Biotech & Life Sciences
Atoll Financial Group offers financial and advisory services to lower-market and lower middle-market private entities in the Biotech and Life Sciences sector. While able to advise across many stages of a business’ life cycle, we specialize in positioning companies to raise Seed, Series A and Series B funding rounds with institutional investors globally. The skills needed to drive technological innovation differ from those necessary to finance and structure that innovation, in ways that it can be realized as a viable business. We envision our role as bridging these two domains. Our team balances expertise in both finance and science, enabling us to analyze primary data and conduct impartial literature reviews as proficiently as we manage financial structures and navigate regulatory compliance. Our enduring relationships with institutional investors, combined with this holistic approach, have secured over $1.3 billion in sell-side and ~$2 billion in buy-side mandates throughout our 15+ years of operation. We fervently believe in the life sciences' potential to benefit humanity and are committed to playing our part supporting founders and institutions that catalyze its impact.
Pursuant to the skill set of Atoll’s Biotech and Life Sciences Team which is comprised of PhDs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drug Discovery, Pharmaceutical Science, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Molecular Biophysics, Cellular Biophysics and Biological Sciences, we target businesses across a broad spectrum of sub-verticals, including, but not limited to, the domains of Oncology, Biochemistry, Neurosciences, Drug Discovery, Drug Delivery, Medical Devices, MedTech, AI Life Sciences tools, and all areas of the life sciences and their adjacencies, from biotechnology and healthcare to agriculture and industrial processes.
Our primary focus lies in identifying promising technologies we can help turn into promising investment opportunities in privately held companies embarking on Seed and Series "A" funding rounds and providing advisory services in the capacity of Venture Partners or financial advisors, involving devising strategies and positioning companies to go to market, constructing a compelling investment thesis, skillfully sourcing qualified investors and negotiating investment terms.
Our strength comes from a profound understanding of the scientific aspects underlying our client's discoveries and cultivating a close and innovative relationship to craft a sophisticated Go-to-Market strategy. Our extensive connections with a broad spectrum of global institutional investors and deep understanding of financial market activities and trends, allow us to navigate the funding landscape effectively and provide invaluable insights throughout a company's growth and development.
Lower and Lower-Middle Market Companies
Team
Dr. Sergio Botero
Lead Advisor
Biotech & Life Sciences
Sergio Botero is both a strategist and a scientist bringing a broad range of scientific and engineering expertise to Atoll by bridging technical and financial aspects of projects. Sergio’s academic background started with two Bachelors of Science degrees, in Biology and Microbiology, and a Master of Science degree in Biological Sciences with emphasis on Ecology and Primatology, all at Universidad de los Andes in his home country of Colombia. >>>
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Rebecca Mancusi
Research Associate
Biotech & Life Sciences
Rebecca Mancusi is an accomplished biotech advisor with expertise in guiding early-stage ventures which integrate key stakeholders across biotech, venture capital, medicine, and academia. With over 10 years of experience, she has guided companies in oncology, RNA therapeutics, and peptide therapeutics, advancing scientific strategy and positioning companies for successful fundraising rounds. >>>>
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Wei-Yu Chi
Research Associate
Biotech & Life Sciences
Wei-Yu Chi is a medical doctor and current Ph.D. candidate at Weill Cornell Medicine, specializing in the development of single-cell sequencing technologies. With a focus on oncology, he is pioneering a novel sequencing method to profile transcription factor binding in single cells—a critical advance for understanding blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma and identifying potential drug targets. >>>>​
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Dr. Deborah Sementa
Associate Director
Biotech & Life Sciences
Scientific strategist with profound expertise in biotechnology, life sciences, and finance, able to provide a holistic understanding of both sides of a biotech business.
In her home country of Italy, Deborah pursued a Master of Science degree in Pharmacy from Università degli Studi di Siena and a PhD in Medicinal chemistry from Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. >>>>​​
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Lauren Dierdorff
Research Associate
Biotech & Life Sciences
Lauren Dierdorff is a Ph.D. candidate in Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, conducting translational research in the De Rubeis lab within the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment and Department of Psychiatry. Her work focuses on the cortical circuits underlying motor deficits in a model of DDX3X syndrome, a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder. >>>>
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JJ Carrasco
Managing Partner
A visionary and veteran of the financial industry, JJ Carrasco established Atoll Financial Group to meet the unique needs of businesses looking for innovative structured project finance and other complex financing alternatives. As Managing Partner, JJ is responsible for the overall company strategy and management of all business processes, strategic partnerships, product development and market feasibility analysis, staffing, and more. >>>
José Estabil
Strategic Advisor
Biotech & Life Sciences
José Estabil is a connector and technology innovator in the life sciences. His recent executive roles focus on AI-assisted precision medicine. José translated cutting edge genomics and optics into profitable molecular diagnostics (Cipherome), chip diagnostics (KLA), and semiconductor devices (IBM) that resulted in reducing the risk of leg amputations, cost-effective semiconductor manufacturing, and faster circuits, respectively. >>>>
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Jin Young Kim
Research Associate
Biotech & Life Sciences
Jin Young Kim is a Ph.D. candidate in Molecular and Cell Biology at University of California, Berkeley, where she developed a novel CRISPRi-based method using RNA barcodes to investigate genetic regulators of human genes and mRNAs. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from Rice University, where she conducted research in synthetic biology, engineering proteins, and developing biological sensors. >>>>
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Jonathan Hakala
Partner | Managing Director of Capital Markets
As Managing Director of Capital Markets, Jonathan Hakala brings a wealth of senior financial, managerial and board-level experience to this leadership position helping to oversee capital markets activities for the Atoll Financial Group. Jonathan's senior financial, managerial and board-level expertise helps the Atoll Financial Group team pursue the best possible financial solutions for our clients. >>>