From Big Pharma To VC: The Road Travelled By Third Rock’s David Kaufman

VC Playbook: Partner at Third Rock Ventures, David Kaufman, talks to In Vivo about the venture capital firm’s company creation strategy and seeking ‘white space’ in biopharma for innovation. 

mixed pathways
• Source: Alamy

David Kaufman, who joined San Francisco-based Third Rock Ventures in 2020 and was promoted to partner at the company in 2022, has a varied resume outside of venture capital investing. He was previously chief medical officer and head of translational development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, and before that held several R&D roles at Merck & Co.

Founded in 2007, Third Rock invests in emerging fields of science and medicine. The group specializes in creating biotechs based...

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