – Tissue Constructs
- Fundraising & Investor Relations
- Team & Leadership Development
Alexis Kopikis
Entrepreneur, advisor, and brand marketer. Alexis Kopikis uses the power of story to help founders create brands, products, and businesses people love. Founded five tech startups, three creative agencies, and helped two venture platforms — now helping hundreds of companies grow. He shows up, talks less, and does more. His goal is to be a great dad.
- Fundraising & Investor Reations
- Team & Leadership Development
- Pitch Development & Story Telling
Michael Orrico
Michael Orrico has worked in executive business development and technical roles in med-tech, biotech and consulting. He is the previous Managing Director of the BioFab Startup Lab program at ARMI and has led organizations in regenerative therapy for 30 years. Michael holds graduate degrees in business and engineering from Columbia Business School and MIT.
- Clinical Adoption
- Therapy Development – Tissue Constructs
- Manufacturing Scalability
Andrew Osterman
Andrew has deep expertise in reimbursement, payment innovation, and payer/provider relations. He has worked as a program manager for clinical strategy at one of the largest US health insurance companies, served as a faculty member for the American Academy for Orthopedic Surgeons for reimbursement issues, and worked with the internal consulting group at the Mayo Clinic.
- Reimbursement & Revenue
- Fundraising & Investor Relations
- Market Research
Scott Packard
Scott Packard is a strategic financial leader with twenty-five years of experience in fundraising, financial management, FP&A, corporate development, human resources, and strategy. He has raised over $225M in equity and secured $100M in non-dilutive loan guarantees. Scott holds a PhD from Harvard-MIT and a physics degree from Cornell.
- Fundraising & Investor Relations
- Financial Modeling & Finance Strategy
- Pitch Development & Storytelling
Peter Rock
30+ years of financial management and operations experience with a variety of large industrial companies to early stage life science and tech companies. Has lead them to successful debt and equity financings including an IPO. Experience includes strategy / planning, financial management, risk management, HR and business development.
- Finance Administration & Accounting
- Financial Modeling & Finance Strategy
- Team & Leadership Development
Bret Siarkowski
Bret Siarkowski is a serial entrepreneur and technology visionary who has founded several companies, with expertise in AI/ML, med tech, and IP. As founding General Partner of Softeq Venture Fund and MedScience Venture Capital, he’s passionate about mentoring startups with a goal of driving successful exits transforming innovative technologies into market-leading solutions.
- Market Research
- Fundraising & Investor Relations
- Intellectual Property
Roy Wallen
Roy Wallen is a C-level advisor in healthcare technologies, with a focus on startup companies. He has an undergraduate degree in engineering (biomedical focus) and graduate studies in biomedical engineering and business and was the founding CEO of a medtech startup. His focus is on successful commercialization and go-to-market execution.
- Go-To-Market Strategy
- Team & Leadership Development
- Pitch Development & Storytelling
John Willem-Clemente
John Clemente has expertise in product strategy, investor strategy, market and customer research. His personal expertise sits at the intersection of AI, behavior psychology and analytics. John focuses on all things healthcare, specifically stakeholder incentives. John asks thoughtful questions to understand a company’s goals and purpose to provide solutions that will maximize success.
- Market Research
- Customer Research
- Pitch Development & Story Telling
Joe Zitelli
Joseph Zitelli is adept in leading projects from inception through commercialization, including medical devices (orthopedic implants, bone graft substitutes) in clinical use for decades. His specific experience is manufacturing scale-up, testing and product development, QMS, IP, and developing marketing materials. He is an engineer committed to engaging, educating, and mentoring innovation.
- Therapy Development – Orthopedics
- Manufacturing Operations
- Manufacturing Scalability
Executives-in-Residences
The EIR program brings experienced senior professionals and successful entrepreneurs in biotech and innovation to serve as consultants for part of the leadership team for Startup Lab portfolio companies. EIRs provide expertise in partnering, fundraising, go-to-market strategies, board building, operations and product realization.
To apply, please fill out the form provided here.
