Michael joined NEA in 2022 as an Associate on the Healthcare Team focused on investments in life sciences and pharmatech. Prior to joining NEA, Michael was a member of the Healthcare Investment Banking Group at Goldman Sachs, in New York City, where he worked on multiple IPOs and M&A transactions across healthcare. Michael also spent time researching acute myeloid leukemia at Weill Cornell Medical College and Imperial College London. Michael graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience.
What are you most passionate about when it comes to your work?
Turning scientific breakthroughs into treatments. The license to work with the brightest scientific minds and help accelerate the path from scientific discovery to approved therapy is a gigantic privilege, and I try to let that drive me every day.
What qualities do you look for in a founder?
I value pragmatic leadership. Realistic goals and efficient resource utilization go a long way in developing credibility. Quite often, we look far ahead at the promise of an idea or technology, but having rational stewardship is important to staying the course.
What keeps you curious?
The world around me and the pace of innovation keep me curious and learning. The world has a 4+ billion year head start, so looking at what nature has already invented inspires me. Couple that with the astounding rate of innovation in the biotech sector and it’s hard not to be ferociously curious.
Finish the sentence: I strongly believe that...
Biotechnology has the potential to reshape the future of our world and lengthen the human health span.
From your perspective, how does NEA’s long-term investing strategy benefit a founder and their teams?
Patient capital with the liberty to invest from idea to IPO allows us to be a supportive partner at every step of the journey—both financially and strategically. Our history has given us extensive experience when it comes to company-building, so we’re able to employ the right experts to advise teams at each stage.
What’s something that you geek out about or obsess over?
Aviation. I don’t have an overly profound reason why, but something about the sensation of flying and the convergence of science and engineering is awe-inspiring. I can probably tell you the type of plane, airline, and route (if I’m lucky) of a plane overhead—and I will (much to the annoyance of my friends).
