David Shim is the Co-Founder and CEO of Read AI, a Seattle-based productivity AI company that has become one of the fastest-growing startups in the future-of-work space, attracting over 25,000 new users daily, closing a $50M Series B, and earning David recognition as GeekWire’s 2025 CEO of the Year . A serial entrepreneur and University of Washington alum, David previously founded Placed (acquired by Snap) and led Foursquare as CEO, establishing him as a tenured leader who has navigated the funding trail multiple times.

Krish is a Partner at AIX Ventures, one of the top-performing AI-native investment firms globally, where he leads technical diligence, deal sourcing, and portfolio operations across the firm’s AI applications and infrastructure, healthcare, and life sciences practices. He has sourced, led, and supported over 50 early- and growth-stage investments across multiple top-decile-performing funds, contributing to a portfolio exceeding $45 billion in enterprise value. His work has supported multiple landmark scientific and technological breakthroughs, including the first AI-designed drug to enter human clinical trials, the first commercial rideshare satellite launched into space, and the first therapeutic discovered using a 3D-bioprinted tissue disease model.

Krish is a Harvard- and Oxford-trained applied scientist and biomolecular engineer working at the intersection of AI and complex real-world systems. He trained at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBME) at the University of Oxford and Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Taubman Center for State and Local Government under former United States Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Nobel Laureate Michael Kremer, where he developed quantitative portfolio modeling frameworks for USAID Development Innovation Ventures. He is the author of four internationally distributed books on applied AI, engineering, and medicine, with work featured by Springer Nature, the National Institutes of Health, and the United Nations Development Programme.

He serves as an Honorary Commander with the United States Air Force, supporting the 60th Air Mobility Operations Support Squadron, and has served as a chairman, director, and board member of over a dozen companies and advised leading initiatives, including Nucleate, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the U.S. Special Operations Command's SOFWERX. His professional affiliations include the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB). His thought leadership has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Venture Capital Journal, Yahoo Finance, TechCrunch, Business Insider, Axios, Forbes, the World Economic Forum, and Nikkei Asia. Please note that, due to the high volume of inbound messages, he can respond only to inquiries directly relevant to his current focus areas.

Tobias Schmid is a Principal on Mubadala Capital's Ventures investment team, based in San Francisco. In this capacity, Tobias oversees new investments and manages the portfolio for the firm's healthcare investment platform.

Since joining Mubadala Capital in 2023, Tobias has played a critical role in shaping the firm's company creation efforts and strategy for healthcare investments. He led diligence into multiple new ventures and sits on the boards of five portfolio companies including: Juvena Therapeutics, Ollin Bio, Tenvie Therapeutics, Pretzel Therapeutics, and Xilis.

Prior to joining Mubadala Capital, Tobias worked at The Column Group, where he focused on the creation and building of two biotechnology companies. He brings six years of experience in healthcare strategic advising, with particular expertise in therapeutics and neuroscience.

Tobias holds a PhD from University of California, Berkeley. He also received combined Bachelor of Sciences and Bachelor of Arts degrees from University of Florida.

Wendy Chan is a Director of Startup Banking - Life Sciences at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), where she partners with pre-Series A founders and investors building innovative healthcare and life science companies. Working at the intersection of startups, venture capital, and healthcare innovation, she helps entrepreneurs navigate the early stages of company building, fundraising, and growth.

Prior to joining SVB, Wendy held business development and strategic partnership roles within the life sciences industry, giving her firsthand experience supporting the commercialization and growth of emerging companies.

Based in the San Francisco, Wendy is an active member of the startup ecosystem and enjoys bringing together founders, investors, and industry leaders. Outside of work, she can often be found surfing Ocean Beach and exploring the Northern California coast.

Matt Donne, Ph.D., manages relationships with VC firms focused on healthcare and life science investments and supports founders across the ecosystem. He is also responsible for conducting data-driven analyses on the global healthcare innovation economy that SVB serves. Prior to SVB, Matt held various leadership and business operations roles at biotech startups in the Bay Area after spending the beginning of his career as a scientist.

Matt holds a Ph.D. in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology from UCSF, a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences and Stem Cell Biology from SF State, and a bachelor’s from Wesleyan University.

Matt is also the co-founder of the well-attended Life Science Hikers group, a bi-coastal community of over 3,000 biotech professionals that meet monthly for hikes and networking.