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Open Call for Pitch Decks

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Morrison Foerster is pleased to host a Research Tools and Diagnostics Pitch Day on May 20 at MBC BioLabs in San Francisco, CA....

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Morrison Foerster is pleased to host a Research Tools and Diagnostics Pitch Day on May 20 at MBC BioLabs in San Francisco, CA. This signature event will spotlight a select group of high-growth companies as they pitch to a panel of leading investors.<h5>Seeking Research Tools and Diagnostics Pitches</h5>We are seeking pitches from research tools and diagnostics companies currently raising Seed or Series A funding. This includes companies developing the technologies, instruments, reagents, data platforms, and clinical tests that enable biological discovery, accelerate drug development, and support disease detection and precision medicine. Participation is open to everyone, regardless of affiliation with MoFo or the MBC BioLabs program.Ahead of Pitch Day, MoFo will provide mentoring sessions to the selected companies, including guidance on pitch delivery and supporting materials.To submit your pitch deck for consideration, please send a non-confidential deck in PDF format and any relevant questions to <a href="mailto:PitchDaySF@mofo.com">PitchDaySF@mofo.com</a> by Friday, April 3.Read below for additional pitch criteria and guidelines.<table><tbody><tr><td>Monday, March 2</td><td>Call for Pitch Day decks opens</td></tr><tr><td>Friday, April 3</td><td>Call for Pitch Day decks closes</td></tr><tr><td>Week of April 13</td><td>Finalists selected</td></tr><tr><td>Week of April 20</td><td>Contact finalists and schedule mentoring sessions</td></tr><tr><td>Weeks of April 27, May 4</td><td>Pitch Day mentoring for finalists</td></tr><tr><td>Friday, May 15</td><td>Final pitch decks due</td></tr><tr><td>Wednesday, May 20</td><td>Pitch Day</td></tr></tbody></table><h5>Pitch Deck Guidelines</h5>Please submit a non-confidential pitch deck in PDF format (maximum 20 MB). While they are not subject to confidentiality agreements, presentations will only be shared with potential investors and event organizers. If your company is selected, you will have approximately 5–7 minutes to present, followed by 2–3 minutes for investor questions and feedback.<h5>Important Notice</h5>This event is intended for informational and networking purposes only. Morrison Foerster is not acting as a placement agent or investment adviser in connection with Pitch Day. Nothing in this announcement, the event, or any related mentoring sessions constitutes legal or investment advice, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Participation does not create an attorney-client relationship with Morrison Foerster.<hr class="divider">About MoFoMoFo is a full-service global law firm with 19 offices across eight countries in key business centers. We work with some of the most innovative startups and leading investors across all industry sectors. MoFo has a robust startup and venture capital practice serving over 2,000 clients and has advised startups and investors in over $120 billion in financings in the last five years.About MBC BioLabsMBC BioLabs believes that startups are the greatest force for positive change in the world. We are dedicated to helping biotech startups succeed; we like to say that we enable awesome. We offer flexible and cost-effective lab space, complete with operational support and millions of dollars’ worth of state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation, along with a vibrant community of like-minded individuals tackling the world’s biggest problems.<hr>

Open Call for Pitch Decks

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Anita Choi has decades of experience providing strategic advice to companies and investors in the <a href="/capabilities/life-sciences-healthcare" target="_self" dir="ltr">Life Sciences</a> and <a href="/capabilities/food-agriculture" target="_self">Food + Agriculture</a> industries. She has helped start-up companies build IP portfolios around their core technologies, and counseled them on issues related to patents versus trade secrets. She has worked with larger, more established companies to manage global patent portfolios in a way that integrates IP with their business models. Combining her legal and business expertise enables her to navigate complex challenges that require complex solutions hence why she is so often called upon by clients to help with assessing, building and strengthening patent portfolios.  She has also counseled investors in IP due diligence, identifying critical issues that may affect valuation and risk assessment in deals.Anita is part of the <a href="/life-sciences-healthcare-leadership" target="_self">Life Sciences + Healthcare Leadership Team</a>, as well as the Food + Agriculture Leadership Team within the firm. She co-leads the firm’s Chemistry Subgroup within the patent practice, which covers both the Pharmaceuticals and Materials sector within the chemistry space. She also co-leads the firm’s Food + Agriculture patent practice. Anita’s clients praise her ability to quickly gain a deep understanding of their technology and business, which allows her to think critically, creatively and practically in patent portfolio management.Anita is recognized as a key lawyer by The Legal 500 US for patent prosecution. She received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Chemistry and was named to the Order of the Coif. During law school, Anita also completed her M.B.A. at the Wharton School of Business.Anita is co-editor of our <a href="https://lifesciences.mofo.com/" target="_blank" dir="ltr">MoFo Life Sciences Blog</a>.Life SciencesAnita gained a solid technical background across disciplines during her time studying at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech), where she received her Bachelor of Science with honors. She spent several years working at Pfizer, developing small molecule compounds for use in oncology therapies. She has performed research at CalTech involving unnatural amino acids, and at MIT involving fluorescent zinc sensors, both for use in developing neuroscience applications.Anita has counseled clients in a wide variety of life science technologies, including small-molecule pharmaceuticals, cannabinoids, nutraceuticals, pharmaceutical and cosmetic uses, pharmaceutical formulations, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health.Food and AgTechAnita has advised businesses in developing IP strategies for soil and crop technologies, sustainable farming, alternative protein sources, fermentation technologies, extraction technologies, new categories of food and beverage products, and food packaging.The breadth of technologies that Anita works with also enables her to provide IP advice at the intersection of multiple technical disciplines. For example, Anita’s practice is also well positioned at the convergence of data analytics in the Life Sciences and Agriculture industries.ChemistryAnita also has technical expertise in chemistry outside of Life Sciences, such as in the Materials space, including Cleantech. She has developed IP strategies for biobased materials, polymer chemistry, composite materials, catalyst-based technologies, industrial processing, batteries, and carbon capture technologies.IP Due DiligenceAnita is skillful with investor-side and company-side patent due diligence. She supports many of the firm’s corporate deals, advising on ownership and patent portfolio risks and conducting patentability and freedom-to-operate assessments. She also supports her own clients undergoing IP due diligence by investors.IP Litigation SupportAnita also works closely with the IP Litigation Group to formulate strategies for infringement contentions, validity/invalidity contentions, and claim construction positions. She actively supports the patent litigators in pre-litigation diligence matters to evaluate the strength of patents and patent portfolios.Pro BonoAnita has an active pro bono practice and has been awarded the State Bar of California's Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services for many consecutive years. She regularly represents families seeking legal guardianship. She also assists numerous non-profit organizations in developing and securing patent protection for their core technologies.

Anita Choi

Partner

Dr. Chapman provides patent and intellectual property services to clients on pharmaceutical, chemistry, biotechnology, and medical device matters.He is experienced in drafting patent applications, proactively prosecuting domestic and foreign patent applications, and assisting with due diligence and freedom-to-operate assessments. Dr. Chapman is committed to providing responsive client service utilizing the firm’s collective legal and scientific capabilities. Since joining the firm in 2013, he has worked with a variety of clients including startup biotechnology, chemistry, and medical device companies; large pharmaceutical companies; academic institutions; and independent inventors. Dr. Chapman’s scientific education includes studies in medicinal chemistry, proteomics, mass spectrometry instrumentation and application, biochemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology, and chemistry. His technical background also includes training and research conducted at: the David R. Goodlett Laboratory (utilized mass spectrometry instrumentation to identify novel protein pathway responses and protein post-translational modifications); Amgen (utilized mass spectrometry instrumentation to study antibody-drug conjugates); and the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (studied protein adduction by environmental toxicants).He is admitted to practice in California and before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

John Chapman

Associate

Alfredo Silva is a key member of the firm’s Social Enterprise + Impact Investing Group and the Emerging Companies + Venture Capital practice. He advises companies and investors—particularly in life sciences, agtech, and fintech—on a wide range of corporate and securities matters, with a strong focus on venture capital, growth equity and corporate venture capital financings. Alfredo brings particular expertise in complex restructuring and recapitalization transactions. He also advises both impact-first and return-first investors on building mission lock into their strategies, works with clients to form Delaware public benefit corporations and structure for-profit/non-profit “hybrid” entities that can attract both philanthropic and traditional capital, and on a pro bono basis advises nonprofits and small businesses on formation, structuring and governance matters.In his private company practice, Mr. Silva has served as company or investor counsel in early- and late-stage financings, minority strategic investments and impact investments in over a hundred private companies, including representation of SoftBank and SoftBank Vision Fund in financings with a combined value of over $2 billion, Temasek in its $800 million minority investment in Verily Life Sciences, an Alphabet company, and Visa Ventures in strategic fintech investments around the world.In his public company practice, Alfredo counsels issuers on strategic transactions, such as the stock-for-stock merger of Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. with Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp, as well as corporate governance and compliance with the U.S. federal securities laws and stock exchange listing standards, including advising on cutting-edge issues with respect to ESG disclosures and materiality assessments.In addition, Mr. Silva works extensively with nonprofit organizations, providing advice on fiduciary issues, entity formation, structuring and other corporate matters, and assists small businesses pro bono. He incorporated and continues to advise Illuminate, the nonprofit producer of The Bay Lights, a 25,000 LED sculpture on the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, in structuring, corporate governance, and project management matters. Mr. Silva currently chairs the audit committees of the boards of directors of Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, a nonprofit founded by three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry and The New York Times bestselling author Ayesha Curry to unleash the potential of every child, and San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which for nearly 30 years has been pursuing a future where health justice is achieved for all people living with or at risk for HIV, both of which Mr. Silva has previously advised as corporate counsel.Alfredo is recognized by The Recorder as a 2013 Lawyer on the Fast Track, in 2014 was the inaugural recipient of the firm’s Kathi Pugh Award for Pro Bono Service, is a 2017 Lawyers Committee for Legal Diversity Fellow, and was the recipient of the American Bar Association’s 2023 National Public Service Award.

Alfredo B. D. Silva

Chris represents venture capital investors, private equity firms, and emerging and established companies in corporate finance and securities matters, including venture capital, growth equity and private equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings, and other strategic transactions.Chris has significant experience advising on complex deals involving high-growth, venture-backed companies in the technology industry (AI, Fintech, AR/VR, semiconductors, software). For private equity sponsors, he advises on investment fund transactions, buyouts, and divestitures. For entrepreneurs, he advises fast-growing emerging companies throughout their lifecycle, from formation through exit.Before rejoining Morrison Foerster, Chris advised a leading global investment firm, as associate general counsel and legal director, on cross-border investment and M&A transactions. Leveraging that experience, Chris provides clients with creative, business-forward, and solutions-oriented advice.Chris has been recognized as a top-tier advisor by numerous leading publications, including the Financial Times, Venture Capital Journal, San Francisco Business Times, and Daily Journal. He is on the leadership committee of the ABA’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Committee and frequent author and speaker on investment- and M&A-related topics and trends.At NYU School of Law, Chris was a Lederman Fellow in Law & Economics and on the executive board of the NYU Journal of Law & Business. He majored in business economics as an undergraduate at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Christopher McKinnon

Michael (Mike) Ward is co-chair of the firm's Life Sciences + Healthcare Group and Food + Agriculture Group.Life SciencesFor his work across the life sciences sector, Mike was named San Francisco Biotechnology Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America in 2020 and is recommended for his patent strategy and prosecution practice in LMG Life Sciences. He also led the team that was named 2022 Patent Management and Strategy Firm of the Year at the 2022 LMG Life Sciences Americas Awards.Food + AgricultureRecognized as “one of the world’s foremost plant and agriculture IP lawyers,” Mike manages a wide range of intellectual property issues related to plants and plant products. He and his team advise clients on plant and plant utility patents; licensing agreements for plant IP; litigation in U.S. state and federal court and before the International Trade Commission; and regulatory approvals from the USDA, FDA, and EPA for gene edited and genetically engineered plants.Patent Strategy + ProsecutionMike is a Legal 500 US Hall of Fame lawyer for patent prosecution and is consistently named one of the leading IP lawyers by Managing Intellectual Property, Chambers USA and Chambers Global, and IAM Patent 1000.Mike works closely with many clients to develop and manage their patent portfolios. He helps clients identify, monitor, and assess the infringement risks of third-party patents. He also assists clients in preparing both offensive and defensive patent portfolios, with a particular emphasis on drafting patent applications that will be utilized in licensing and in litigation efforts.IP Due DiligenceFor venture capitalists seeking to invest in early- and mid-stage companies, underwriters involved in IPOs, and companies seeking to acquire or merge with other companies, Mike has managed extensive IP diligence. His work includes assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of patent portfolios, evaluation of freedom to operate issues, and strategic recommendations for maximizing the value of patent portfolios going forward.Mike also works closely with the IP Litigation Group on various litigation matters including patent interferences to determine the first-to-invent and patent re-examination work and actively participates in both mediation and arbitration proceedings on behalf of clients in the life sciences and food and agriculture areas.He is a frequent lecturer and speaker. Among numerous speaking engagements, Mike is the IP instructor at the UC Davis Licensing Academy and founded Morrison Foerster’s annual Harvard Biotechnology Club Fall Patent Law Course.Mike holds a Ph.D. in plant physiology (biochemistry) and an M.S. in agronomy from the University of California, Davis; a B.S. in biology from the University of California, Berkeley; and a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. He was a post-doctoral fellow in plant molecular biology at the Harvard Medical School and the Department of Molecular Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he worked on the Arabidopsis genome project.

Michael Ward

Jim Ryan is a partner in Morrison Foerster's Transactions Department. His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border corporate and securities matters, including venture capital and private equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, securities compliance, and corporate governance.Jim represents entrepreneurs, startups and emerging companies as outside general counsel, venture capital and private equity investors, and financial and strategic acquirers across the technology, media, telecommunications, and life sciences industries. His clients operate in a variety of sectors including machine learning and artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity, data analytics, fintech, e-commerce, gaming, life sciences, and medical devices.Jim earned his J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law, where he was a comments editor for the Santa Clara Law Review and was published on the topic of cloud computing regulation. He received his B.A. in Economics with a minor in Information Systems and Technology Management from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Jim Ryan

Tim is a Partner in the Palo Alto Office and a partner in the Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Group. He specializes in representing startup companies and venture capital firms in corporate and securities matters.In his practice, Tim advises startups from formation through acquisition or initial public offering in matters including venture capital financing, debt financing, equity incentive compensation, corporate governance and technology development (including licensing, joint development, distribution, and other technology transfer matters). He also represents venture capital firms, strategic corporate investors, and angel investors in their investments in startup companies.Tim specializes in modeling complex capital structures, financing scenarios and liquidity events, helping entrepreneurs and investors analyze possibilities and understand consequences of various transaction structures. Tim represents startups and investors in a variety of technology sectors, including consumer and enterprise software, financial services technologies, wearable computing, semiconductor design, healthcare technologies, consumer retail and transportation.In 2015, Tim founded the firm’s ScaleUp Speaker Series, an ongoing, ten session series for entrepreneurs on the legal issues they will face over the lifetimes of their startups.Tim is most proud of his work on behalf of at-risk Afghan allies in connection with Operation Allies Refuge and was recognized by Human Rights First as a Pro Bono Star.Prior to practicing law, Tim designed, programmed, and implemented software systems for clients in the financial services industry.

Timothy Harris

John Rafferty focuses his practice on representing emerging growth companies in a broad range of corporate and securities law matters. John's practice includes private financings, public financings, mergers, tender offers, and strategic and financial investments.John advises emerging growth companies backed by venture capital and private equity firms on all corporate, transactional and financing matters. He also advises early and late-stage investors in capital raising transactions. John's practice also includes extensive experience in preferred stock financings, debt financings, and secondary offerings.John led the launch of MoFo’s <a href="https://scaleup.mofo.com/" target="_blank">ScaleUp website</a> which is focused on providing resources to start-up companies, entrepreneurs, and early-stage investors.John also regularly counsels boards of directors of public companies on corporate governance issues, fiduciary duty matters (both generally and in the M&A context), compliance with the U.S. federal securities laws, and compliance with the listing standards of NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange.John's transactional and counseling background has involved matters for clients in a broad range of industries, including technology and Internet-based businesses; life sciences and healthcare; communications and media; and retail.

Monday, March 2	Call for Pitch Day decks opens
Friday, April 3	Call for Pitch Day decks closes
Week of April 13	Finalists selected
Week of April 20	Contact finalists and schedule mentoring sessions
Weeks of April 27, May 4	Pitch Day mentoring for finalists
Friday, May 15	Final pitch decks due
Wednesday, May 20	Pitch Day

Open Call for Pitch Decks

20 May 2026 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM PDT

Seeking Research Tools and Diagnostics Pitches

Pitch Deck Guidelines

Important Notice