Brian M. Gordon, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery

Brian M. Gordon represents venture-backed technology companies in acquisitions, financing transactions, the negotiation of credit facilities, corporate governance, employment and equity compensation matters and the resolution of day-to-day legal issues.

Brian also has significant experience representing private equity funds in the acquisitions and disposition of portfolio companies, in both control and non-control transactions. He counsels strategic buyers and sellers in M&A transactions. He also represents restaurants and retail groups in private equity and acquisition transactions.

Aroma Sharma, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery

Aroma Sharma focuses her practice on a wide range of corporate and transactional matters, acting predominantly for private and emerging companies. Aroma has advised clients on mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, corporate and equity restructuring and recapitalizations and joint ventures in various industries, including technology and health and life sciences. She also advises clients regularly on general corporate and corporate governance matters. Aroma also has experience working on cross-border transactions, including business’ international expansion into new territories.

Aroma regularly serves as primary outside counsel for clients. She understands the importance of knowing a client’s business, and completed a secondment with a large, multi-national accounting and advisory firm, assisting with drafting and negotiating commercial transactional agreements.

Aroma was also a fellow in Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation at NYU School of Law and has a special interest in working with social enterprises and sustainable businesses.

David Hendren, Managing Director, Augmentum Ventures

David Hendren has extensive experience launching, financing, and building successful ventures from incubation to exit, with particular expertise in healthcare, biomedical technology, digital health, and related technology and service areas. He has deep knowledge and broad perspective from 25+ years in leadership roles on virtually all sides of the table, including VC, entrepreneur, CEO, board member/chair, advisor, consultant, and counsel. David has led, co-invested and executed deals with leading firms and strategics, with exits including IPO, M&A, and technology licensing transactions. In operating, board, and advisory roles, David has been central to identifying opportunity, building teams, formulating strategy, securing capital, developing business and strategic alliances, and driving successful exits to harvest value for stakeholders.

Isaac Stoner, MBA, CEO, Octagon Therapeutics

Isaac Stoner is the founder and CEO of Octagon Therapeutics, a drug discovery company focused on autoimmune disease. He has spent his career as an operator and investor in the biotech space, having been an early team member at Genome Corp, Ion Torrent, and Firefly BioWorks. Mr Stoner spent time as an investor at Action Potential Venture Capital (GSK) and PureTech Health, and is currently an advisor to KdT Ventures. He earned a degree in Biomedical Engineering at Brown University and received an MBA from MIT.

Wasim Malik, Managing Partner, Iaso Ventures