2Flo Ventures

🤝 2Flo Ventures is a strong supporter of Chicago:Blend! We were honored to be able to host Obi Okereke and Cristina Vaca and are excited to continue to support them as 2Flo Venture Fellows! The blend talks were excellent and covered a variety of relevant topics: Unleashing Potential: AI as the Catalyst for Health Equity in Life Sciences | Obi Okereke Value Based Care & Venture | Isabel Rouse Feeding the Future: How food tech is transforming small business challenges | Shalina Clarke The Hidden Rules of Fundraising | Gabriela Gonzalez Aging Well: The Unseen Investment Opportunity in the Global Elder Care Market | Brian A. Lung Reflecting on Key Lessons as a Venture-backed Founder | Ashton Keys Analyzing Venture Studios as a Sourcing Opportunity | Santiago Navarro Exploring the Intersect of Biotech and Sustainability in the Midwest and Beyond | Cristina Vaca Long COVID: Investing in the Bleeding Edge of Healthcare | Ibrahim Rashid, MPP Congratulations to the excellent work of the blend fellows and to Joey Mak, Salvador Dueñas, and the sponsors and community that supports Chicago:Blend, on another year of impact! The Chicago:Blend community is an illustrative example of what makes Chicago truly unique and inclusive.

🎤 2Flo Ventures Paul Burton, JD, MBA will be speaking at Blend:Talks this Wednesday, December 11, in Chicago — the capstone event celebrating the brilliant graduates of Chicago:Blend's VC Fellowship program! 2Flo Ventures is a proud supporter of Chicago:Blend! We are excited to hear from the two fellows who have joined us in this fall cohort, Cristina Vaca and Obi Okereke. These emerging leaders in venture capital will share bold, thought-provoking insights on the trends shaping the industry's future! 👉 Don't miss out — join us for an inspiring evening of fresh perspectives and groundbreaking ideas. Register here if you haven't already! 👉 https://lnkd.in/etEKv9Ku

We’re proud to celebrate Rod Cotton, MBA, MSSM, 2Flo Ventures’ latest Venture Partner, on being named one of Savoy Magazine’s 2024 Most Influential Corporate Directors! Savoy Magazine’s list showcases an assembly of board leaders whose strategic vision and governance excellence are reshaping the corporate landscape. These distinguished directors are advancing innovation and sustainable practices at the world’s most prominent corporations. Rod’s extensive leadership experience—spanning companies like Roche, Baxter International, and GlaxoSmithKline—continues to make a profound impact, not only at 2Flo Ventures but also through his board roles at Castle Biosciences, Eisai Pharmaceutical U.S., Moleculera Biosciences, Orchard Software, and Community Health Network, and as a founding member of The Just Society. Congratulations, Rod, on this well-deserved recognition! Your dedication to health equity and innovation inspires us all. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3CV9Qzg

Before Rod Cotton, MBA, MSSM joined as a Venture Partner at 2Flo Ventures, he was a valued member of our Advisory Board, contributing decades of leadership experience. In his recent interview with 2Flo Ventures’ Managing Partner Paul Burton, JD, MBA, Rod prompted insights on the power of magnetic potential in creating high-impact healthcare solutions. As a result, the article shares the importance of agility, collaboration, and mission-driven innovation in driving transformative change. We’re excited to deepen our partnership with Rod, as we continue advancing health equity together! ➡️ https://bit.ly/4fYi9Jd

We’re excited to announce that Rod Cotton, MBA, MSSM has joined 2Flo Ventures as a Venture Partner! Rod brings over 40 years of leadership in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries, with experience at companies like GlaxoSmithKline, Baxter International, and Roche, where he served as Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy & Transformation. During his career, Rod has driven financial turnarounds, led teams of over 280 people, and managed a $1 billion P&L. His accomplishments include launching six groundbreaking COVID-19 diagnostic products in just 11 months, addressing global supply chain challenges, and accelerating innovation. Rod’s deep expertise in therapeutics, diagnostics, and devices aligns with our mission to advance health equity and tackle unmet medical needs. His strategic vision will strengthen our ability to support innovative companies and generate meaningful impact. Welcome to the team, Rod! We’re excited to embark on this journey together to transform healthcare solutions for a better future. Read more on Rod Cotton here: https://prn.to/3ZnK7Hc

🌟 Excited to share my experience as a participant and breakout group facilitator at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization Clinical Trial Diversity Summit held in partnership with Howard University and in collaboration with the @Diversity Diversity Convergence Project conference! 🌟 Opening remarks by Ted W. Love, MD, Chairman of the Board of Biotechnology Innovation Organization, keynote Address by Martin Mendoza, PhD, Chief Equity Officer and Director of Minority Health Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, remarks and call-to-action by Dr. Wayne Frederick, Dr. Frances Collins, The National Institutes of Health, Dr. Cheryl Anne Boyce, Associate Commissioner for Minority Health and Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, FDA, Dr. Andrea Hayes-Dixon, Dean, Howard University School of Medicine, and Charlotte Jones-Burton, MD, MS, CEO, Women of Color in Pharma (WOCIP). This event was a deep dive into the critical need for a coordinated approach to enhance racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials. It was enlightening to hear from leading organizations about their innovative strategies for fostering community engagement and building lasting relationships with underrepresented populations. The discussions on designing intentional trial structures that cater to diverse participants were particularly impactful. It's vital that we create environments where everyone feels empowered to participate in clinical research. As we explored the future of health equity, I was reminded that our collective efforts can lead to significant change. Together, we can bridge gaps, address health disparities, and ensure that clinical trial populations truly reflect the patients who will benefit from new treatments. Let's continue this important work and collaborate towards a more inclusive future in healthcare! 💪🏽 #DiversityInClinicalTrials #HealthEquity #CommunityEngagement #Collaboration #PatientFirstDigitalSolutions #PPD #thermofisherscientific

Please welcome Nakisha Rutledge M.S.C.I., PhD as the newest addition to the Temprian Oncology Team. Her responsibilities as Entrepreneurial Scientist, include the development and testing of our nanoparticle based drugs, as well as participation in the company's business case development. Dr. Rutledge holds extensive experience in nanoparticle development. She comes from the University of Chicago were she most recently served as a postdoctoral fellow. Her PhD was earned at Northwestern University. Please share this excellent news with your colleagues.

A lot of dedicated hard work and time went into our team achieving this accomplishment. Thanks to Dr. Guy Weinberg, Dominic O'Keefe, Mukesh Kumar, PhD, RAC, Joel Tune, Michael Gaba, and many others in helping us to achieve our goal to bring #lipidrescue to market and help save lives.

Congratulations WOCIP members for an outstanding 8th Annual Conference! It was an honor to join Pam Simpkins and Elizabeth Clayborne, MD, MA on stage to discuss impact investing. LaToya Coffey, PhD thank you for the warm introductions. Kudos to Charlotte Jones-Burton, MD, MS and her entire team for executing a flawless event. Rose Blackburne, MD, MBA Vickie Laurent PharmD Angela James Chudney Sykes Serena Goodwin Ewo H. Azurii K. Collier, Ph.D. Anne Beal, MD, MPH

At the upcoming 8th Annual Women of Color in Pharma (WOCIP) Conference, both Pam Simpkins, Senior Advisor at 2Flo Ventures and Managing Partner of Mezzopointe, LLC, and Paul Burton, JD, MBA Burton, Managing Partner at 2Flo Ventures, will be speaking in the session "Sealing the Deal: Impact Investing at Every Level." Pam, who will moderate the session, will use her deep expertise in finance and strategic advisory to guide this important discussion. With a wealth of knowledge in venture capital, particularly in health equity and innovation, Paul will share insights on how investors can drive meaningful societal impact. Together, they will highlight strategies for navigating the evolving landscape of impact investing and discuss how to secure funding at every level of impact investing. Join them on November 8th to gain invaluable perspectives on investing for impact! #WOCIP2024 #ImpactInvesting #HealthEquity #WOCIP2024Unity  #AmplifyActivateAct