We turn breakthroughs into businesses.

Portal invests in therapeutics, med tech, and bioinformatics startups with strong leadership teams. Our differentiated mix of crafted capital drives companies from scientific ideation to business creation, helping entrepreneurs translate cutting-edge technology into sustainable, global businesses.

Crafted capital
Human
Our visionary team of management and science leaders brings vast experience and network access to help entrepreneurs transform dreams into reality and make our world a better place.
Financial
Life science innovation relies on financial resources. We provide portfolio companies the strategic funding they need to advance and thrive.
Physical
Strategically located in emerging work/live/play ecosystems, our best-in-class wet/dry lab and office spaces are customized to the unique needs of our portfolio companies.

Our Flagship Location

Chicago: everything within reach

185

pharma companies

550

device/diagnostic companies

11

leading bioscience universities

10,000

new Fulton Market residences by 2022

Credit Line: “Corey Gaffer © Gaffer Photography”

“Life sciences is a key sector to drive growth. I’m excited to see Portal Innovations set up shop in Illinois and build a groundbreaking venture.” 

JB Pritzker
Governor, State of Illinois

Atlanta: expanding reach

Portal Innovations will continue to build upon its Chicago success to disrupt the established means by which innovations affecting biotech and medical devices are sourced and brought to market.  There are many significant markets where life sciences academic-to-commercial translation remains underserved and where developers look to establish more “hardware” or space, thereby increasing the demand for Portal’s innovative crafted capital approach to build the best life sciences companies.

Atlanta, like Chicago, possesses all of the academic and medical research institutions, resources, civic leadership and talent necessary to establish a world-class life sciences innovation hub, where companies can start up and scale. Portal’s role in Atlanta’s emerging life sciences ecosystem is to build a world class early-stage biotech portfolio while bringing together the entire ecosystem to allow these companies to thrive and scale locally.

“Portal Innovations brings best-in-class lab facilities and venture support platform, including seed capital that will fuel innovation and make a major positive impact in keeping Atlanta’s best and brightest entrepreneurs and scientists right here and attract talent from throughout the region.”
Maria Thacker Goethe, Chief Executive Officer at Center for Global Health Innovation and President & Chief Executive Officer at Georgia Bio

A visionary team

Portal is led by an accomplished team of life science leaders who operate with collaboration, transparency, and intense action.

Pat Flavin, JD
President
John Flavin, MBA
Founder & CEO
Yuan Zhang, PhD, MS
Senior Director, Scientific Operations & Strategy
Ula Widawska
Director of Finance & Controller
Michael Schultz, PhD
Venture Operations Analyst
E.J. Reedy
Director of Platform & Ecosystem
Steve Lehmann, MBA
Director of Venture Operations
Rose Jones-Boyd
Executive Assistant to the Founder & CEO
Deonta Jones
Experience Manager
Elizabeth Harney, MS
Manager of Lab Operations
Kevin Flavin
Operations and Expansion Manager and Producer, Lab Rats to Unicorns
Ashley Kim, MS
Director of Growth Operations
Suna Lumeh, MS/MBA
Director of Operations
Anna Tomaszewski
Director of Business Development
Gianina Varea
Director of Portfolio Development
Angie Gill
Event and Workplace Manager
Ritu Shah
Managing Director
Nick Pennebaker
Director of Marketing and Communications
Mike Faulman
VP of Operations
Shahila Christie, PhD
Vice President Growth Strategy
Parth Rao, PharmD, MS
Director of Lab Operations
Krisha Panchalingam

Board of Directors

John Flavin, MBA
Founder & CEO
Derrell Porter, MD, MBA

Advisory Board

Robert Miller, PhD
Thomas Gajewski, MD, PhD
Geeta Vemuri, PhD, MBA
Raju Prasad, PhD
Bhavan Suri, MBA