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Adam Cotton

Investor

Principal at Novartis Venture Fund

Cambridge, MA, USA

Find your path to Adam

641 people in our graph share verified history with Adam — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Crystal HuangunlockedAdam: together at Harvard University (2011)
Adam: together at University of California, San Francisco
×4Adam: together at Harvard University
×2Adam: together at RA Capital

About

Adam Cotton is a Principal at the Novartis Venture Fund based in Cambridge, MA. Before joining the fund, he conducted antibody engineering research in the labs of Jim Wells and Ian Seiple, and he is a scientific co-founder of Epi Biologics. He helped translate both Rezo Therapeutics and HYKU Biosciences from academic labs into companies. He holds a PhD in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from UCSF, a BA in Chemistry from Harvard, and an MBA from the University of New Mexico. At the fund he invests in life science companies and sits on or observes the boards of companies including GentiBio, Mediar Therapeutics, Sidewinder Therapeutics, and Seawolf.

Invests in

Biotech

Beyond investing

Founded
Is a scientific co-founder of Epi Biologics.
Education
Holds a BA in Chemistry from Harvard University. Earned an MBA from the University of New Mexico. Holds a PhD in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from the University of California, San Francisco.
More
Worked in the labs of Jim Wells and Ian Seiple on antibody engineering research. Helped build Rezo Therapeutics and HYKU Biosciences as they transitioned from academic labs.

Mentioned above: the University of California, San Francisco mafia →

From Adam's own website — common ground for a warm intro.

Experience

  1. Novartis Venture FundPrincipalcurrent2025 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  2. Novartis Venture FundAssociate2023 — 2025Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  3. Novartis Venture FundAnalyst2022 — 2023Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  4. Mediar TherapeuticsBoard Directorcurrent2022 — present
  5. Protego BioBoard Observercurrent2025 — present
  6. GentiBioBoard Observercurrent2023 — present
  7. ONL TherapeuticsBoard Observer2024 — 2026
  8. Hyku BiosciencesBoard Observer2023 — 2026
  9. FoRx TherapeuticsBoard Observer2022 — 2023
  10. EpiBiologicsCo-Founder2021 — 2022
  11. RA Capital Management, L.P.Consultant2021 — 2022
  12. University of California, San FranciscoPhD candidate2017 — 2021San Francisco Bay Area
  13. UCSF Innovation VenturesTechnology Analyst2020 — 2021San Francisco, California, United States
  14. The University of New MexicoChemistry Tutor2016 — 2017
  15. The University of New MexicoTrack and Field Athlete2015 — 2017
  16. Harvard Extension SchoolTeaching Fellow2015
  17. Harvard UniversityResearch assistant2013 — 2015
  18. Harvard UniversityPeer Tutor2013 — 2015
  19. Harvard UniversityTrack and Field Athlete2011 — 2015
  20. Harvard Extention SchoolTeaching Fellow2014

Skills & more

PythonChemical Biology1antibody engineeringChemistry3Research3Organic Chemistry2Organic Synthesis1R&D1NMR1Mass Spectrometry2UV/Vis1Spectroscopy1
+2 moreInorganic ChemistryMolecular Oncology

Languages English

From Adam's professional profile.

Investments

Per the investor's own website.

Colleagues at Novartis Venture Fund

Anís
Head of Scoping, Pharma at Deep Science Ventures
Anja Koenig
Global Head of NVF at Novartis Venture Fund
Anja König
Global Head at Novartis Venture Fund
Bart Dzikowski
Managing Director, Head of Transactions & Legal at Novartis Venture Fund
Beat Steffen
Managing Director at Novartis Venture Fund
Campbell Murray
Advisor
Christoph Meier
Investor at Novartis Venture Fund
Elaine Jones
Investor at Novartis Venture Fund

Network5

Ron ConwayScout
Founder of SV Angel
Mo KoyfmanScout
Founder and General Partner at Shine Capital
Ben Tarbell
Venture Partner at NewCo
Carolyn Fikke
Investor at Golden Seeds
Dyson Bogg
Investor at Mercuri.vc

Investors connected to Adam in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Adam Cotton?
Adam Cotton is a Principal at the Novartis Venture Fund based in Cambridge, MA. Before joining the fund, he conducted antibody engineering research in the labs of Jim Wells and Ian Seiple, and he is a scientific co-founder of Epi Biologics. He helped translate both Rezo Therapeutics and HYKU Biosciences from academic labs into companies. He holds a PhD in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from UCSF, a BA in Chemistry from Harvard, and an MBA from the University of New Mexico. At the fund he invests in life science companies and sits on or observes the boards of companies including GentiBio, Mediar Therapeutics, Sidewinder Therapeutics, and Seawolf.
Where does Adam Cotton work?
Adam Cotton is Principal at Novartis Venture Fund.
What does Adam Cotton invest in?
Adam Cotton invests in Biotech.
What boards does Adam Cotton sit on?
Adam Cotton holds tracked board seats at GentiBio, Mediar Therapeutics, SEAWOLF, Sidewinder Therapeutics.
Where did Adam Cotton go to school?
Adam Cotton studied at University of California, San Francisco (Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Chemistry and Chemical Biology); UNM The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership (Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), General Management); Harvard University (A.B, Chemistry).

Founder mafias

Novartis Venture Fund mafia2

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Huw NashConsultantFounded Aileron Therapeutics

UNM The James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership mafia2

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Madalyn ArmijoBBAFounded Dispatch io

Same school

Shared employers