Скачать или смотреть Inside Startup Connect: Dr. Doug Frantz Vision for Innovation at WashU

In September 2025, the inaugural BioGenerator Startup Connect brought together leading investors from across the country with St. Louis’ most promising startups in human health and agriculture. The program featured a keynote speech by Dr. Doug Frantz, the new Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Commercialization at WashU, Innovation at the Crossroads: Strengthening St. Louis’ Startup Ecosystem (9:15 – 56:56). Dr. Frantz provided a vision of how we can build upon WashU’s existing assets including 83% growth in NIH funding (FY15-24) to second in NIH funding nationwide. By reimagining partnerships, redefining the ecosystem, rebranding St. Louis, and building an ego-free culture, we can build a more vibrant startup community around WashU and have greater economic impact for St. Louis. The video also includes Jim McCarter's update on BioGenerator Ventures (0:00 – 9:14).

About Doug:
Doug E. Frantz, PhD, is Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Commercialization at WashU and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at WashU Medicine. A leader in drug discovery and translational science, he previously served as the Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Endowed Chair in Chemistry at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he co-founded the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery. His career spans academia and industry, including research at Merck and co-founding Bexar Biomedical. He is the co-inventor of belzutifan, an FDA-approved treatment for kidney cancer. Frantz’s work has attracted significant NIH, NSF, and Gates Foundation support, and he is a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors.

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