Fundraising Fox

Zhizhong Yao

Investor

Partner at Sofinnova Partners

Paris, France

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

About

Yao is a Partner in Sofinnova's Biovelocita Strategy, having joined in 2015 as an analyst focused on early-stage biotech and biopharmaceutical investments. He previously was a Human Frontier Science Program Cross-Disciplinary Fellow at the French National Institute of Agriculture Research and holds a PhD in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Harvard and a Bachelor's from Peking University.

LinkedIn ↗Website ↗

Invests in

Biotech

Experience

  1. Stealth StartupChief Executive Officercurrent2024 — presentParis, Île-de-France, France
  2. Sofinnova PartnersPartner - Sofinnova Acceleration Strategy BiovelocITAcurrent2023 — present
  3. Sofinnova PartnersPrincipal - Sofinnova Capital Strategy2015 — 2024Paris Area, France
  4. EnsocellDirector Board of Directors2023
  5. Mablink BioscienceBoard Observer2022 — 2023
  6. DISCO Pharmaceuticals GmbHDirector Board of Directors2022 — 2023
  7. GlycoEra AGBoard Observer2021 — 2023
  8. Mnemo therapeuticsBoard Observer2019 — 2023Paris Area, France
  9. Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals AGBoard Observer2019 — 2022Basel Area, Switzerland
  10. NodThera LimitedBoard Observer2018 — 2020Cambridge, United Kingdom
  11. French National Institute for Agricultural ResearchHuman Frontier Science Program (Cross-disciplinary Fellows)2013 — 2015Jouy-en-Josas, France

Education

  1. Kauffman Fellow2019 — 2024
  2. Harvard UniversityPhD, Chemistry and Chemical Biology/Systems Biology
  3. Peking UniversityBS, Chemistry and Molecular Engineering

Skills & more

Human Resources (HR)Business PlanningCRO ManagementGrant PreparationIntellectual PropertyBusiness DevelopmentBoard of DirectorsOperations ManagementDue DiligenceBoard Governancefund raisingVenture Capital
+2 moreboard directorsStrategic Planning

Languages Chinese · English · French

From Zhizhong's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended Harvard University1,173

Alfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalChris DixonFounder & Managing Partner of a16z crypto at Andreessen HorowitzSarah TavelVenture Partner at BenchmarkDanny RimerPartner at Index VenturesLaela SturdyManaging Partner at CapitalGRyan IsonoDeal Partner at Felicis Ventures

+ 1,167 more

Also attended Peking University107

Erica WuInvestment Director at Intel CapitalGiuseppe IademarcoHead of Global Partnership at P101 VenturesLucy BradyHead of Product at Giant Ventures Global LlpLuke TangManaging Partner at G Vision CapitalRaaj RayatPrincipal at AirTree VenturesKathy WangInvestor at Inception Studio Capital

+ 101 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Stealth Startup184

Andrew ChenGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzErica VanInvestment Director at Intel CapitalHemamAdvisor at Clear VenturesHamish GarnettAssociate at Manta Ray VenturesFranz KoflerInvestor at Next Frontier CapitalGüimar Vaca SitticVenture Partner at FJ Labs

+ 178 more

Also worked at Sofinnova Partners44

Anne HorganPartner at Cambridge Innovation CapitalLaetitia SchwabPrincipal at SR One Capital ManagementAntoine Papiernik PapiernikChairman and Managing Partner at Sofinnova PartnersGraziano SeghezziManaging Partner at Sofinnova PartnersMichael KrelPartner at Sofinnova PartnersHenrijette RichterManaging Partner at Sofinnova Partners

+ 38 more

Also worked at DISCO Pharmaceuticals GmbH2

Christian SchubertHead of AbbVie Ventures at AbbVieDonmienne LeungDirector II, Head of AbbVie Ventures Europe at AbbVie

Also worked at GlycoEra AG3

Katie Bodner SpielbergPrincipal at 5AM VenturesVeronica Gambillara FonckPartner at Pureos BioventuresKenneth GriséPrincipal at Sixty Degree Capital

Investments

Board seats

DISCOEnsoCellGlycoERAMablink BioscienceMnemoNodthera

Per the firm's website.

Colleagues at Sofinnova Partners

Agnès Pauquet
Head of Human Resources at Sofinnova Partners
Ahmed Fourati
Investor Relations and Reporting Officer at Sofinnova Partners
Aishwarya Parthasarathy
Associate, Digital Medicine Strategy at Sofinnova Partners
Alex Leech
Partner, Biovelocita Strategy at Sofinnova Partners
Alexandra Abreu
Analyst, Crossover Strategy at Sofinnova Partners
Andrew M. Weiss
Venture Partner at Sofinnova Partners
Anis Belmili
Fund Accountant at Sofinnova Partners
Ankeet Jethwa
Senior Associate, Capital Strategy at Sofinnova Partners