BASF Ventures is the corporate venture capital company of BASF Group. BASF Ventures invests globally in promising start-up companies and venture capital funds. Its investments focus on innovative technologies with a high growth potential where chemistry plays an important role, as well as new materials and substances with significant market opportunities. BASF Ventures not only invests venture capital, but also supports investments through targeted interaction between BASF Group's worldwide know-how and research network and portfolio companies.

Rho Capital Partners is the parent company to Rho’s three operating divisions, Rho Ventures, Rho Canada Ventures and Rho Fund Investors. Founded in 1981, Rho began its private equity activities as a family investment office. Today, Rho is a leading private equity firm that manages a series of funds, under each of its three divisions, backed by a broad group of institutional investors that include endowments, foundations, families, pension funds, and other financial institutions. Across all of Rho’s activities and strategies, our teams are committed to investing in growth and building companies over the long-term. Unique among private equity firms, Rho’s three divisions are each managed by dedicated teams who invest separate funds, yet all benefit from actively cross-leveraging other divisions’ networks to generate differentiated perspectives and insights.

MentorTech Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund that invests in technology, information technology, marketing technology and medical device companies with a primary focus on those companies originating at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rollo Capital Management is a Boston-based investment firm established in January 2008 and focuses on the materials, chemicals, technology, capital goods, automotive, energy and aerospace/defense industries. Rollo Capital is the manager and advisor of CIP (Change in Progress), L.P., a partnership pursuing medium and long-term investment strategies with an emphasis on change, innovation and a value-based investment philosophy. Rollo Capital is also the manager and advisor of other investment vehicles focused on innovative companies, including RCV Innova I, L.P. Its founding partners have recently invested in other early stage ventures including Gelesis Inc., enEvolv Inc. and Continuus Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Ryosuke Kuwada, VP of Business Development & Sales, Innova Dynamics

A Japanese Citizen, Ryosuke Kuwada is a 30-year veteran in electronic materials businesses serving the global display market. Before joining Innova in 2013, he started his career at Du Pont Japan (US Chemical Company subsidiary) as a tech service engineer in electronic materials. He has led various display projects such as PDP, FED, SED, Plasma-LCD as a product manager. Ryosuke was also the first employee in DuPont electronic materials appointed as Global Business Manager outside of the USA.  After 17 years’ service at Du Pont, he joined E Ink Corporation in Cambridge, MA (MIT spin out). As Global Sales & Marketing VP, he contributed towards technology commercialization of the Amazon “Kindle Launch” in 2007 as well as a successful Exit (~$400M Merger by a Taiwanese LCD company). At Toppan Printing Corporation (Japanese $15B company), he was appointed as Head (GM) of Corporate Planning Division and was responsible for whole company portfolio management. Ryosuke holds a BS from Keio University (Amorphous Science) and studied at Graduate School of Waseda University (Finance) & Keio University (Media Design).    

Morrison & Foerster is a global law firm of exceptional credentials. The firm represents some of the largest financial institutions, investment banks, Fortune 100, technology and life science companies. MoFo has been included on The American Lawyer’s A-List for 10 straight years, Chambers Global named MoFo its 2013 USA Law Firm of the Year, and Chambers USA named the firm both its 2013 Intellectual Property Firm of the Year. MoFo lawyers are committed to achieving innovative and business-minded results for their clients, while preserving the differences that make them stronger.

With approximately 900 attorneys in 20 offices, Foley & Lardner LLP provides award-winning business and legal insight to clients across the country and around the world. Our team-based approach, innovative technology, and focus on value and client service are continually recognized by our clients and the legal industry. Foley has been recognized in a survey* of Fortune 1000 corporate counsel as an elite BTI Client Service 30 for 11 years — one of only seven law firms to hold this distinction for more than 10 years. In addition, Foley received 26 national first-tier rankings on the 2014 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list and was named to the InformationWeek 500 list for seven of the past eight years for technological innovation that enhances business value. Learn more at Foley.com.

City National Bank's mission is to provide the ultimate banking experience for successful entrepreneurs and professionals through an uncommon dedication to extraordinary service, proactive advice and total financial solutions.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), a self-administered and self-managed investment-grade real estate investment trust (REIT), is the largest and leading REIT focused principally on owning, operating, developing, redeveloping, and acquiring high-quality, sustainable real estate for the broad and diverse life science industry. Founded in 1994, Alexandria was the first REIT to identify and pursue the laboratory niche and has since had the first-mover advantage in the core life science cluster locations including Greater Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Greater New York City, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle Park. Alexandria’s high-credit client tenants span the life science industry, including renowned academic and medical institutions, multinational pharmaceutical companies, public and private biotechnology entities, United States government research agencies, medical device companies, industrial biotech companies, venture capital firms, and life science product and service companies.

US Department of Defense: Army

The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command is the Army's technology leader and largest technology developer. RDECOM ensures the dominance of Army capabilities by creating, integrating and delivering technology-enabled solutions to our Soldiers. To meet this commitment to the Army, RDECOM develops technologies in its eight major laboratories and research, development and engineering centers. It also integrates technologies developed in partnership with an extensive network of academic, industry, and international partners. RDECOM provides the Army with an organic research and development capability. More than 17,000 Soldiers, civilian employees and direct contractors form this world-class team. As part of that team, there are 11,000 engineers and scientists, many of whom are the Army's leading experts in their fields. A fundamental characteristic of this workforce is the focus on the Soldier. Whether providing technology solutions to meet current operational needs or developing break-through technologies for the next generation, RDECOM stands at the forefront of what the Soldier eats, wears, fires, flies or drives.

US Department of Defense: Navy

Established in 1966 as the successor to the Navy’s Bureau of Naval Weapons, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is headquartered in Patuxent River, Md., with military and civilian personnel stationed at eight locations across the continental United States and one site overseas.

National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense."

PwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value they're looking for. PwC US is a member of the PwC network of firms in 157 countries with more than 184,000 people. PwC is committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services.