Alan Walts
InvestorVenture Partner at Advent Life Sciences · Director at Pic Therapeutics · Board director at Arrakis Therapeutics · Board director at Artax Biopharma
Massachusetts
Writes $25K – $5M checks · typically $1M
About
Alan E. Walts joined Advent Life Sciences in 2013 after 27 years at Genzyme Corporation, where his roles spanned corporate venture capital, business development, R&D, and general management. He most recently ran Genzyme's corporate venture fund (Genzyme Ventures, now Sanofi Ventures), and previously served as President of Genzyme Pharmaceuticals and head of chemistry and biopolymer research. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT (1985), completed post-doctoral biochemistry research at MIT, and finished the executive Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School in 1993.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Invests in
Biotech
Director at Pic Therapeutics
Intro paths
→
In turn, Alan can intro founders to Pic Therapeutics's investors below.
Pic Therapeutics's investors · 3
Board director at Arrakis Therapeutics
Intro paths
→
In turn, Alan can intro founders to Arrakis Therapeutics's investors below.
Arrakis Therapeutics's investors · 8
Advent Life SciencesLondon · since 2017Canaan PartnersStamford · $500K – $20M checks · since 2017Nextech InvestZurich · $648K – $3.2M checksOsage University PartnersBala CynwydOUP (Osage University Partners)Bala Cynwyd · $1M – $20M checksPfizer Venture Investments$5M – $20M checksPfizer VenturesvenBio PartnersSan Francisco
Co-founders at Arrakis Therapeutics
MG
Michael GilmanExecutive Officer, Director
MD
Mark DeLongCEO
Board director at Artax Biopharma
Intro paths
→
In turn, Alan can intro founders to Artax Biopharma's investors below.
Artax Biopharma's investors · 3
Co-founders at Artax Biopharma
DT
Damia TormoPresident, CEO, Treasurer and Founder
Experience
- Aleta BiotherapeuticsChief Executive Officercurrent2025 — present
- Aleta BiotherapeuticsExecutive Chairman2025
- Advent Life Sciences LLPVenture Partnercurrent2014 — present
- AlphaRose TherapeuticsCo-founder and Executive Chairmancurrent2024 — present
- Eloxx PharmaceuticalsChairmancurrent2021 — presentWatertown, Massachusetts, United States
- Termeer InstituteBoard Member and Treasurercurrent2019 — presentMarblehead, MA
- Artax Biopharma IncBoard Membercurrent2017 — presentCambridge, MA
- PIC TherapeuticsBoard Membercurrent2016 — presentGreater Boston Area
- NeuroelectricsBoard Membercurrent2021 — present
- NeuroelectricsBusiness and Strategy Advisor2015 — 2021Cambridge, MA
- Hemogenyx PharmaceuticalsAdvisor and Board Observercurrent2021 — presentBrooklyn, New York, United States
- ALS Investment FundAdvisory Board Membercurrent2018 — presentCambridge, MA
- Arrakis TherapeuticsBoard Observercurrent2019 — presentWaltham, MA
- Arrakis TherapeuticsFounder and Board Member2016 — 2019Cambridge, MA
- Arrakis TherapeuticsFounder and Executive Chairman2015 — 2016Boston, MA
- Termeer EstateBusiness Advisorcurrent2017 — present
- Zikani TherapeuticsExecutive Chairman2020 — 2021
- Zikani TherapeuticsCorporate Advisor2019 — 2020Watertown, MA
- Aura BiosciencesBoard Observer2019 — 2021Cambridge, MA
- Aura BiosciencesChairman2018 — 2019Cambridge, MA
- Aura BiosciencesExecutive Chairman2015 — 2018Cambridge, MA
- Aura BiosciencesBoard Member/Independent Director and Chief Business Advisor2013 — 2015Cambridge, MA
- Amylyx PharmaceuticalsBoard Observer2017 — 2020Cambridge, MA
- X4 PharmaceuticalsFounder and Board Member2016 — 2019Cambridge, MA
- X4 PharmaceuticalsFounder and Board Member; Interim Chairman2015 — 2016Cambridge, MA
- Henri TermeerBusiness Advisor2013 — 2017Cambridge, MA
- GenzymeSenior Advisor & Senior Vice President, Sanofi-Genzyme BioVentures2013Cambridge, MA
- GenzymeManaging Director, Genzyme Ventures2007 — 2012Cambridge, MA
- GenzymeSenior Vice President, Corporate Development2001 — 2007Cambridge, MA
Skills & more
Biotechnology16Lifesciences7Biopharmaceuticals23Venture Capital18Corporate Development24Strategy10Business Strategy4Start-ups7Board of DirectorsMergersOrganic Chemistry1Biochemistry3
+1 more
Due DiligenceFrom Alan's professional profile.
Deals · 2
Artax BiopharmaBoard seat
via Advent Life Sciences · filed May 2026 · $19M raise
Arrakis TherapeuticsBoard seat
via Advent Life Sciences · filed Mar 2017 · $41.2M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
ALETAAlphaRoseArtaxEloxxPic Therapeutics
Investor
AuraLeviceptZikani (now Eloxx)
Sources: the firm's website · SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Advent Life Sciences
Alain Huriez
Venture Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Andrea Beesley
Team Assistant at Advent Life Sciences
Bonita Theara
Executive Assistant at Advent Life Sciences
Dominic Schmidt
General Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Don Drakeman
Distinguished Research Professor, biotech entrepreneur, and venture partner
Fraser Murray
Head of Scientific Evaluation at Advent Life Sciences
Gail Jermyn
Investor Relations Partner at Advent Life Sciences
George Cadbury
Partner at GVP Climate
Network5
Alain Huriez
Venture Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Dominic Schmidt
General Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Don Drakeman
Distinguished Research Professor, biotech entrepreneur, and venture partner
Kaasim Mahmood
General Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Karen LaRochelle
Venture Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Investors connected to Alan in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Alan Walts?
- Alan E. Walts joined Advent Life Sciences in 2013 after 27 years at Genzyme Corporation, where his roles spanned corporate venture capital, business development, R&D, and general management. He most recently ran Genzyme's corporate venture fund (Genzyme Ventures, now Sanofi Ventures), and previously served as President of Genzyme Pharmaceuticals and head of chemistry and biopolymer research. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT (1985), completed post-doctoral biochemistry research at MIT, and finished the executive Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School in 1993.
- Where does Alan Walts work?
- Alan Walts is Venture Partner at Advent Life Sciences and Board director at Arrakis Therapeutics and Board director at Artax Biopharma.
- What does Alan Walts invest in?
- Alan Walts invests in Biotech.
- What check size does Alan Walts write?
- Alan Walts typically writes checks of $25K – $5M.
- What boards does Alan Walts sit on?
- Alan Walts holds tracked board seats at ALETA, AlphaRose, Arrakis Therapeutics, Arrakis Therapeutics, Artax, Artax Biopharma, Eloxx, Pic Therapeutics.
- What companies has Alan Walts invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Aura, Levicept, Zikani (now Eloxx).
- Where did Alan Walts go to school?
- Alan Walts studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Post-Doctoral Studies, Biochemistry); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D., Organic Chemistry); St. John Fisher College (Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Chemistry).
Founder mafias
Massachusetts Institute of Technology mafia546
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Elad GilPhDFounded Brain Co.Nat FriedmanBachelor of ScienceFounded XamarinMatt HuangB.S.Founded HotspotsDelian AsparouhovDropoutFounded Nightingale +1Drew HoustonBSFounded Dropbox +1Arash FerdowsiComputer ScienceFounded Dropbox
+ 539 more
Advent Life Sciences mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology1,387
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesHemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGBrad FeldCo-founder of Foundry and Techstars
+ 1,381 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Eloxx Pharmaceuticals1
Also worked at Arrakis Therapeutics6
Also worked at Genzyme95
Walter OlesiakOperating Partner at Remiges Ventures, Inc.Christine AylwardFounder & Managing Partner at Magnetic VenturesSun AltbachSenior Scientific Advisor at BOLD LongevityMatt VineSenior Associate at RRE VenturesWalter OlesiakOperating Partner at RDiscoveryRamy RiadPresident, Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit at Takeda Ventures
)
+ 89 more