QB3 Innovation Discovery
Programs
QB3 Innovation Discovery
What is QB3 Innovation Discovery?
Our Innovation Discovery team offers tailored guidance to scientists in the early company creation stage — we provide the tools that transform research into investable startups.
Innovation Discovery supports life sciences and energy materials projects that are anchored in rigorous science, have clear market needs, and competitive differentiation.
Past the early company creation stage? Check out our sister program, QB3 Early-Stage Mentoring.
What We Provide
- Meet with you one-on-one to assess your project’s programmatic fit and stage
- Help identify if your project is ready and viable for spinout
- Develop an investor outreach strategy and fundraising plan
- Review your pitch deck and provide iterative feedback
- Serve as a sounding board during term sheet negotiations
- Help you build a pre-seed or seed budget
- Offer thought partnership on developing your company vision
- Guide experiment prioritization
- Support team development and recruitment
- Provide general IP guidance, including protection planning and thought partnership on licensing
- Make targeted introductions to investors, legal counsel, banking contacts, and pharma partners
- Connect you with relevant programs such as NSF I-Corps, SBIR Grant Writing Workshop, and experts in residence
- Host private and curated investor and researcher dinners
- Organize practice pitch events with friendly investors and experienced founders
- Share relevant pitching opportunities and networking events
- Provide introductions to business development teams at large corporations, including seven of the largest pharmaceutical companies, resulting in potential collaborations and sponsored research agreements
- Facilitate connections to all Bakar affiliates, who offer services in the areas of legal advice, banking, HR, executive search, and more.
What We Need From You
In order to work with our team, here’s what we need from you and your project:
- Life science or energy materials focus
- Rigorous preliminary data
- 12 months or less from incorporation
- Company creation lead identified
- Looking to operate in the California ecosystem
Testimonials
“The Innovation Discovery team has been instrumental in the creation of our company” — Bo Xu, Gilly
“Innovation Discovery was there supporting us before we even decided to found Voio… they have been an invaluable thought partner across every major decision threshold” — Adam Yala, Voio
“Kat and the QB3 team have been indispensable… the level of individual attention and practical guidance has been invaluable” — Patrick Shih, Totality Bio
Success Stories
Team
You’ll be working with people who have done what you’re trying to do. Our team spans technical founders, industry operators, and venture investors — each with years of firsthand experience turning scientific breakthroughs into fundable, scalable companies. Our mentor network has built and exited companies across the technology landscape, and they’re here to open doors.
Katarina Klett, PhD
Director of Research Translation
Katarina has spent over a decade working in bioengineering labs across the world in both academia and industry. Through these experiences, she built a strong understanding of engineering and biology. Most recently, Katarina completed her doctorate from Stanford University, where she worked at the crossroads of stem cell biology and engineering. During her doctoral work, Katarina joined a biotech venture team. While there, Katarina operated as a core team member, where she advised early-stage founders in the portfolio, landscaped market trends, and performed due diligence on potential investment opportunities. Katarina is deeply passionate about translating ongoing research to viable technologies that can make a major impact on patient lives and the planet.
Katarina Klett, PhD
Director of Research Translation
LinkedinWanichaya (Noem) Noiwangklang, MS
Co-Lead, Innovation Discovery & Director of Workforce Development
Noem has been working in biology and biotechnology at Berkeley for 18 years and overall at UC for 24 years, including biological research, lab operations, and company startup. Through her work at QB3, she runs several programs to help the 35 startup biotechnology companies at Bakar Labs, the largest university owned and operated biotech incubator in the country. In addition, she has co-founded two companies that are advancing gene and cell therapies to the clinic. She has since provided the companies extensive operational support, including professional development, HR, finance, and lab operations.
Wanichaya (Noem) Noiwangklang, MS
Co-Lead, Innovation Discovery & Director of Workforce Development
LinkedinWidya Mulyasasmita, PhD
BEVC, Managing Partner
Widya Mulyasasmita, PhD is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at BEVC, an early stage VC firm investing in the intersection of science, engineering, and computation. Before BEVC, Widya led life science investing at B Capital group. Earlier, Widya was the founding Chief Business Officer at InterVenn Biosciences and was Director of New Ventures at Johnson & Johnson Innovation. Widya has served on the boards of multiple healthcare companies across preclinical, clinical, and commercial stages. She started her career at McKinsey & Company. Widya received her B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering and Bioengineering from UC Berkeley and her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Stanford University.
Widya Mulyasasmita, PhD
BEVC, Managing Partner
LinkedinRyan Taylor
Innovation Navigator, Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials
Ryan has over a decade of experience in climate technology innovation. Most recently, he was an investor at an early stage venture capital fund focused on closing the first dilutive capital gap for companies creating fundamental breakthroughs in the physical sciences and technology. Ryan joined venture capital from a career in the electric power sector across a broad range of roles including project finance for utility-scale solar and wind projects as part of the acquisitions team for an international developer and technology and strategy consulting where he supported clients in the deployment of clean energy technologies. Ryan holds a B.S. in Chemical Physics from the University of California, Davis and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Ryan Taylor
Innovation Navigator, Bakar Labs for Energy & Materials
LinkedinCompanies Supported
Innovation Discovery by the Numbers
Opening doors for early company success.
$33M+
Funding raised to date
Our founders have raised over 33 million dollars from leading investors and non-dilutive funding sources.
11
Companies supported
Startups we've guided from idea to incorporation and beyond.
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