ALTA LIFE SCIENCES - Key Persons
Guy Paul Nohra is co-founder of Alta Partners, a leading Venture Capital firm in life sciences, funding over 150 companies in the healthcare/life sciences sector since 1996 through eight Venture Capital funds.
Mr. Nohra is a Life Sciences investment veteran with more than 30 years of experience. Among Silicon Valley's most successful venture capitalists in Biotech, Guy was named to Forbes' Midas List in 2007.
As one of the four original founders of Alta Partners, Mr. Nohra was intimately involved with raising eight venture capital funds, leading to over $2bn of investments in private and public companies. Through Mr. Nohra's guidance, Alta Partners has consistently ranked among the firms with the highest number of M&A or IPO exits in the life sciences industry. Alta Partners has had over 30 successful exits during the past five years, including 12 exits (10 IPOs and 2 acquisitions) in 2014. In 2013 and 2014, CB Insights ranked Alta Partners as one of the top three life science Venture Capital firms worldwide, considering factors such as value creation, past performance, network strength, selection aptitude, and brand. The firm has historically had more life sciences IPOs out of its portfolio since 1996 than any other Venture Capital firm worldwide, including 12 IPOs in 2000 and a 10 IPOs in 2004.
Mr. Nohra was involved in the funding and development of notable medical technology and life science companies including AcelRx, ATS Medical, Cutera, Innerdyne, R2 Technology, deCODE genetics, and Vesica.
Mr. Nohra serves on the Board of Directors of several companies, including Bioventus, Bionure, Sanifit and Spiral. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Medical Device Manufacturing Association (MDMA) from 2003 to 2013 and is now a Board Member Emeritus. He was also Chairman of the Board of ZS Pharma prior to its sale to Astra Zeneca for $2.7 billion. Mr. Nohra served as President of the Leukemia, Lymphoma Society of Silicon Valley for three terms. He was on the Board of Trustees of the Woodside Priory School for two terms ( 2009 to 2015). He was a member of the Stanford Athletic Board from 2006 to 2011.
Mr. Nohra holds a Bachelor's degree in History from Stanford University (Palo Alto, California, 1978-1982) and completed a MBA from University of Chicago GSB Booth (Chicago, 1987-1989).
Mr. Nohra is co-founder of Alta Partners, a leading pioneer venture capital firm in life sciences, funding over 150 companies since 1996. He was named to the 2007 Forbes Midas List of dealmakers in Venture Capital.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Co - Chair of the San Francisco - Barcelona Sister City Committee
- Co - Founder, Investor and Advisor to Biotech Companies Genotesta
Miguel is also the co-founder and co-chair of the San Francisco-Barcelona Sister City Committee and Technology Advisor to the Barcelona and Spain Chambers of Commerce.
Miguel Valls is an established serial entrepreneur and investor in Spain and Silicon Valley and a former investment banker with several successful investments in life science/health-technology companies.
Montserrat Vendrell has a background in biomedical research and management of innovation support entities. With a deep knowledge of the life sciences ecosystem in Spain, she has an outstanding network both in the private and public area.
Montserrat Vendrell has over 10 year experience in biomedical research both in Spanish institutions (CSIC) and international companies (Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, NJ, US).
She was involved in the creation of Barcelona Science Park where she was responsible for the strategy and management of the park, the bioincubator and the technological facilities (Deputy general manager and later, general manager).
Montserrat led the creation of a group involving all stakeholders in the ecosystem: the regional government, companies and research organizations, which created Biocat, Catalonia biocluster, one of the most successful in Europe. She was CEO of Biocat for 8 years, (2007-2015). Montserrat chaired since its birth until 2015, the Council of European Bioregions.
Throughout her professional career, Dr. Vendrell has always been at the inception of projects in the public-private space. She has developed a privileged network and connections and has a unique and deep knowledge of the Spanish and Catalan life sciences ecosystems. Dr. Vendrell was named one of the 25 Top Influential Women in Catalonia by Ara Newspaper, 2012.
She holds a PhD in Biology from University of Barcelona (1991), a master degree in Science Communication from Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, 1997) and an Executive Degree in General Management (IESE Business School, Barcelona, PDG-2007).
Montserrat Vendrell has a background in biomedical research and management of innovation support entities. With a deep knowledge of the life sciences ecosystem in Spain, she has an outstanding network both in the private and public arena.
Scott Moonly is experienced in all aspects of life sciences with a truly broad experience spanning academic research, consulting, investment banking, Venture Capital and start-up management.
Dr. Moonly is a former investment banker at Merrill Lynch where he was an analyst on the largest Biotech Merger at that time - Amgen's purchase of Immunex. Additionally, he completed a follow on offering for biotech, and analyzed multiple M&A deals in the medical technology space.
Scott was also a strategy consultant with L.E.K. Consulting where he developed the Oncology strategy for a large Biotech company. Additionally, he helped to develop the healthcare royalty securitization industry as lead consultant on multiple landmark deals in the space. Additionally, he provided guidance on the largest generic drug merger at the time.
Dr. Moonly also has experience as a Venture Capitalist with Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC), the Venture Capital arm of Johnson and Johnson. While there he completed many investments in the medical technology, digital health and Venture Capital fund space. He led the relationships with Ethicon Endosurgery, and Cordis, helping each organization develop their investing and corporate strategies. Additionally, developed white space investing strategies for the Venture Capital group, most notably their digital health strategy.