Fall 2023 Biotech Investment Program

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 1st, 2023

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This year in collaboration with the Office of Career Strategy and Tsai CITY, YBC is excited to welcome Andre Xiao (Sofinnova Investments) who will be instructing the 2023 Fall Bioinvestment Lecture Series. Lectures will be given on a weekly basis starting on Tuesday, October 3rd to October 24th. Knowledge acquired will culminate in a team-based stock pitch competition on November 10, 2023, in which each team will be  mentored by an industry expert. 

The Bioinvestment Lecture Series provides students and postdocs in the life sciences with exposure to the field of biotechnology investment and knowledge of how to break into the industry. The program offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts including, Perceptive Advisors, Woodline Partners, Jefferies, Goldman Sachs, BARDA/Department of Defense.

 

Expert Profile:

Andre Xiao – Analyst at Sofinnova Investments; formerly Perceptive Advisors, Citadel, and J.P. Morgan

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Course Outline:

The program will consist of 4 lectures + 1 stock-pitch competition — all via Zoom, except for the first lecture, which will be in-person.

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Title:

A scientist’s path into life sciences finance — a didactic introduction to life sciences investing and a practical discussion on how to break into the industry

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Objectives

1. Understand the fundamentals of life sciences investing

2. Understand how investors think in a practical manner 

3. Learn how to perform and excel at the job

4. Learn how to break into the industry

 

Lecture 1: Why Scientists are Needed in Finance & Introduction to Financial Modeling

Tues, Oct 3 @ 6-7 pm ET (In person, location TBA)

Participants will be introduced to life sciences investing, and will learn how scientists can leverage their expertise to bring value to the industry. This will be followed by a crash course introduction to financial modeling. 

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Lecture 2: Introduction to Company Valuation: Biotech Company Case Study

Tues, Oct 10 @ 5:30 - 6:30 pm ET (Zoom)

Participants will learn how to value a biopharma company. This will include assessing the quality of the drug/therapy assets in the company’s development pipeline and projecting future financial performance of those drugs/therapies. 

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Lecture 3: On the Job: Skillset of a Life Science Investor

Tues, Oct 17 @ 5:30 - 6:30 pm ET (Zoom)

Participants will learn how the skills and methods introduced in previous lectures are applied on the job, day-to-day. This includes fundamental skills, valuation, comparables, preparing effective slide decks, pricing charts, and making portfolios, among others.

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Lecture 4: How to Break into Life Sciences Finance

Tues, Oct 24 @ 5:30 - 6:30 pm ET (Zoom)

Participants will learn how to effectively prepare for a career in investing and what practical steps to take to enter the industry. This includes resources for self-study, networking tips, interview prep, negotiating offers, expected salary compensation, and identifying personal impact, among others.

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Stock Pitch Competition

Fri, Nov 10 @ 12 noon ET (Zoom)

​Stock pitch participants will present an investment pitch to a panel of judges.

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Advantages of our Biotechnology Investment Program: 

• Learn about investment related to biotechnology/healthcare through weekly lectures. 

• Implement knowledge in a team-based stock competition.

• Network with peers and industry leaders — including 1:1 mentor meetings.

• Receive industry insight on how best to break into biotechnology investment and finance.

 

Qualifications:

• Open to all Yale graduate & professional students and Yale Postdoctoral Fellows in the life sciences. Slots will be made available for other members of the Yale community.

• No background in investing is necessary.

• Students are expected to attend all the lectures & networking sessions.

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Format: Lectures + Pitch Competition + In-person Social Event.

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Deposit: A $30 deposit will be charged for students accepted to this program; this fee will be returned in full after completion of the program (please reach out if you need financial assistance). 

 

Questions:

Please email heraclitos.lefcochilos-fogelquist@yale.edu, andrew.hudak@yale.edu, or renuka.ramanathan@yale.edu with any questions or requests for financial assistance.