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Don Drakeman
InvestorVenture Partner at Advent Life Sciences
Princeton, New Jersey
Writes $25K – $5M checks · typically $1M
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About
Don Drakeman spent 25 years as an entrepreneur and chief executive in the biotechnology industry, founding and running companies that advanced multiple medical products from research concept through clinical trials to FDA approval, including two treatments recognized in the 2018 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. He is now a Venture Partner with Advent Life Sciences. In parallel, he built an academic career as a scholar of law, religion, and constitutional interpretation, serving as a Distinguished Research Professor at Notre Dame's Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government and a Fellow at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. He has authored seven books, including works on constitutional theory and the business of biotechnology, and holds degrees from Dartmouth, Columbia, and Princeton. He also writes about wine, holding the WSET Diploma.
Contact· published on Don's own website
Invests in
Biotech
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Founded a biotech company whose two developed medicines were recognized in the 2018 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for revolutionizing cancer therapy.
- Education
- Received an A.B. from Dartmouth College. Earned a J.D. from Columbia University. Holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University. Awarded the Diploma in Wines (with merit) from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust.
- Boards
- Founding Chairman Emeritus of the Advisory Council of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. Served as a trustee of Drew University. Served as a trustee of the University of Charleston. Served as a trustee of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.
- Awards
- Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Royal Society of Biology, and the Burgon Society. His book Church, State, and Original Intent was named a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title.
- Hobbies
- Has a family interest in wine and blogs about the WSET Diploma.
- More
- Co-devised the New Jersey Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer Program, credited with creating or saving thousands of medical research jobs. Has authored seven books spanning constitutional theory and the business of biotechnology.
From Don's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Investments
Board seats
4-antibodyALETACapella BiosciencesManta Medicines
Per the firm's website.
Writing
All posts ↗Colleagues at Advent Life Sciences
Network5
Investors connected to Don in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Don Drakeman?
- Don Drakeman spent 25 years as an entrepreneur and chief executive in the biotechnology industry, founding and running companies that advanced multiple medical products from research concept through clinical trials to FDA approval, including two treatments recognized in the 2018 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. He is now a Venture Partner with Advent Life Sciences. In parallel, he built an academic career as a scholar of law, religion, and constitutional interpretation, serving as a Distinguished Research Professor at Notre Dame's Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government and a Fellow at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. He has authored seven books, including works on constitutional theory and the business of biotechnology, and holds degrees from Dartmouth, Columbia, and Princeton. He also writes about wine, holding the WSET Diploma.
- Where does Don Drakeman work?
- Don Drakeman is Venture Partner at Advent Life Sciences.
- What does Don Drakeman invest in?
- Don Drakeman invests in Biotech.
- What check size does Don Drakeman write?
- Don Drakeman typically writes checks of $25K – $5M.
- What boards does Don Drakeman sit on?
- Don Drakeman holds tracked board seats at 4-antibody, ALETA, Capella Biosciences, Manta Medicines.
- What awards has Don Drakeman received?
- Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Royal Society of Biology, and the Burgon Society. His book Church, State, and Original Intent was named a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title.
- What has Don Drakeman written?
- Don Drakeman has 1 tracked post on donalddrakeman.com, including "WSET Diploma: Just How Hard is It? Part 3: The Write Stuff".
About this profile. Compiled from public sources — Advent Life Sciences's own website, press coverage and public professional profiles — and summarised by Fundraising Fox; every fact is kept with where it came from. Spotted an error, or would rather not be listed? Email privacy@fundraisingfox.com · How we build profiles · Your rights