We were in Austin, TX, March 9-10 in 2024 for some invigorating panels focusing on biotech, medtech, health, startups and the tech industry more broadly!
The panels took place at the LINE hotel in downtown Austin – Onyx Ballroom 1.
Please see links to session descriptions and panel recordings below.
Date: March 9, 2024
Location: The LINE Hotel – Onyx Ballroom 1, Austin, TX
Go Green to Make Green: The Business Value of Sustainability
10:00am-11:00am
Companies across a wide range of industries are adopting more sustainable, environmentally friendly processes and technologies to reduce costs, improving competitiveness and profitability. Panelists will highlight specific results including higher profit margins, increased VC funding, and expansion into new markets. Biotechnology and other approaches will be featured in this session on how “going green” can help companies gain a competitive edge.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Dr. Marta Pazos, Serial Founder & Scientist
- Dr. Kate Sixt, Principal Director for Biotechnology, the Pentagon
- Chris Kanik, Founder and CEO, SmartCups
- Dr. Staff Sheehan, Co-founder and CTO, Air Company
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
Representation Matters: Improving Health Equity
11:30am-12:30pm
Whether we’re talking about emerging MedTech, new drugs, or cutting-edge care, equitable access is a problem. Approaches to effectively address this must begin with attracting better marginalized representation in research. Hear from leaders in technology, governance, investment, and community engagement about how they are improving health equity through increased diversity and representation in research.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Amy Lin, ARPANET-H Division Director, ARPA-H
- Dr. Del Smith, CEO, Acclinate
- Anya Schiess, Co-Managing Partner, Life Sciences Private Capital, JP Morgan Asset Management
- Bennett Graham, President, Main Street Health
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
What’s Next?! Preparing for the Next Global Health Crisis
2:30pm-3:30pm
Disease outbreak? Zombie apocalypse? Something in between? Whatever comes, we all want to know how to be prepared, for the sake of our family, our business, our community. This diverse panel will address the intersection of technology and policy, community engagement, supply chains, and public-private partnerships to ensure resilience and well-being, no matter what comes next.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Dr. Melissa Berquist, Director, Resilience
- Dr. Gary Disbrow, Director, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
- Dr. Daniel Drezner, Professor, Tufts University
- Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO, Centivax
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
Risk vs Reward: Removing Barriers to Biotech Breakthroughs
4:00pm-5:00pm
Universities and companies across the United States are developing remarkable advances in biotechnology that promise life-altering changes in medicine, manufacturing, and much more. But how can we ensure these innovators have the freedom and resources they need to deliver on this promise? To answer this question, join this discussion with leaders from government, industry, academia, and the investment community.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Dr. Tom Campbell, Founder & CEO, FutureGrasp
- Dr. Alexander Titus, Commissioner, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology
- Dr. Emily Leproust, Founder and CEO, Twist Bioscience
- Dr. Genya Dana, Chief Strategy Officer, BioMADE
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
Networking and Happy Hour
Connect, converse, and collaborate with the diverse group of panelists, organizers, and other participants in today’s program on biotech and health.
5:30pm-7:00pm ATI Program Highlights & Networking
Opening remarks from Dr. Gary Disbrow, Deputy Assistant Secretary Director, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, highlight the Health/Bio security for our nation. Dr. Disbrow will be followed by other Government leaders from BARDA, ARPA-H, JPEO, MRDC providing a 3-5 min talker about how their program contributes to our national security.
- Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) & BioMaP/RRPV Consortium
- Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) & Customer Experience Hub
- Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) & Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC) / CWMD Consortium
- U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (MRDC) & Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC)
March 10, 2024
The LINE Hotel – Onyx Ballroom 1, Austin, TX
Made in America: What’s It Worth?
10:00am-11:00am
From autos to ammo, fragile supply chains have impacted every American citizen and consumer. But our buying behaviors haven’t changed. How do we break free from this “low-cost” mindset to one that prioritizes resilience? This panel will offer practical solutions from business leaders, investors, and advertising experts across a wide variety of industries.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Chris Peters, Serial Entrepreneur
- Mark Schaefer, Author & Marketing Consultant
- Deborah Dull, Founder, Circular Supply Chain Network
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
Building for Growth: From Startup to Market Dominator
11:30am-12:30pm
You’d be hard-pressed to meet a founder who doesn’t have big aspirations. But most startups either stagnate or fizzle, often due to mistakes made during their early days. Join this discussion for insights from successful founders, business leaders, and investors on how to stack the deck in your favor with strategies from the start!
Panelists:
- Moderator: Dr. Allison Rhines, Executive Director, JLABS, Johnson & Johnson
- Dr. Nick Paine, Co-Founder and CTO, Apptronik
- Beth McKeon, Founder, Fluent
- Julia Martin, CFO, Advanced Technology International
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
Changing the Rules: How To Succeed In Highly Regulated Industries
2:30pm-3:30pm
Transportation, energy, finance, health, AI… disruptive startups typically operate in highly regulated industries. These regulations can be a ticket to success or a recipe for disaster, and how founders address this will make the difference between success and failure. Join this panel of founders for tips on turning regulations into a competitive advantage.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Joseph Kopser, Serial Entrepreneur and Investor
- Jennifer Bisceglie, Founder and CEO, Interos
- Eric Smith, Founder and CEO, Keystone Tower Systems
- Joseph Akintolayo, Founder and CEO, Deposits
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
The Defense Market’s Tough – But it’s Good for Business
4:00pm-5:00pm
The Pentagon has a reputation for being a terrible customer: slow, inflexible, and fickle, just to name a few of its most prominent traits. But many startups still pursue the Defense market as a key source of revenue, and investors are increasingly flocking there. This panel will offer insights into not only why, but how to minimize the pain and maximize the gain of working with DOD.
Panelists:
- Moderator: Josh Marcuse, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Google Public Sector
- Dr. Alexis Lasselle Ross, President, Apex Defense Strategies
- Dan Gwak, Managing Partner, Point72 Private Investments
- Dr. Chris Kirchhoff, Founding Partner, Defense Innovation Unit – Experimental (DIUx)
Watch the recorded session here.
The link to the official SXSW program page for this panel can be found here.
Networking and Happy Hour
Connect, converse, and collaborate with the diverse group of panelists, organizers, and other participants in today’s program on startups and tech industry.
5:00pm-7:00pm
Defense Business Accelerator (DBX) Overview & Showcase 5:30pm-6:00pm
Hear from five companies participating in the inaugural DBX Microelectronics Challenge program, which takes a commercial-first approach to accelerating growth of dual-use companies, including a toolbox of resources to help emerging companies leverage the commercial market to rapidly scale their business
Opening remarks from Mr. Anthony Di Stasio, Director of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization, the Pentagon
You’ll hear from the following DBX Challenge participants: