Jerel Davis
InvestorManaging Director at Versant Ventures
Vancouver, BC
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
FoundedSanta Ana Bio
About
Jerel Davis is a PhD-trained life scientist and Vancouver-based investor who builds biotechs from scratch via pharma partnerships—co-founding BlueRock with Bayer ($225M) and designing ventures with acquirers in mind.
Invests in
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Experience
- Versant VenturesManaging Directorcurrent2011 — presentVancouver
- Ventus TherapeuticsBoard Chaircurrent2020 — present
- Borealis Biosciences, Inc.Board Chaircurrent2024 — presentVancover
- Santa Ana BioBoard Membercurrent2022 — present
- Fable TherapeuticsBoard Chaircurrent2023 — present
- Firefly BiologicsBoard Membercurrent2022 — presentSouth San Francisco, California, United States
- Tentarix Biotherapeutics, Inc.Board Membercurrent2020 — present
- Kolm TherapeuticsBoard Member2022 — 2025Connecticut, United States
- Nested TherapeuticsBoard Member2022 — 2023
- Chinook Therapeutics, Inc.Board Member2019 — 2023
- RayzeBioBoard Member2020 — 2023
- Repare TherapeuticsBoard Member2017 — 2023
- Northern BiologicsBoard Member2015 — 2020Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- BlueRock TherapeuticsBoard Member2016 — 2019
- Inception 4, Inc.Board Member2013 — 2018
- Inception 5 IncBoard Member2014 — 2018
- CRISPR TherapeuticsBoard Observer2014 — 2016
- Quanticel PharmaceuticalsBoard Observer2011 — 2015
- McKinsey & CompanyAssociate Principal2006 — 2011San Francisco
- Stanford UniversityPostdoc2005 — 2006
Education
- Stanford UniversityPhD, Population genetics and genomics2001 — 2005
- Pepperdine UniversityBS, Mathematics and Biology1994 — 1999
Skills & more
+12 more
Start-upsMergersEntrepreneurshipLife SciencesProduct ManagementStrategic PlanningFinancial ModelingCommercializationBusiness DevelopmentResearch and Development (R&D)Mergers & AcquisitionsMolecular GeneticsFrom Jerel's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Stanford University1,575
+ 1,569 more
Also attended Pepperdine University31
+ 25 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Borealis Biosciences, Inc.2
Also worked at BlueRock Therapeutics1
Also worked at McKinsey & Company1,127
+ 1,121 more
Deals · 6
Firefly Bio, Inc.Board seat
via Versant Ventures · filed Mar 2024 · $72M raise
Ventus TherapeuticsBoard seat
via Versant Ventures · filed Feb 2022 · $140M raise
Graphite Bio, Inc.Board seat
via Versant Ventures · filed Mar 2021 · $150.7M raise
Chinook Therapeutics U.SBoard seat
via Versant Ventures · filed Aug 2019 · $65M raise
Turnstone BiologicsBoard seat
via Versant Ventures · filed Jan 2019 · $42.1M raise
Mistral TherapeuticsBoard seat
via Versant Ventures · filed Jun 2018 · $59.3M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

















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