In honor of Women’s History Month, which kicks off today, we wanted to highlight 10 incredible women making a mark in the life sciences in the BioHealth Capital Region. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Arti Santhanam, Executive Director, Emerging Technology Centers (ETC)
Dr. Arti Santhanam was recently appointed Executive Director of Emerging Technology Centers (ETC). While new to the role, Dr. Santhanam is a long-time player in the BioHealth Capital Region.
Dr. Santhanam’s contributions over the last decade at TEDCO, especially within her role in the Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII), have been instrumental in fostering Maryland’s diverse and innovative ecosystem. Established in 2012, MII has invested $52.3M, resulting in 176 startups from notable universities like Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland, and Morgan.
In her new role, she’ll be introducing a new public-private operational model enhancing support for Baltimore’s tech entrepreneurs, activating her extensive expertise in startup leadership, venture capital, and life sciences.
Prior to TEDCO, Dr. Santhanam worked in global health at MITRE Corporation and in private consulting, collaborating with USAMRIID and ECBC. Dr. Santhanam earned her Master’s in Clinical Biochemistry from the University of Madras, India, and a PhD in Microbiology from Rutgers University, NJ, followed by a postdoc at the National Cancer Institute. She’s held roles on METAvivor Research and Support, Inc.’s Board and various Maryland advisory boards, demonstrating her leadership in health and innovation.
Chandra Briggman, CEO, Activation Capital
Chandra Briggman is President and CEO of Activation Capital, a leading innovation ecosystem development organization providing social, knowledge, and financial capital to tech clusters across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Before being named the CEO in May 2020, Briggman was Director of Venture Café Foundation located in Cambridge, MA, and was responsible for the strategy and operations of the global network’s flagship Venture Café Cambridge innovation hub. She played a key role in helping expand the revenue and the footprint in New England. Before her work in ecosystem development in Massachusetts, she held innovation roles with the United States Postal Service in Washington, D.C., culminating with her work as the Director of Digital Platforms and the Innovation Lab. Her prior experience comprised leadership roles with multiple startups, including Founder as a serial entrepreneur.
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