Technology

Flagship Pioneering Expands Leadership Team with Key Appointments and Promotions

Published

6 months ago

July 10, 2024

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Flagship Pioneering, the bioplatform innovation company, today announced additions to its leadership team through key executive appointments and promotions. Today’s personnel announcement accompanies Flagship’s announced expansion of its capital base with a capital pool of $3.6 billion to support the origination and growth of an estimated 25 breakthrough platform companies in human health, sustainability, and AI.

Lovisa Afzelius, Ph.D., has been promoted to General Partner. Afzelius joined Flagship in 2020 after leading Pfizer’s systems immunology function, where she served as executive director of clinical programs. A computational scientist by training, Afzelius came to Flagship with twenty years of leadership experience. Afzelius’ past roles included CEO, co-founder, president, chairperson of the board, and executive director in both emerging biotech and large pharma companies.

“Lovisa has showcased her exemplary leadership, vision, and commitment to pioneering original science, as evidenced by her instrumental role in the creation and scaling-up of Alltrna, Apriori Bio, Metaphore Biotechnologies, and Prologue Medicines,” said Noubar Afeyan, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering. “I am pleased with the promotion of Lovisa to General Partner, and look forward to her continued dedication to our mission.”

Paul Biondi has also been promoted to General Partner. Biondi joined Flagship in 2019 following nearly two decades at Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. As President of Flagship’s Pioneering Medicines, Biondi has grown the initiative into a robust drug development unit with a leading team of experts who bring a broad set of capabilities to Flagship and its platforms. Under Biondi’s leadership, Pioneering Medicines has established strategic partnerships with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.

“In just four years since he joined Flagship, Paul has transformed then nascent Pioneering Medicines into an innovation powerhouse, where thanks to his vision and leadership, we boast an R&D unit full of experts who bring an array of drug research, design and development capabilities to our organization,” said Afeyan. “The strategic partnerships he has established signify not just a tremendous opportunity for patient impact and value creation, but represent a new, innovation supply chain model for collaborations within the broader biopharma ecosystem. Beyond this, Paul has provided instrumental leadership in various capacities across Flagship and has positively impacted our growth trajectory.”

Dina Ciarimboli has been appointed as General Counsel and Executive Partner to oversee legal, corporate, IP, compliance, and related matters for Flagship Pioneering and its ecosystem of internally-operated companies. She was most recently General Counsel at EQRx, and brings over 30 years of experience advising life sciences companies and venture capital funds on corporate strategy and operations spanning company creation, early research, clinical development, and commercial launch. Ciarimboli leads legal, corporate, IP, compliance, and related matters for Flagship Pioneering and its early stage, wholly owned companies.

“We are pleased to have Dina Ciarimboli on board as our General Counsel,” added Afeyan. “Dina’s impressive track record includes over three decades of invaluable experience advising life sciences companies and venture capital funds, which makes her a great fit for this role. Dina’s expert guidance and counsel have quickly become an asset to Flagship and its wholly-owned companies.”

Marcello Damiani has been appointed Senior Partner with a responsibility for guiding and supporting Flagship and its ecosystem companies on digital, IT strategy and operations. Damiani joins Flagship from Moderna where he served as Chief Digital and Operational Excellence Officer, developing and leading a digitization strategy using cutting edge technologies such as robotics, automation cloud computing, and artificial intelligence/machine learning in support of Moderna’s transition from preclinical through to commercial therapeutics.

“Marcello executed a potent digitization strategy during his time at Moderna, using advanced technologies like robotics, automation, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence/machine learning, and his expertise makes him an invaluable addition to our team,” added Afeyan.

Gary Pisano, Ph.D., a long-time contributor to Flagship and for the last year an academic partner while on sabbatical from Harvard Business School, has joined Flagship full time as Executive Partner and Chief Strategist. Pisano most recently served as the Harry E. Figgie, Jr. Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, where he served as Senior Associate Dean for Promotions and Tenure and has taught MBA, executive, and doctoral courses. As Chief Strategist, Pisano is tasked with tackling the broad strategic and business model choices facing Flagship with a focus on operating effectively and efficiently at scale. Pisano will also be an important resource to Flagship companies on strategy and business model design.

“We have long valued Gary’s insight and strategy at Flagship, and we are pleased to welcome him as our Chief Strategist,” added Afeyan. “Gary’s counsel and singular understanding of the Flagship model will allow him to tackle the broad strategic and business choices facing Flagship with a focus on operating effectively and efficiently at scale. A key part of his role will be helping us leverage the company’s nearly 25 years of experience, and ensuring that Flagship operates on the leading edge of management, strategy, and leadership practice.”

Enhancing Flagship’s Leadership Team

Flagship further enhanced its leadership team with the following executive appointments and elevations:

Junaid Bajwa, M.D., will join Flagship in early September as Senior Partner and Head of United Kingdom, and Science Partner for Pioneering Intelligence. He will focus on advancing new strategic opportunities and partnerships in the region for Flagship and its companies. Bajwa will join Flagship from Microsoft Research where he has been serving as Chief Medical Scientist focusing on how trusted, reliable, and human-centered AI can transform the practice of medicine. He will bring over two decades of experience across primary care, secondary care, and public health settings, and has worked as a payer and policymaker in the UK, specializing in informatics, digital transformation, and leadership.David Khougazian was recently promoted to Executive Partner, Growth and Head of Global Engagement. David brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the global healthcare industry including over two decades at Sanofi.Justine Levin-Allerhand, Ph.D., was recently promoted to Executive Partner, Origination and Corporate Development to maximize the effectiveness of Flagship’s origination teams, thereby fueling its ecosystem with exceptional company generation and novel, durable scientific platforms.Mark Stevenson joined Flagship as Senior Partner. In this role, he will help advance Flagship’s new Enabling Technologies Initiative (ETI) and focus on driving our external partnerships. Mark brings over 30 years in the life science industry to this role, including as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Thermo Fisher.Flagship has also expanded its rank of origination partners through the promotions of Kyle Chiang, Molly Gibson, Scott Lipnick, Armen Mkrtchyan, and Jacob Rubens.

“Flagship is dedicated to hiring and nurturing world-class executives with a history of extraordinary performance, and with these additions to our already robust leadership team, I believe we are in the strongest place we’ve been in our nearly 25-year history,” added Afeyan. “We are pleased to congratulate our colleagues on their new and expanded leadership roles. We look forward to their collaboration as we build on our mission to invent transformative technologies and companies that improve human health and the sustainability of our planet.”

About Flagship Pioneering

Flagship Pioneering invents and builds bioplatform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health or sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in more than $75 billion in aggregate value. To date, Flagship has deployed over $3.8 billion in capital toward the founding and growth of its pioneering companies alongside more than $27 billion of follow-on investments from other institutions. The current Flagship ecosystem comprises 40 companies, including Foghorn Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FHTX), Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), Sana Biotechnology (NASDAQ: SANA), Generate Biomedicines, Inari, Indigo Agriculture, and Tessera Therapeutics.

Media Contact

press@flagshippioneering.com

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SOURCE Flagship Pioneering

Technology

RIA Growth Catalyst Partners with WealthFeed to Enhance RIA Prospecting and Acquisition with Best In Class Contact Data

Published

12 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — WealthFeed, an AI-powered prospecting platform, announced today a strategic partnership with RIA Growth Catalyst, a premier resource for helping RIAs accelerate inorganic growth. This collaboration will equip RIA Growth Catalyst users with enhanced tools, delivering up-to-date contact data and AI-driven insights to streamline RIA prospecting and acquisitions.

The partnership, launching in January 2025 and rolling out over the following months, integrates thousands of verified data points into the RIA Growth Catalyst platform. Users will gain access to critical information, including contact details, alma mater, net worth, and age — empowering them to streamline prospecting workflows, save time on data gathering, and focus on building meaningful relationships.

“Whether you’re searching for your next RIA acquisition, recruiting advisors, or building out your RIA client roster, the common denominator is human connection,” said Julien Baneux, founder and CEO of RIA Growth Catalyst. “By integrating WealthFeed’s data directly into our platform, we enable our users to focus on building relationships and achieving their growth goals.”

Sam Kendree, co-founder of WealthFeed, echoed this sentiment: “Julien and his team have built a remarkable platform that empowers RIAs to succeed in the competitive M&A landscape. By embedding WealthFeed’s insights into RIA Growth Catalyst, users will gain everything they need to thrive in their client acquisition strategies.”

To learn more about RIA Growth Catalyst’s AI-powered data platform purpose-built for inorganic acquisition, visit www.riagrowthcatalyst.com.

For media inquiries or additional information, please contact: info@wealthfeed.com.

About WealthFeed:

Based in New York City, WealthFeed is a leading SaaS Business Development platform for Financial Service Professionals. Leveraging advanced AI and data analytics, WealthFeed empowers Financial Advisors to grow their book of business, increase client retention, and grow wallet-share with current clients through our AI-powered Money-in-Motion platform. For more information, visit www.wealthfeed.com.

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SOURCE WealthFeed, Inc

Technology

ImageTrend Acquires biospatial

Published

12 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

LAKEVILLE, Minn., Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today ImageTrend announces the purchase of biospatial, based in Durham, NC for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2017, biospatial combines EMS electronic patient care reports (ePCR) with other electronic healthcare data sources using proprietary analytics and machine learning to support the missions of public sector and commercial healthcare entities. ImageTrend’s software transforms incident data into actionable intelligence to help healthcare and emergency service providers address systemic challenges and significantly impact the communities they serve.

“By integrating our products and data assets, we’re solidifying our combined ability to deliver unparalleled insights.”

“This strategic move combines the greatest strengths of two industry leaders bringing together best-in-class data collection with analytics and insights for the healthcare and emergency services space,” said Patrick Sheahan, Chief Executive Officer of ImageTrend. “ImageTrend collects 80% of the U.S. incident data, which when combined with biospatial’s intuitive and accessible platform will deploy powerful insights to drive community health and safety. This move also brings an abundance of opportunities to both of our customers who want to consolidate software providers.”

“By integrating our products and data assets, we are not just merging technologies, but also solidifying our combined ability to deliver unparalleled insights,” said Jon Woodworth, biospatial CEO. “This strategic acquisition unlocks new potentials for innovation, driving our mission to serve our customers better and foster data-driven decisions in emergency services and healthcare.”

About biospatial
Headquartered in Durham, NC, biospatial is a distinguished healthcare analytics business with an expansive data network. The company’s platform provides biospatial customers with near real-time access to electronic patient care reports (ePCR) for EMS transports from thousands of EMS providers in over 40 US states. biospatial collects and curates over 100,000 new ePCRs daily. Utilizing proprietary analytics and machine learning, biospatial supports customers across multiple industries, enhancing awareness, informing decisions, and improving outcomes.

About ImageTrend
ImageTrend transforms incident data into actionable intelligence, empowering frontline teams to effectively manage surging demands and resource constraints, driving impactful change in the communities it supports.

Founded in 1998, the company serves more than 3,000 customers including 20,000 agencies across Fire, Emergency Medical Services and Hospital segments. With its deep industry knowledge and advanced data analytics capabilities, the software provider helps its customers streamline operations, shape long-term strategies, and dramatically improve outcomes. Its comprehensive software solutions and dedicated team provide the confidence and intelligence first providers need to tackle today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s uncertainties.

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SOURCE ImageTrend LLC

Technology

TCL Unveils Next-Gen NXTPAPER 4.0 Display Technology at CES 2025

Published

12 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

Adds Advanced TCL NXTPAPER Tablet and Smartphone
to Award-Winning Portfolio

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TCL, a pioneer in display across feature-rich smartphones, tablets, and connected devices, is elevating digital experiences to unprecedented levels at CES this year. Building on its comprehensive product ecosystem, TCL unveils the new NXTPAPER 4.0 display technology, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus tablet, and the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G smartphone, marking significant advancements in enhancing visual clarity and comfort. TCL continues to ‘Inspire Greatness’ in daily life with the launch of its latest smart connectivity products, along with a strategic partnership with Microsoft to leverage advanced AI in TCL devices, reinforcing the commitment to providing users with innovative and accessible digital solutions.

The Future of Display Technology with TCL NXTPAPER 4.0

Driven by a mission to make technology more human, TCL’s pioneering NXTPAPER technology addresses everyday visual comfort challenges as screen usage continues to increase globally. With an unwavering dedication and a strong sense of purpose, TCL has been on a remarkable journey to transform the way we interact with technology.

TCL NXTPAPER 4.0 marks a significant advancement in display technology, focusing on user comfort and enhanced visual clarity. This latest release incorporates the sophisticated nano-matrix lithography technology, which improves display clarity and sharpness. Boasting a ΔE<1 true color display accuracy and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, it ensures precise color reproduction for both general users and creative professionals, providing a more vivid and realistic experience. Thanks to advanced blue light purification and Circularly Polarized Light (CPL) technologies, the display expertly mimics natural light conditions, making the visual experience both appealing and easier on the eyes, whether for work or leisure.

TCL NXTPAPER 4.0 introduces the AI-driven Smart Eye Comfort Mode and Personalized Eye Comfort Mode. These innovative features offer an intelligent and personalized visual experience, which is capable of adjusting based on diverse usage scenarios and user preferences to optimize eye comfort, ensuring a more comfortable visual experience in daily use. By intelligently tailoring the screen’s brightness, contrast, and color temperature, it ensures optimal comfort tailored to your current activity without compromising visual quality.

Supported by leading global certification bodies such as TÜV, SGS and Eyesafe, TCL NXTPAPER 4.0 leads in offering safe, sustainable, and user-friendly display technology. It changes how we engage with digital content, providing high-quality visuals with a focus on health-centered technology.

Elevating Everyday with TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus

Building upon the foundation set by NXTPAPER 4.0, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus tablet not only upholds but advances the standards of eye comfort and display technology in personal devices. It seamlessly integrates the core advancements of NXTPAPER 4.0, bringing them to life in a format that balances performance, eye comfort, and personalization. The TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus is designed to adapt to the diverse visual demands of modern users – from professionals needing a reliable tool for long work sessions to avid readers and multimedia enthusiasts seeking a gentler viewing experience. This tablet redefines personal viewing experience by offering a display that significantly reduces eye strain without sacrificing color accuracy or visual clarity.

Moreover, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus is more than just a technological marvel; it represents TCL’s vision of a future where technology and user-centric design converge to create more human-friendly electronic environments. Its new features, including the AI-enabled Smart Eye Comfort Mode, Personalized Eye Comfort Mode, and the upgraded NXTPAPER Key, adjust to individual preferences and usage scenarios ensuring optimal comfort and efficiency. It is poised to set new benchmarks for what tablets can achieve, offering unmatched versatility and intelligence in a sleek, user-focused package. With the new TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus tablet, experience the pinnacle of personalized, comfortable, and smart technology designed for today’s dynamic digital landscapes.

Viewing Comfort for All with TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G

Another major addition to TCL’s innovative product lineup at CES is the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G, a smartphone that blends advanced display capabilities with user-focused design to set new benchmarks in digital health and comfort. The innovative NXTPAPER Key, which was first introduced at IFA 2024 on the TCL 50 PRO NXTPAPER 5G, has now come to North America. The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G, exclusive to the North American market, is adept at reducing blue light and glare to protect eyes during extended use. With the newly integrated NXTPAPER Key, users can switch to Max Ink Mode, which mimics an e-ink display that is perfect for reading. This mode delivers a paper-like viewing experience and can support up to a week of reading while silencing notifications to reduce distractions. The device also features a 6.8-inch FHD+ screen with a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, providing fluid and immersive visuals for both reading and viewing.

The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G is designed to enhance user comfort with its Eye Care Assistant, which suggests breaks and adjusts the display for optimal viewing. Its Night Light Mode and Night-Friendly Screen adapt to varying light conditions, ensuring a comfortable viewing experience regardless of the environment. It comes with 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM, which can be expanded by an additional 8GB, catering efficiently to all user requirements. For photography enthusiasts, the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G features a high-quality triple camera system with a 50MP main camera and a 32MP front-facing camera, ideal for capturing sharp photos and selfies. Enhanced with AI-powered features, the smartphone optimizes task management and efficiency, adapting seamlessly to user needs for a smoother and more responsive experience.

In addition to the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G, TCL introduces the TCL K32 smartphone, which offers a cost-effective way for more consumers to experience the benefits of 5G connectivity. With its ultra-fast speeds and seamless, stable performance, the TCL K32 ensures that advanced connectivity features are more accessible, bringing high-speed mobile technology to a broader audience without compromising quality.

A Holistic Ecosystem of Smart Solutions

With a commitment to providing users with holistic smart solutions, TCL has broadened its portable entertainment range with the previously launched TCL Projector A1. Designed for mobility, the compact and versatile TCL Projector A1 is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use, emphasizing easy transport and flexible viewing scenarios. Further enhancing its projector lineup, TCL has also unveiled the TCL PLAYCUBE, an innovative projector that sets a new standard for portable entertainment. The TCL PLAYCUBE presents the unique Magic Cube Design, a modular concept integrating aesthetics and functionality. It enhances portability and enables adjustable viewing angles. Whether at home or outdoors, it serves as a stylish item, fulfilling diverse entertainment needs and imparting modern elegance. Additionally, the built-in battery not only underscores its versatility for both indoor and outdoor use but also ensures that entertainment can be enjoyed anywhere, seamlessly integrating advanced entertainment into daily life and making it accessible and mobile.

In enhancing mobile connectivity, TCL is also proud to showcase its latest broadband solutions, which include the TCL LINKPORT IK511 5G RedCap USB Dongle and the TCL LINKHUB HH516 5G AI CPE. Currently the only commercially available 5G RedCap device in North America, the TCL LINKPORT IK511 delivers speeds up to 220Mbps and seamlessly integrates with existing 5G networks, meeting the market demand for high-performance, cost-effective 5G connectivity and accelerating the widespread adoption of 5G applications. At just 28.7g, this compact dongle is the smallest and lightest of its kind. Offering plug-and-play simplicity, broad operating system compatibility, and versatile management options, the device provides effortless convenience across both consumer and industrial (Machine to Machine) scenarios.

In addition, the TCL LINKHUB HH516 5G AI CPE router combines top hardware and AI technology, offering up to 7.01Gbps 5G downlink and 7.2Gbps dual-band Wi-Fi 7 speeds while supporting 512 connections. It features high-gain antennas and NR 4CC technology for wider coverage and faster speeds. The end-to-end AI QoS improves high-priority applications throughput by over 20% and reduces latency by over 10%. Additionally, the innovative AI ECO mode automatically adjusts power settings based on usage, reducing power consumption by over 10% compared to normal ECO mode. These improvements collectively enable consumers to experience exceptionally high network speeds and superior efficiency.

TCL’s showcase at CES 2025 highlights its unwavering commitment to innovation, presenting cutting-edge advancements across multiple product categories. By setting new industry standards, TCL is delivering smarter, and more user-friendly products that enhance the user experience and meet the evolving needs of consumers.

Pricing and Availability

TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G: from $199, available in Canada from May 2025. US version to follow later this year.TCL K32: Under $100, available in US from September 2025TCL Projector A1: MSRP $499, available in USTCL LINKPORT IK511: $96, available in US at T-Mobile storesTCL LINKHUB 5G HH516: Available in H1 2025 globally

Prices may vary by country and channel.

To learn more about the TCL products announced at CES 2025, please visit: https://www.tcl.com/global/en/ces

About TCL Mobile

TCL Mobile specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of smartphones, tablets and connected devices. On a mission to deliver 5G for all, TCL Mobile helps its customers ‘Inspire Greatness’ in their lives through industry leading technology and solutions.

For more information on TCL mobile devices, please visit: https://www.tcl.com/global/en/mobile

About TCL

TCL Electronics specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics including TVs, mobile phones, audio devices, smart home products and appliances. Combining thoughtful design and innovative technology to inspire greatness, our lineup delivers must-have features and meaningful experiences. As one of the world’s largest consumer electronics brands, our vertically integrated supply chain, and state-of-the-art display panel factory help TCL deliver innovation for all. For more information, please visit: https://www.tcl.com

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd.