Section 32, a San Diego, CA-based venture capital firm investing at the frontiers of technology, healthcare and life sciences, appointed Steven J. Kafka, Ph.D., as a managing partner.
Kafka will focus on supporting and expanding the firm’s investment portfolio and presence in Boston.
He brings more than 20 years of experience in drug discovery, development and commercialization, and in molecular diagnostics, focusing on the formation and growth of companies that develop life-changing personalized medicine approaches for patients. Kafka currently serves as executive chairman at Thrive Earlier Detection Corp., and at ArcherDX, and will continue operating in those roles.
He joins Section 32 from Third Rock Ventures, where he operated as both a partner and venture partner and helped lead the creation and launch of Thrive Earlier Detection.
Previously, Kafka was president and chief operating officer at Foundation Medicine Inc., where he helped lead the company’s growth including its initial public offering, collaboration with Roche, and rapid expansion of its operational activities.
Before joining Foundation Medicine, he held leadership positions at Aileron Therapeutics, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Strategic Decisions Group and Forrester Research.
Kafka received his Ph.D. in political economy and government from Harvard University and holds an A.B. in economics and political science from Stanford.
Led by Bill Maris, Founder, and Michael Pellini, M.D., Managing Partner, Section 32 invests primarily in US-based companies across biotechnology, therapeutics, advanced diagnostics, software, cybersecurity, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
The firm’s partners have been founders, operators and investors in companies and led or managed investments in over 400 companies, resulting in 100+ mergers and acquisitions, 20+ IPOs and 40+ companies that have exceeded $1B valuations.
FinSMEs
12/11/2019