Karl Handelsman

Founder of Codon Capital
Investment Director, Roche Venture Fund
Karl Handelsman is an early stage Venture Capitalist who has invested in over three dozen biotech companies over the last 18 years. Prior to that he worked at two early stage biotech companies that each were acquired for billions.

Karl has taught bio-entrepreneurship at UCSF and the NIH, works as an advisor to multiple incubators and translational programs to move science from lab bench to patient. He invested in therapeutic companies that invented preclinical assets so valuable those companies were acquired and exited in under 18 months from the initial capital input.

Karl is the least accomplished kite surfer in the San Francisco area, but makes kegs of the best Moscow Mule on the Playa at the Jazz Cafe. He has won professional poker tournaments but always loses when he plays with friends. On July 2nd Karl and his friends are renting a jet out of Easter Island to chase a solar eclipse to experience totality for exactly 8 minutes and 20 seconds.

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