225+
attendees
5th Annual BioDiscovery Summit | Recap
From Spark to Scale
September 17, 2026 | The Irving Theater | Charlottesville, Virginia
More than 225 founders, investors, scientists, clinicians, and partners filled the Irving Theater for a full day on what carries a life sciences company from first conviction to real momentum. Eight companies pitched for $30,000. Four conversations traced the decisions in between. And the day closed with 10 years of CvilleBioHub. Here is the whole day.
The BioDiscovery Summit, in Short
On September 17, 2026, the 5th Annual BioDiscovery Summit filled the Irving Theater for a full day built around one question: what actually carries a life sciences company from a spark of an idea to a company at scale.
The morning opened with BioSpark, where eight pre-seed and seed-stage companies pitched a panel of judges and a room of investors for a share of $30,000. NeoSplice Therapeutics took the top prize.
The afternoon began with a welcome from long-time supporter and U.S. Senator Mark Warner and moved through three conversations examined our theme in sequence: how investors arrive at conviction, what the eighteen months after a defining pitch actually look like, and how scientific innovation converts into commercial signal. Caitlin Frazer, Executive Director of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, closed the program with a keynote conversation on biotechnology as a pillar of national competitiveness.
Then we transitioned downstairs to celebrate 10 years of CvilleBioHub, and the ecosystem that 10 years of persistence built.
Everything below is the day itself: the sessions, the photos, the videos, and most importantly the people.
5th Annual BioDiscovery Summit by the Numbers
A Note from Nikki Hastings
“…we have so much to celebrate!”
Nikki Hastings, President and Co-Founder, CvilleBioHub
Ten years ago, this region’s life sciences community existed in pieces. We had brilliant researchers, promising founders, experienced industry leaders, and investors willing to engage. We noticed opportunities for coordination and growth. We started with a very simple question: What would it look like to double the size of Charlottesville’s life sciences sector?
A decade later, we have a thriving life sciences ecosystem, a purpose-built BioAccelerator filled with growing companies, and a region increasingly attracting talent, companies, and investment. More importantly, we have built a community that continues to show up for one another.
We set out to double the size of this region’s life sciences industry by 2030. We reached that goal four years early. That happened because people across this community chose to build something together.
To our founders, our board, UVA, local economic development, GO Virginia, the Commonwealth, the mentors, investors, and partners who believed in what this region could become: thank you.
Ten years in, we have so much to celebrate! But what excites me most is that we are still building, and our ambitions for the next decade are much bigger than they were for the first.
8:30 am — Doors open
Check in, pick up your badge for the day, and grab breakfast before BioSpark begins.
9:00 am – 9:10 am — Summit opening remarks
Nikki Hastings, President and Co-Founder, CvilleBioHub
9:10 am – 9:20 am — 10 Year Capstone Moment
A look back at 10 years of building the life sciences ecosystem in Charlottesville, and the premiere of the CvilleBioHub 10th anniversary film.
9:20 am – 9:30 am — BioSpark kickoff
9:30 am – 11:45 am — BioSpark Pitch Competition
Emcee: Marty Weiner, VerifyYou. Eight companies competing for $30,000 in cash prizes, with eight-minute pitches and five minutes of questions from the judges.
11:45 am – 11:55 am — Remarks from Paul Beyer
Paul Beyer, Tom Tom Foundation
11:55 am – 12:00 pm — BioSpark closing remarks
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm — Lunch
Pick up your lunch in the lobby. Catering by Flavor Exceptional Catering.
1:30 pm — Doors open, afternoon program
2:00 pm – 2:05 pm — Welcome from Senator Mark Warner
U.S. Senator Mark Warner opens the afternoon program with remarks on Virginia’s life sciences economy and the national stakes of biotechnology innovation.
2:15 pm – 3:00 pm — The First Three Yeses: A Capital Decision Walkthrough
Moderator: Mike Nelson, Cooley. Panelists: Jessica Dymond, In-Q-Tel, George McArthur, BUILT Biotechnologies, and Ragan Hart, Washington Research Foundation.
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm — Post Pitch Permutations: The 18-Month Reality Check
Moderator: Evan Edwards, Kymanox. Panelists: Rachel Offenburg, Nanochon, Rachelle Turiello, Avant Genomics, and Todd Wallach, SOLUtion Medical.
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm — Afternoon break
4:00 pm – 4:10 pm — BioSpark winner award presentation
The winners of the 2026 BioSpark at BioDiscovery are announced.
4:10 pm – 4:55 pm — From Science to Signal: Translating Innovation into Momentum
Moderator: Sara Dauber, JP Morgan. Panelists: Bibhash Mukhopadhyay, Sapient Biotech and DW Wealth Management, Tim Showalter, Viz.ai and Overa Therapeutics, and Gayatri Varma, AstraZeneca.
4:55 pm – 5:20 pm — Keynote conversation with Caitlin Frazer
Caitlin Frazer, Executive Director, National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, interviewed by Lila Inman, Cooley.
5:20 pm – 5:30 pm — Summit closing remarks
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm — 10 Year Anniversary Reception
Join us downstairs in the CODE Building reception space to close out the 5th Annual BioDiscovery Summit and celebrate 10 years of CvilleBioHub.
BioSpark 2026
Eight companies. Eight minutes each. $30,000 on the line.
BioSpark is the live pitch competition that opens BioDiscovery, co-hosted by CvilleBioHub and Cooley. Eight pre-seed and seed-stage life sciences companies each took the Irving stage for an eight-minute pitch followed by five minutes of questions from the judging panel, in front of a room of investors, operators, and Summit attendees.
Judges score on five criteria weighted equally: customer and problem, solution and benefits, innovation, ability to execute, and effective presentation. Alongside the cash prizes, one company receives a year of access to the Commonwealth BioAccelerator.
2026 BioSpark Results
First place: NeoSplice Therapeutics, $20,000
NeoSplice finds cancer-specific splice variants and proteoforms and develops them as drug targets, using long-read sequencing, single-cell isoform profiling, and proteogenomic mass spectrometry. The company is early revenue and discovery-stage on its therapeutic programs, with its lead endometrial cancer target through multi-modal validation. Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Gloria Sheynkman, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia, took the Irving stage for the team.
Second place: 3D OrthoBiologic Solutions (3DOS), $10,000
3DOS is building customized, 3D-printed bone grafts that help surgeons repair and regenerate bone lost to cancer, disease, or trauma. CEO and co-founder Prakash Kolli, Ph.D., pitched for the Herndon, Virginia company.
Commonwealth BioAccelerator award: Oridivus
Oridivus received a year of access to the Commonwealth BioAccelerator. Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Goudy presented the Virginia company’s locally delivered therapeutic matrices for oral and maxillofacial wound healing.
The 2026 Finalists
Eight companies were selected from the 2026 application pool. Each is pre-seed or seed stage, holds full ownership of its technology, and has raised no more than $10 million to date.
3D OrthoBiologic Solutions (3DOS)
Customized, 3D-printed bone grafts that help surgeons repair and regenerate bone lost to cancer, disease, or trauma.
AVIL Therapeutics
A first-in-class targeted small molecule for glioblastoma, built on AVIL, a novel oncogene discovered at the University of Virginia.
Claradele Pharmaceuticals
PMJ2, a first-in-class small-molecule immunotherapy that restores checkpoint inhibitor sensitivity in cold, treatment-resistant melanoma.
NeoSplice Therapeutics
Cancer-specific splice variants and proteoforms as drug targets, resolved with long-read sequencing, single-cell isoform profiling, and proteogenomic mass spectrometry.
Oridivus
Locally delivered therapeutic matrices for oral and maxillofacial wound healing, giving clinicians a purpose-built way to control post-operative inflammation and pain.
Sensible
A women-led team building a patent-pending menstrual biomarker platform that turns menstrual blood into longitudinal health insights through a non-invasive wearable.
SonoFx
Tissue-integrating regenerative biomaterials and a simplified delivery device for vocal fold paralysis and glottic insufficiency.
Visurraga Enterprises
Fibreye, an AI-powered airway intelligence platform that turns endotracheal intubation from passive visualization into intelligent navigation.
The 2026 BioSpark Judges
- Sara Dauber, Vice President, JP Morgan
- Gabe Gutierrez, Innovation Manager, University of Maryland Ventures
- Deanna Angello, Founder and President, Alpenglow Ventures LLC
- Matt Schwee, Partner, Cooley
Afternoon Program
Three conversations, in sequence, on the decisions that move a company from spark to scale: how investors arrive at conviction, what the eighteen months after a defining pitch actually demand, and how scientific innovation becomes commercial signal.
Welcome from U.S. Senator Mark Warner
Senator Mark Warner opened the afternoon program with remarks on Virginia’s life sciences economy and the national stakes of biotechnology innovation.
The First Three Yeses: A Capital Decision Walkthrough
2:15 pm – 3:00 pm
Life sciences investors see hundreds of deals and invest in very few. What really happens between a first meeting and a signed term sheet?
Two life sciences investors and a founder unpacked the three yeses every company has to earn: the yes that gets a partner interested, the yes that clears the investment committee, and the yes that survives diligence.
From the first instinctive yes through the investment committee to negotiating valuation and ownership, the conversation traced how conviction is built and where it breaks down.
Moderator: Mike Nelson, corporate head of Cooley’s Denver office and partner in the Boston office
Panelists: Jessica Dymond, PhD, Vice President of Technology, In-Q-Tel; George McArthur, PhD, CEO, BUILT Biotechnologies; and Ragan Hart, Washington Research Foundation.
Post Pitch Permutations: The 18-Month Reality Check
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
What happens after the pitch deck closes and the real work begins?
Three founders reflected on the eighteen months that followed their defining pitch: the assumptions that did not survive first contact, the hires and pivots that changed the trajectory, and the decisions they would make differently with what they know now.
Moderator: Evan Edwards, CEO, Kymanox
Panelists: Rachel Offenburg, MBA, Chief of Strategy, Nanochon; Rachelle Turiello, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder, Avant Genomics; Todd Wallach, CEO, SOLUtion Medical
From Science to Signal: Translating Innovation into Momentum
4:10 pm – 4:55 pm
Traction is visible. Signal is earned.
Three perspectives, spanning translational innovation, capital allocation, and global pharmaceutical strategy, on how a scientific result becomes a signal that partners, investors, and acquirers act on.
Moderator: Sara Dauber, Commercial Banking, JP Morgan
Panelists: Bibhash Mukhopadhyay, Sapient Biotech and DW Wealth Management; Tim Showalter, MD, MPH, MBA, Viz.ai and Overa Therapeutics; Gayatri Varma, Head of Transactions, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca
THE CLOSING KEYNOTE
Keynote Conversation with Caitlin Frazer
4:55 pm – 5:20 pm
Biotechnology is emerging as a pillar of national security, reshaping how governments think about supply chains, manufacturing capacity, and technological leadership.
Caitlin Frazer, Executive Director of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, joined Lila Inman of Cooley for a conversation on why biotechnology innovation has become a strategic national priority, and what that shift means for the companies and regions building in the space. Frazer drew on her work shaping bipartisan policy at the intersection of emerging technology and national defense.
Who Was on Stage
More than 25 speakers, moderators, and judges took part in BioDiscovery 2026, spanning venture and strategic capital, national security policy, global pharmaceutical strategy, clinical innovation, law, and founders at every stage from pre-seed to scale.
Keynote Speaker
Caitlin Frazer is the Executive Director of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology. In this capacity, she leads the staff of the Commission in supporting the Commissioners in advising Congress on policy issues at the intersection of biotechnology, national security, and economic competitiveness. She previously served as Legislative Director to Senator Jon Ossoff (GA), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. She stood up the Office of Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) and served as her chief policy advisor as a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. Earlier in her career, Caitlin was National Security Advisor to Senator Bob Casey (PA) and a policy advisor in the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. She was a Presidential Management Fellow and holds a BA and MPP from the University of Virginia.
Session Moderators
Mike is the corporate head of Cooley’s Denver office and a partner in Cooley’s Boston office. He focuses on advising emerging and growth-stage life sciences and deep tech companies, as well as the funds that invest in them, on matters relating to corporate finance, corporate governance, licensing and other intellectual property-based transactions, M&A, and public offerings.
Evan Edwards is CEO at Kymanox, a professional services firm of over 250 subject matter experts that supports pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech companies, accelerating their programs in order to get their products approved and to the market. Evan oversees overall business strategy and growth. He’s an Executive Advisor for Sponsors and an expert in drug/device combination product development and Human Factors. Prior to Kymanox, Evan was Co-Founder of Kaléo Pharmaceuticals and Co-inventor of Auvi-Q®, Allerject®, Evzio® and Kaléo’s other drug delivery device platforms.
Sara Dauber is part of the Commercial Banking team at JP Morgan. Sara has spent 20+ years working with early-stage life science ventures. Most recently Sara served as Small Business Strategic Consultant at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), where she advised SBIR-recipient management teams on business matters including pitch coaching, creation of investment materials, financial modeling, investor relations, and outreach to potential strategic partners. Prior to her work at NINDS, Sara held several key positions at early-stage startups across pharma, biotech, and medical devices in roles focused on operations, program management, corporate development, and business development.
Lila Inman’s practice focuses on the representation of emerging and high growth companies and the investors that back them, throughout all stages of their life cycle, helping clients navigate complex business issues associated with building, growing and ultimately exiting. She regularly counsels clients on a diverse range of critical transactions, including angel, seed, venture and private equity financings and mergers and acquisitions. Lila represents disruptive, high growth companies across a wide variety of industries, with a particular emphasis on technology, data analytics, AI/ML, cyber security, internet of things, virtual reality, software and life sciences. In addition, Lila is deeply committed to advising and mentoring under-represented minority startup leaders and general counsels, as well as the funds that invest in these businesses, and she serves as one of the champions and co-founders of Cooley’s Women in Venture Executive Network for the Mid-Atlantic. While in law school, Lila was a notes editor on the William & Mary Law Review, the Chief Justice of the Honor Council, and the senior training coordinator of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team. She was also an active participant in the Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic, serving as an advocate for veterans seeking disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Lila’s Note “Personal Enough for Protection: The Fifth Amendment and Single-Member LLCs” is published in the William & Mary Law Review. During the summer of 2015, Lila worked in the Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission, where she investigated potential fraud and securities law violations and market abuses by investment banks, broker-dealers and institutional investors. Lila practiced as a CPA in the past. Prior to law school, Lila worked as a senior associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers where she audited clients in the Consumer and Industrial Products and Services industry.
Session Panelists
Dr. Dymond is Vice President of Technology at In-Q-Tel where she provides technical and strategic leadership to identify, understand, and accelerate development of high-impact emerging technologies – with an emphasis on biotechnology – to address critical national security challenges. In her prior role as Chief Scientist for Physical and Life Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Dr. Dymond led an active interdisciplinary research portfolio spanning technological and analytic pursuits to advance capability for national security and global health, and to enhance anticipation, assessment, and mitigation of emerging biological threats. Dr. Dymond received her PhD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she pioneered synthetic biology tool development for the Synthetic Yeast Genome Project and developed an internationally-adopted undergraduate course in synthetic biology and biosecurity.
George McArthur, PhD, is the CEO of BUILT Biotechnologies, a company he founded to make DNA manufacturing more reliable, scalable, and accessible. He brings together experience in genetic design, DNA assembly, product development, and commercialization, with prior roles spanning multiple biotech startups. George earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, where he studied Chemical Engineering, Music, and Biology, and founded the Virginia iGEM Team. He later completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University and was selected as a Whitaker International Program Fellow at Imperial College London’s Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation.
Rachel Offenburg, MBA, serves as Nanochon’s Chief of Strategy where her day to day is focused on commercial strategy including marketing and communications. She has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and an undergraduate degree in biology and business management from Emmanuel College. Rachel has extensive background in designing go to market strategies for early-stage medical device and biotech startups, developed over the course of her career consulting at IQVIA, leading marketing teams at Bio-Rad Laboratories and managing data analytics platforms at Optum.
Dr. Rachelle Turiello is CEO and Co-Founder of Avant Genomics, a Charlottesville-based biotechnology company developing automated sample preparation technologies to advance liquid biopsy and precision oncology. Founded as a spinout from the University of Virginia, Avant is building integrated hardware, consumables, and software designed to improve the recovery, consistency, and scalability of cell-free DNA workflows used in cancer detection and monitoring. Rachelle earned her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Virginia, where she developed microfluidic technologies for human identification and molecular diagnostics under the mentorship of Professor James Landers. Prior to her work in biotechnology, she worked as a forensic DNA analyst, applying genomic technologies in criminal investigations. Drawing on her experience in both forensic genetics and translational research, she co-founded Avant Genomics to address critical bottlenecks in liquid biopsy testing. Since launching the company, Rachelle has led Avant through venture financing, federal grant awards, product development, manufacturing scale-up, and collaborations with leading cancer centers, pharmaceutical companies, and molecular diagnostic laboratories. She is passionate about translating scientific innovation into practical tools that improve patient care and expand access to precision medicine.
Todd Wallach is CEO of SOLUtion Medical, where he leads development of next-generation cancer diagnostics. He previously served as President and CEO of Evogen and Cognizance Biomarkers, and has held leadership roles including CEO and Chairman of Molecular Detection, CFO of Aton Pharma, and CTO of Moon Mark. Todd holds a Master of Science in Management of Technology from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and School of Engineering, a master’s in Biotechnology from Penn, an MBA from Rider University, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
Bibhash is an asset manager, allocator, investor, company builder and board member with almost 2 decades of experience in biotech. Through DW Wealth Management, he advises various Family Offices and Disease foundations on investing in the healthcare sector, either by seeding new funds or directly into companies. Through Sapient Biotech, he manages a sector-specialized investment fund that invests exclusively in biotech companies, both private and small-cap public, with a fundamental, bottom-up, absolute-return strategy. It also manages a fund focused on rare diseases with a double bottom-line mandate for return on mission and return on investment. Previously, he was a co-founder and GP in Sound Bioventures and an investor with the biotech practice of a large, diversified venture fund, NEA. Prior to that he has operating experience in business development, portfolio management and corporate strategy functions at both AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. He has led, managed and exited multiple private and public biotech investments, participated in multiple major in-licensing, divestiture and acquisitions and cross-border Europe / US deals and has had advisory roles in several life science incubators and healthcare delivery non-profits. His education spans 3 continents culminating with a PhD in the biology of retinal degeneration from Baylor College of Medicine.
Tim Showalter, MD, MPH, MBA is radiation oncologist at the University of Virginia, with more than 20 years of experience spanning academic medicine, health technology, and medtech entrepreneurship. He is Chief Medical Officer at Viz.ai, where he leads clinical strategy and evidence generation across the company’s AI-powered care coordination platform. He is also co-founder and CEO of Overa Therapuetics, an award winner at the 2025 BioSpark event. Tim has held prior senior clinical leadership roles across diagnostics, therapeutics, and AI-enabled healthcare companies, including serving as Chief Medical Officer at Artera and Medical Director at Flatiron Health. He is the former Founder/CEO of Advaray, a medical device company he led from inception through FDA de novo clearance and successful acquisition. He has authored nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications and is nationally recognized for his work in oncology innovation, clinical research, and physician-led technology development.
Gayatri Varma, PhD is Executive Director and Head of Transactions for Oncology Business Development and Licensing at AstraZeneca, where she oversees transactional activity for Oncology R&D, including the acquisitions of Neogene Therapeutics and Gracell Biotechnologies. She previously served as Director of Partnerships and Collaborations at MedImmune and led the University of Maryland’s technology transfer office. Gayatri holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, is a registered patent agent, and chairs the Licensing Executive Society’s Life Sciences Sector Leadership committee.
M. Ragan Hart, PhD is Senior Associate for Strategic Investments at Washington Research Foundation, where she supports the grantmaking team with her expertise in venture investing and healthcare technology. She previously worked at MultiCare Capital Partners focused on healthtech and AI, and co-founded MDisrupt, connecting life-sciences experts with companies to accelerate healthcare product development. Ragan holds a doctorate in Public Health Genetics and a master’s in Genetic Epidemiology from the University of Washington, completed postdoctoral work at Stanford, and serves on the board of OUTbio Seattle.
2026 BioSpark Judges
Gabe Gutierrez, Ph.D. brings more than 20 years of experience in biotechnology, translational research, technology commercialization, and strategic partnerships across industry, academia, and government. Currently, he is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute (FBRI), where he leads strategic initiatives and builds partnerships with industry, government, and philanthropic organizations to accelerate biomedical research, commercialization, and startup development. Previously, as Innovation Manager at the University of Maryland Ventures, he led the commercialization of faculty innovations, forging partnerships that translated university research into startups, licensing opportunities, and sponsored research collaborations. Prior to joining academia, Gabe held executive leadership positions in biotechnology and life sciences, including Leidos, Hibiscus BioVentures, and Sendero Biotechnology, where he advanced vaccines, immunotherapies, and emerging biotechnology companies. He also co-founded Cel•lepus Therapeutics, a cell therapy company developing next-generation CAR T therapies for solid tumors. Throughout his career, he has secured more than $100 million in competitive research funding, is an inventor on multiple patents, has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, and has helped launch several biotechnology companies. Gabe completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, earned a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Connecticut, and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Loyola University Chicago.
Deanna Angello, MBA, is Founder and President of Alpenglow Ventures LLC, advising biotechnology companies, investors, and health innovators on corporate and commercial strategy, market and category creation, and launch readiness. She is a senior biopharma executive with more than 25 years of experience translating breakthrough science into commercial success, having held leadership roles at Pfizer, Genentech/Roche, Kite Pharma, and Johnson & Johnson, most recently as Chief Commercial Officer of Cognito Therapeutics, an MIT spinout developing a neurotechnology-based therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. She has contributed to the launch of seven blockbuster medicines generating more than $7 billion in revenue across oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, pain, rare disease, and cell therapy. Known for combining Fortune 50 rigor with an entrepreneurial mindset, she advises and mentors CEOs and founders through life sciences and technology accelerators and brings board and advisory experience spanning biotechnology, health technology, diagnostics, and venture investing.
Matt is a partner in Cooley’s emerging companies group. His practice includes venture capital financings, mergers & acquisitions, and general corporate representation of high-growth companies. Matt represents a number of private company clients with a focus on the life sciences, digital health and national security sectors. He also represents leading venture capital firms in their investment activities. Over the course of his career, Matt has helped private company clients raise more than $8.5 billion in equity financing transactions. While attending the University of Virginia School of Law, Matt served on the editorial board of the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology. Before law school, he worked at a biotechnology startup.
Program Speakers
Marty Weiner is Co-Founder and CTO of VerifyYou, building technology to prove humanness online without sacrificing privacy. He previously served as CTO of Reddit, scaling the platform to hundreds of millions of users, and was a founding engineer at Pinterest. Across both roles, Marty saw firsthand how communities get overrun by spam accounts and ban evaders, which inspired him to co-found VerifyYou alongside David Graham and Axel Eschholz.
Paul Beyer is Founder and Executive Director of the Tom Tom Foundation, which produces the Tom Tom Founders Festival and Summit celebrating Charlottesville as a hub for entrepreneurship, art, and civic innovation. A lifelong Charlottesville resident, Paul previously served as Vice President of Development for R.L. Beyer Construction, his family’s business, and served on the Albemarle Housing Committee. He holds a degree in history, writing, and film from New York University.
The Day in Photographs
Eight pitches, four conversations, one full house, and 10 years worth celebrating.
Photography by The Smiths
Photographs are free for attendees, speakers, sponsors, and press to use. Please credit CvilleBioHub and The Smiths. Tag us in what you post: @CvilleBioHub and #BioDiscovery2026
Voices from the Room
What attendees, founders, and partners said about the day.
“Loved the in depth discussion illustrating the different milestones these companies go through.”
“Every CBH event is meticulously planned and brilliantly executed. Always an interesting crowd and always worthwhile.”
“The networking and social aspects remain the most important part of the event.”
Ten Years of CvilleBioHub
The theme of this year’s Summit describes what happens inside a company. It also describes what has happened here over 10 years. What began as a handful of people trying to make Charlottesville a place where a life sciences company could get started is now an ecosystem with an accelerator, a membership community, national partners, and companies that raise, hire, and build here.
Thank you to our sponsors and partners
BioDiscovery 2026 happened because a group of organizations decided the region’s life sciences community was worth investing in. We are grateful to all of them, with special thanks to Cooley for co-hosting.
Event Partners
Supported by
In the press
Coverage of BioDiscovery 2026 and the region’s life sciences ecosystem.
For press: Photographs, the sizzle reel, and speaker information are available for editorial use. For interviews or additional assets, contact Tiffany Keaton at Tiffany@CvilleBioHub.org.
What Happens Next
Sponsor 2027
Sponsorship puts your organization in front of the founders, investors, and institutions building life sciences in Virginia. Tiers and reach are available now. Contact Dana Goldsmith
Join the CSuite Membership
Membership connects you to the people in this room year-round, and includes your ticket to next year’s Summit. https://cvillebiohub.org/c-suite-membership/
Apply to the Commonwealth BioAccelerator
For life sciences founders building in Virginia. https://cvillebiohub.org/inside-the-accelerator/