Nucleate San Diego: Inside Story Telling and Pitching
Join Nucleate San Diego for an interactive session on storytelling and pitching, designed to help early-stage biotech teams turn complex science into clear, compelling narratives. Through expert insights and practical guidance, participants will learn how to communicate their technology, market opportunity, and vision in a way that resonates with investors, partners, and the broader biotech community.
Panelists:
Dan Oliver
Dan is the co-founder and CEO of Rejuvenate Bio, a gene therapy company spun out of Harvard Medical School and George Church’s lab. The company focuses on developing one-time gene therapies that address the root causes of age-related cardiac and metabolic diseases, with programs spanning both companion animals and humans. Prior to this, Dan co-founded Voxel8, a spinout of the Wyss Institute, where he raised institutional and strategic capital and led the company through product launch and eventual acquisition by Kornit Digital. Dan holds dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business from California Institute of Technology, as well as an MBA from Harvard Business School. He was also a Blavatnik Fellow in Life Science Entrepreneurship, where he worked closely with Harvard inventors to help translate innovative life science technologies into commercial ventures. Across his career, Dan has focused on operating at the intersection of science, product development, and business strategy, with a particular interest in translating breakthroughs in aging biology into real-world therapies.
Chelsea Hewitt
Chelsea leads Scientific Engagement and Incubation for Johnson & Johnson’s External Scientific Innovation group in La Jolla, where she sources and activates opportunities with early-stage companies across life science building partnerships that accelerate science and create meaningful impact for patients. Her career spans strategy, marketing, and venture-building across both industry and consulting. She began at Illuminator Plc., where she helped build a technology incubator from the ground up. She then held roles at Adobe and Astia before joining Prescience International as a management consultant, advising founders and co-developing executive education programs for life science leaders at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Within Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Chelsea has held multiple leadership roles, including Marketing and Business Development Director at Janssen Labs, Head of Marketing, Global Sourcing Activation and Engagement Leader, Interim Head of JLABS San Diego, and Senior Director overseeing the flagship incubator. Chelsea is passionate about bridging startups and global Pharma to accelerate innovation. She brings a unique perspective at the intersection of scientific innovation, venture creation, and strategic partnerships.
About the Host:
Nucleate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 41 geographic regions and participation from over 280 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent within a global biotech community. Through open-access educational programming, Nucleate helps democratize biotech innovation — removing barriers and helping founders concentrate on building transformational technologies. Visit www.nucleate.org for more information, and visit https://nucleate.org/privacy-policy/ to read our privacy policy.
We want to thank our HQ supporters for championing our open-access mission and empowering the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs!
Platinum: Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, MilliporeSigma
Philanthropic Support: Lyda Hill Philanthropies
Preferred Partners: Pillar VC, Amino Collective, Fenwick, Excedr, Mercury, Brex, Fedsprout, Browne Consulting
In-Kind Support: AcademicLabs, Lens.org