Peter van der Velden joins Matt Cohen to discuss the dynamic changes within the life sciences sector and venture capital at large. He highlights the success factors in life sciences as a high-performing asset class and discusses the role of Canadian pension funds in supporting innovation. The episode also covers the transformative potential of GLP-1 drugs and AI's impact on drug discovery and medical technology.
And John Ruffolo is back to talk about the US elections and tech news. (Note: this was recorded before the election on 11/5/24).
About Peter van der Velden:
Peter van der Velden is the Founder and Managing General Partner of Lumira Ventures, a top Canadian life sciences venture capital firm he established in 2007 following a management buyout of MDS Capital. At Lumira, he focuses on biotech and medtech investments, with multiple high-profile exits involving acquisitions by major pharmaceutical companies.
Prior to Lumira, Peter served as President and CEO of MDS Capital, Canada’s oldest life sciences VC firm. He has also founded and led Fusion Capital, an investment bank for Canadian tech ventures, and worked as Managing Director at Bedford Capital, a private equity boutique.
Peter began his career in venture capital in 1988 at Vencap Equities and later held roles in business development at Hyal Pharmaceuticals and Taurus Capital. He holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and an MSc in Pathology and a BSc in Life Sciences from Queen’s University.
In this episode, we discuss:
News with John Ruffolo
(1:26) – Super Micro Computer Stock Decline
(4:00) – Canadian Perspective on U.S. Elections
(6:45) – Decline of Mainstream Media and Rise of Alternative Platforms
(11:41) – VCs Backing Multiple Competing LLMs
(17:20) – Potential AI Mergers and Acquisitions in 2025
Interview with Peter van der Velden
(19:48) – Peter’s Role at Lumira Ventures
(21:03) – Transformation in Venture Capital and Life Sciences
(24:05) – Life Sciences Outperformance as an Asset Class
(27:48) – Canadian Pension Funds and Venture Capital
(31:20) – Case Study: Histosonics and Pension Fund Support
(35:25) – Quebec’s Leadership in Supporting Local Innovation
(37:00) – Challenges in Advocating for Canadian Venture Capital
(46:16) – GLP-1 Drugs and Their Transformative Potential
(49:19) – Industries Disrupted by GLP-1 Innovations
(52:00) – AI’s Role in Drug Discovery and Medtech
Fast Favorites
Favorite Tech Gadget: NotebookLM.google
Favorite Trend: Rationality returning to the venture market
Favorite Life Lesson: "Never give up"
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Transforming Healthcare Through Venture Capital: GLP-1 Drugs, AI, and the state of the CVCA with Peter van der Velden of Lumira Ventures