G. Steven Burrill is Chief Executive Officer of Burrill & Company, a San Francisco based life sciences firm focused exclusively on companies involved in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, devices, human healthcare and related medical technologies, healthcare delivery, nutraceuticals and wellness, agricultural biotechnology, industrial biotechnology (biomaterials/bioprocesses), and biofuels. Burrill & Company’s business revolves around four core activities: Venture Capital, Private Equity, Merchant Banking and Media. In our investment activities, Burrill & Company seeks to create value through developing significant equity stakes in its portfolio companies which benefit from Burrill & Company’s unparalleled network in the life science community. In addition to the company’s staff of over 50, Burrill & Company calls upon the members of its advisory boards for counsel. These boards are composed of former chief executives of major pharmaceutical, and biotech companies; industry luminaries; world-renowned scientists; and Nobel Laureates.

 

The Burrill family of venture capital funds, with over $950 million under management, includes the Burrill Life Sciences Capital Fund III, II, Burrill Life Sciences Capital Fund I (comprised of the Burrill Biotechnology Fund, the Burrill Agbio Capital Fund and its successor—the Burrill Agbio Capital Fund II, the Burrill Ag Annex, the Burrill Nutraceuticals Capital Fund), and the Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund. 

 

Mr. Burrill has devoted his career to helping life science companies launch their operations and sustain their growth in the face of a constant and rapidly changing environment. He currently serves as Chairman of the Boards of Pharmasset (NASDAQ: VRUS) and BioImagene, and is a member of the Boards of Directors of Catalyst Biosciences, DepoMed (NASDAQ: DEPO), Intranasal Theraputics, Phytomedics, Proteogenix, Proventys, Targacept (NASDAQ: TRGT) and XDx.

 

In 2008, Steve received the BayBio Pantheon 2008 DiNA lifetime achievement award for his worldwide biotech leadership. Also in 2008, he was awarded the Alan Cranston Living Legend Award by the Alliance for Aging Research, and was the commencement speaker at the University of Minnesota. In 2002, he was recognized as the biotech investment visionary by the prestigious Scientific American magazine (The Scientific American 50), identifying the top 50 scientists and technologists worldwide. Steve was also presented with the 1995 Service Award by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) for his outstanding leadership in the Biotech industry.

 

Mr. Burrill is a founder of The Biotech Meeting (now in its 22nd year), an exclusive life science CEO meeting, The China Life Sciences Meeting, The India Life Sciences Meeting, The Japan Biotech Meeting, The Indiana Life Sciences Meeting, The Stem Cell Meeting, The Personalized Medicine Meeting, The Health and Wellness Meeting and The Aging Meeting. These annual events enable Burrill & Company to remain on the cutting edge of the industry to maintain strong ties with the leading companies, CEOs, and the most promising technologies—making Burrill & Company the “best networked” company in the industry.

 

Prior to founding Burrill & Company in 1994, Mr. Burrill spent 28 years with Ernst & Young (through 1993) directing and coordinating the firm’s services to clients in the biotechnology/life sciences and high technology/manufacturing industries worldwide. He was the International Chairman of the Life Sciences/Biotechnology and Manufacturing/High Technology practices (responsible for approximately one-third of the firm’s then $6.5 billion business). His E&Y experience included working with ALZA, Amgen, Calgene, Chiron (Cetus), Collagen, Corixa (Anergen), Genentech, Gilead Sciences, InSite Vision, SciClone, Sequus (now part of ALZA), and Terrapin from their inception.

 

As an internationally recognized spokesman for the life sciences and high technology industries, Mr. Burrill has authored a variety of articles and books about the business, management and financial concerns of life science, high tech and high growth companies. In addition, Mr. Burrill has authored annual reports on the biotechnology industry for the last 22 years. Biotech 2008— A 20/20 Vision to 2020 is Mr. Burrill’s newest edition.

 

In addition to his work with leading life science companies, Mr. Burrill is a founder and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for the National Medals of Science and Technology. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of the San Francisco Mayor’s Biotech Advisory Committee (MAYBAC). Mr. Burrill also chaired the National Research Council study on linkages in biotechnology between Japan and the United States. He was also involved with the US-Japan Science and Technology Agreement Study of Technology Transfer Mechanisms between the US and Japan. Other not-for-profit activities include serving on the Boards of Directors of the Bay Area Science Infrastructure Consortium, BayBio, California Healthcare Institute (Emeritus), The Exploratorium, The Kellogg Center for Biotechnology, the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, the MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation, Kramden Institute, and the National Health Museum. He also serves on the Purdue Discovery Park External Advisory Committee as well as the editorial board of the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology. He is an advisor to University of Illinois Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Wisconsin—College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Carnegie Mellon, and Duke University, and is an adjunct professor at University of California, San Francisco.

 

Mr. Burrill earned his BBA in accounting and finance from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He has four grown sons and nine grandchildren. He and his wife, Kelli, make their home in San Francisco.