Jason Pontin
InvestorGeneral Partner at DCVC (Data Collective) · Board director at Tatio · Board director at Kanvas Bio · Board director at Proxima Bio
Palo Alto, California
Writes $5M – $25M checks · typically $15M
About
Jason Pontin is a General Partner at DCVC focused on early-stage computational biology and chemistry startups, having joined in 2021 after serving as Senior Partner at Flagship Pioneering. He cofounded Totus Medicines and previously ran media companies, serving as Editor in Chief and Publisher of MIT Technology Review from 2004 to 2017.
Contact· published on Jason's own website
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningBiotechClimate Tech
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Pontin founded The Acumen Journal, a magazine about the life sciences. Pontin cofounded MIT Solve in 2015, the institute's open innovation platform. Pontin cofounded Totus Medicines in 2019 with CEO Neil Dhawan.
- Education
- Studied at Harrow School Studied at Keble College, Oxford
- Communities
- Pontin delivered a 2013 TED Talk in Long Beach, California titled 'Can Technology solve our big problems?'
- Family
- Pontin was born in London to a British father, Anthony Charles Pontin, a businessman, and a South African mother, Elaine Howells, an actress.
- More
- Pontin writes for Wired in the publication's 'IDEAS' channel.
From Jason's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Tatio
Intro paths
→
In turn, Jason can intro founders to Tatio's investors below.
Tatio's investors · 1
Board director at Kanvas Bio
Intro paths
→
In turn, Jason can intro founders to Kanvas Bio's investors below.
Kanvas Bio's investors · 9
Bascom VenturesBostonBoutique Venture PartnersPalo AltoDCVC (Data Collective)Palo Alto · $5M – $25M checks · since 2023FemHealth VenturesShort HillsGermin8 VenturesChicagoKicker VenturesMenlo Park · $100K – $1M checksPangaea Ventures Us Inc.Vancouver · $500K – $1.5M checksRed Bear VenturesIthaca · $200K – $1.3M checksTriple Impact CapitalSan Francisco · $250K – $600K checks · since 2023
Co-founders at Kanvas Bio
MC
Matthew ChengExecutive Officer, Director
HS
Hao ShiExecutive Officer, Director
ID
Iwijn De VlaminckExecutive Officer, Director
Board director at Proxima Bio
Intro paths
→
In turn, Jason can intro founders to Proxima Bio's investors below.
Proxima Bio's investors · 1
Experience
- DCVCGeneral Partnercurrent2023 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
- DCVCPartner2021 — 2023
- University of CambridgeGlobal Advisory Board, Cambridge Innovation Hubcurrent2026 — presentCambridge
- ProximaBoard Membercurrent2026 — presentNew York, United States
- Dayhoff LabsBoard Membercurrent2025 — presentLondon Area, United Kingdom
- Kanvas BiosciencesBoard Chaircurrent2023 — presentPrinceton, New Jersey, United States
- Relation TherapeuticsBoard Membercurrent2022 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- Totus MedicinesFounding Board Member, Cofounder, and Initial Investor (through Social Impact Capital)current2019 — presentGreater Boston Area
- WIREDContributing Writercurrent2018 — present
- Evonetix LtdBoard Member2021 — 2026Cambridge
- RecycleyeBoard Member2023 — 2026Greater London
- ZwitterCoBoard Chair2022 — 2026Boston, MA
- Aquafortus TechnologiesBoard Member2023 — 2026Auckland, New Zealand
- DVLP MedicinesBoard Chair2022 — 2025Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Equilibr.io IncBoard Chair2021 — 2025Palo Alto, California, United States
- StrateosBoard Chair2021 — 2024Menlo Park, California, United States
- Adlai Nortye Biopharma Co., Ltd.Scientific Advisory Board Member2020 — 2023Boston
- Menten AIBoard Observer and Seed Investor (through Social Impact Capital)2020 — 2022Greater Boston
- Flagship PioneeringSenior Advisor2019 — 2020Greater Boston Area
- Flagship PioneeringSenior Partner2018 — 2019Cambridge, MA
- ValoStrategic Advisor2019 — 2020
- MIT Technology ReviewCEO, Editor in Chief, and Publisher2004 — 2017Cambridge, Massachusetts
- MIT Enterprise ForumChairman2012 — 2017Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Acumen Journal of Life SciencesEditor in Chief2002 — 2004
- Red Herring CommunicationsSuccessively: Managing Editor, the Editor, and Editorial Director1996 — 2002
- Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityAssociate2001 — 2002
- InfoWorldSenior Editor1994 — 1996
Skills & more
Adobe Creative Suite9Board LevelBoard AdministrationBoard GovernanceDigital Media44Editorial99Publishing99Publications99Magazines93Journalism37Editing99New Media30
+12 more
Content ManagementBloggingOnline PublishingContent StrategyPhotographyWeb ContentSocial MediaNewspapersContent DevelopmentPublic SpeakingWritingPublic RelationsLanguages Latin, French, a little modern and ancient Greek.
From Jason's professional profile.
Deals · 4
Proxima BioBoard seat
via DCVC (Data Collective) · filed Jun 2026 · $91.5M raise
Relation Therapeutics Inc.Board seat
via DCVC (Data Collective) · filed Dec 2025 · $36.2M raise
TatioBoard seat
via DCVC (Data Collective) · filed Nov 2022 · $2.5M raise
ZwitterCoBoard seat
via DCVC (Data Collective) · filed May 2022 · $33.4M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Investor
Sources: SEC Form D filings · curated public sources · the firm's website.
Colleagues at DCVC (Data Collective)
Alan Cohen
General Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Ali Tamaseb
General Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Allyson Kaufman
Investor Relations Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Anna Fokina
Investment Director DCVC Bio at DCVC (Data Collective)
Cara Yesko
Associate at DCVC (Data Collective)
Chris Boshuizen
Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Christopher Meldrum
Entrepreneur In Residence, DCVC Bio at DCVC Bio
Clay Hutmacher
Operating Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Network6
Alan CohenScout
General Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Ali TamasebScout
General Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
Anna FokinaScout
Investment Director DCVC Bio at DCVC (Data Collective)
Chris BoshuizenScout
Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
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Christine AylwardScout
Founder & Managing Partner at Magnetic Ventures
Eric Shiozaki, PhDScout
Partner at Revelation Partners
Investors connected to Jason in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Jason Pontin?
- Jason Pontin is a General Partner at DCVC focused on early-stage computational biology and chemistry startups, having joined in 2021 after serving as Senior Partner at Flagship Pioneering. He cofounded Totus Medicines and previously ran media companies, serving as Editor in Chief and Publisher of MIT Technology Review from 2004 to 2017.
- Where does Jason Pontin work?
- Jason Pontin is General Partner at DCVC (Data Collective) and Board director at Tatio and Board director at Kanvas Bio and Board director at Proxima Bio.
- What does Jason Pontin invest in?
- Jason Pontin invests in AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Climate Tech.
- What check size does Jason Pontin write?
- Jason Pontin typically writes checks of $5M – $25M.
- What boards does Jason Pontin sit on?
- Jason Pontin holds tracked board seats at Kanvas Bio, Proxima Bio, Relation Therapeutics Inc., Tatio, Totus Medicines, ZwitterCo.
- What companies has Jason Pontin invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Totus Medicines.
- Where did Jason Pontin go to school?
- Jason Pontin studied at University of Oxford (BA, MA (Oxon)); Harrow School.
Founder mafias
University of Oxford mafia290
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Reid HoffmanM.St.Founded LinkedIn +2Gabriel PereyraDropped outFounded HarveyBrent HobermanMaster of Arts - MAFounded Founders Pledge +3William GuttmanM.PhilFounded CurvePoint +3Kevin HartzMstFounded Eventbrite +2Max AhrensDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded Maihem +2
+ 283 more
Flagship Pioneering mafia14
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Noubar AfeyanFounder and CEOFounded ProFound Therapeutics +12Avak KahvejianGeneral PartnerFounded ProFound Therapeutics +5Geoffrey von MaltzahnGeneral PartnerFounded Sienna Biopharmaceuticals +5Christian SchadeGrowth PartnerFounded Halda Therapeutics +2Phillip SamayoaVentureLabs Entrepreneurial FellowFounded Generation Bio +2Ignacio MartinezPartnerFounded Cibo Technologies +1
+ 7 more
DCVC (Data Collective) mafia7
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Harrow School mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Strateos mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended University of Oxford1,229
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockMichael MoritzFormer Partner at Sequoia Capital; Senior Adviser at Sequoia HeritageBrad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalGabriel PereyraCo-founder & President of HarveyDominic JacquessonInvestor at Index VenturesErin Price-WrightInvestor at Index Ventures
+ 1,223 more
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Shared employers
Also worked at DCVC43
Zachary BogueCo-Founder and Managing Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)Kevin NovakFounder at Rackhouse Venture Management LpJohn BrennanFounder & Managing Partner at Holly VenturesMatt O'ConnellSSIT Investment Committee at Seraphim SpaceJocelyne CookeCFO at GFT VenturesJames HardimanGeneral Partner at DCVC (Data Collective)
+ 37 more
Also worked at Aquafortus Technologies1
Also worked at Menten AI2
Also worked at MIT Technology Review485
Aileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesMatt HuangCo-founder and Managing Partner at ParadigmMichael TruellCo-founder & CEO of CursorRaquel UrtasunFounder & CEO of WaabiColin WebbFounder & CEO of Avatar RoboticsAdam BryCo-founder & CEO of Skydio
+ 479 more