McMaster Innovation Park establishes an advisory council to support life sciences manufacturing
by CM Staff
The Council represents experience spanning the financing continuum, from venture capital to public markets as well as financing for highly specialized life sciences infrastructure.
HAMILTON — On Nov. 2, McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) announced the establishment of the North America Life Sciences Capital Markets Advisory Council.
“Canada is prolific in the creation of intellectual property in life sciences, but too often that IP either never gets commercialized, or it leaves Canada just at the point when life sciences companies are poised to create value. The Council will work on a national stage to develop recommendations to address the capital constraints that limit the potential value creation and economic growth of life science ventures,” Shattuck explained.
He continued, “the Purpose of the North America Life Sciences Capital Markets Advisory Council is to help identify, attract, grow and retain life sciences companies in Canada by bringing life sciences innovation together with the right sources of capital at the stage when that capital is needed, and in the quantum required. By engaging capital markets leaders, we aspire to better align Canada’s diverse life sciences ecosystem and Canadian capital markets in ways that create economic and societal value.”
“The Council seeks to enhance the connective tissue between life science innovation and domestic capital markets,” commented Ty Shattuck, Chief Executive Officer of McMaster Innovation Park. He added, “The North America Life Sciences Capital Markets Advisory Council at MIP will be unique in Canada. It includes individuals and organizations highly experienced in financing activities that support life sciences innovation and scale-up, especially small and medium-sized enterprises with a growth imperative.”
Inaugural members of the Council include:
- Ty Shattuck – Chief Executive Officer, MIP (Chair)
- Michael Wong – Associate, Flagship Pioneering
- Anne Woods, Managing Director, Life Science and Healthcare practice, Silicon Valley Bank
- Roger Tam, Vice President, Legal, Hoffmann-La Roche Limited
- Jesse Pearlstein – Vice President, BMO Capital Markets
- Alex Muggah – Director of SYNAPSE Consortium
- Nancy Harrison – Venture Partner, Amplitude
- David Gibbins – Venture Capital Advisor
- Matt Pittman – Managing Director, RBC Capital Markets
- Rob Cook – Senior Vice President Market Development, Canadian Securities Exchange
- Gordon Forstner – (Secretary)
- Cory Mulvihill, Lead Executive, Policy and Public Affairs, MaRS (Observer)
The Council represents experience spanning the financing continuum, from venture capital to public markets as well as financing for highly specialized life sciences infrastructure.
By leveraging their experience, knowledge, and networks to help advance growing companies, the members of the Council hope to support life sciences companies as they scale up and seek access to growth capital.
