Yi-Yen Chen, Ph.D.

1000 Conestoga Road B126, Bryn Mawr, PA19010

(650)278-1314 | yiyen.k.chen@gmail.com | https://www.linkedin.com/in/yi-yen-chen

Professional Experience
 

PCI Ventures, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

2.2023 – Present Associate Director

• Develop and manage start-up companies and new venture initiatives based on UPenn technology
• Perform due diligence on technologies and business ideas
• Negotiate and draft founders agreements, equity documents, and other business formation documents
• Recruit entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate partners
• Support the development of commercialization grant applications and develop strategic plans for portfolio companies
• Oversee portfolio companies through active board participation

Echo Investment Capital, Oklahoma City, USA

5.2021 – 2.2023 Managing Director, Venture Capital

• Led all investment activities, including deal sourcing, due diligence, negotiation, and deal execution. Developed and implemented investment processes
• Oversaw all activities associated with post-investment portfolio management, including serving on the board and monitoring performance to ensure returns and strategic objectives are achieved
• Presented formal investment recommendations to investment committee that represent clear, detailed, and in-depth analysis
• Prepared fund's periodical reports
• Built and maintained relationships with investors, advisors, subject matter experts, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem
• Fundraising; developed fund strategy, created content for PPM and pitch presentation, delivered pitches, and worked with LPs to facilitate due diligence process
• Coached and managed junior team members

WI Harper Group, San Francisco, USA

1.2020 – 5.2021 Principal
7.2018 – 12.2019 Senior Associate
7.2017 – 6.2018 Venture Capital Fellow

• Sourced and evaluated investment opportunities in the healthcare sector
• Conducted scientific and technical due diligence, including mechanism of action, preclinical and clinical data, IP due diligence, sector trends and competitive landscape
• Prepared investment memorandum outlining investment thesis and recommendation to investment committee
• Management of portfolio companies, including working with companies on financings, strategy development and operations, monitoring company progress, managing periodic reports, and evaluating and executing exit opportunities
• Built and maintained relationships with existing and potential LPs, developed pitch strategy and materials for presentation to potential LPs; prepared private placement memorandum
• Researched emerging trends, technologies, valuation trends, and other topics as needed in support of potential and existing investments
• Built relationships with entrepreneurs, incubators, accelerators, and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem in various global geographies

Microbio Group, Taipei, Taiwan

9.2016 – 4.2017 Assistant Manager in International Business Development

• International business development: out licensing and co-development projects on FB825 (allergy) and ON101 (diabetic foot ulcer)
• Conducted analysis of the competitive intelligence for product development, product out-licensing and investment opportunities
• Networked with business development counterparts and representation at partnering meetings 
• Scouted for investment opportunities and out-licensing partnerships
• Evaluated investment opportunities
• Regular presentations to top management & major stakeholders The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Amsterdam, the Netherlands

9.2014 – 6.2016 Postdoctoral Fellow

• Systems biology approaches to understand the physiology of regulatory T cells
• Applied CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology to manipulate the functions of regulatory T cells
• Applied the knowledge to advance immunotherapy of cancer and infectious diseases

Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
3.2013 – 9.2014 Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin (Postdoctoral Fellow)

• Used zebrafish to investigate the role of epigenetic regulation in development and diseases

GeneTex Inc., Hsinchu, Taiwan
1.2012 – 12.2012 Assistant Manager/Project Leader Zebrafish Antibody Portfolio

Major Accomplishments: Grew product sales 170% in one year by introducing new product development initiatives, implementing innovative marketing analysis strategy and building strong brand awareness among target customers

• Established world's biggest antibody portfolio for the zebrafish research community
• Participated in strategic negotiation with Sigma-Aldrich for product out-licensing
• Represented GeneTex at international conferences
• Participated in producing promotional materials, including email-campaigns, product catalogs, newsletters, and marketing gifts
• Coordinated the collaboration with academic partners in US, Europe, China, and India
• Provided internal training courses for the sales team
• Established the standard operation procedure (SOP) and troubleshooting protocols for antibody validation

Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
7.2001 – 6.2003 Research Assistant

• Conducted research projects in molecular physiology of osmoregulation
• Assisted administrative affairs

Board Memberships
Mechano Therapeutics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
2.2023 – Present Board Member

• Mechano-Therapeutics is a biotech company focusing on delivery of therapeutics for a wide range of musculoskeletal tissue applications. The microcapsule platform technology enables delivering therapeutics by encapsulating existing and novel drugs into the articulating joint whereby it activates drug release with force or motion

EpiVario, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
2.2023 – Present Board Member

• EpiVario Inc. is pioneering epigenetic therapeutics for modern-day treatments of neuropsychiatric disorders.

DEKA BioSciences, Germantown, Maryland, USA
11.2021 – 2.2023 Board Member

• Deka is an early-stage biotech company focused on the development of novel
cytokine therapies to treat cancer and inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's,
psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and sepsis.

IVIVA Medical, Beverly, MA, USA
12.2020 – 5.2021 Board Observer

• IVIVA is a spin-out from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute addressing the chronic
shortage of organs available for transplant.

Education
Max-Planck Institute for Developmental Biology / Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
8.2005 – 12.2011 Ph.D. in Biology

• Advisor: Prof. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
• Thesis: Tracing Tissue Specific Reporter Lines Reveals Heterogeneity Across the Dorso-Ventral Axis in Zebrafish Enveloping Layer
• Grade: Magna cum laude
• Using zebrafish to investigate early embryonic development in vertebrates
• Supervision of intern students

National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
9.1999 – 6.2001 Master of Science

• Advisor: Prof. Pung-Pung Hwang
• Thesis: Comparisons of Strategies for the Calcium Balance in Fish Larvae
• Grade: A

Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
9.1994 – 6.1998 Bachelor of Science

• Major: Public Health

Certifications
10.2015 Bioconductor for Genomic Data Science, Coursera / Johns Hopkins University
11.2015 Data Analysis and Statistical Inference, Coursera / Duke University

Fellowships and Award
7.2017 – 6.2018 X-Venture Fellowship, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
7.2005 – 6.2006 Ph.D. Fellowship, Max-Planck Society, Germany
1.2005 – 12.2006 National Fellowship Award, First Place, Ministry of Education, Taiwan

Language Skills
English: Professional proficiency
German: Intermediate proficiency
Mandarin: Native proficiency