Venrock's Camille Samuels Joins Disrupt 2021 as Startup Battlefield Judge

TechCrunch Disrupt 2021: Announcing Camille Samuels as Startup Battlefield Judge

The TechCrunch team is gearing up for another highly anticipated Startup Battlefield competition during Disrupt 2021, scheduled for September 21-23. A panel of exceptional judges is being assembled to select the ultimate winner.

The winning startup will receive a $100,000 prize and the prestigious Disrupt Cup. We are delighted to announce that Camille Samuels, a partner at Venrock, will be joining us as a distinguished judge for our second virtual Startup Battlefield event.

Camille Samuels' Expertise at Venrock

At Venrock, Samuels is instrumental in expanding the firm’s investment portfolio within the healthcare sector. Her focus lies specifically on opportunities in biotech, medical devices, and consumer health.

Recent investments made under her guidance include Unity Biotechnology, Iris Medicine, and Biolux. Samuels brought her extensive experience to Venrock in 2014, having previously spent 12 years at Versant Ventures, a healthcare-focused venture capital firm.

Prior to her venture capital career, spanning over two decades, Samuels held positions in business development at Tularik, a drug discovery company. She also contributed to corporate development efforts at both Genzyme and Millennium Predictive Medicine.

Focus on Healthspan Extension

During a conversation with Samuels last year, she articulated her passion for technologies aimed at prolonging healthy lifespans. She expressed a desire to see an increase in the years people experience health and happiness, rather than relying on medication and facing decline.

“Improving healthspan is a truly compelling concept,” Samuels stated. “The goal is to extend the period of life lived in good health and well-being.”

Venrock's Recent Successes

Venrock has experienced a successful year, recently finalizing its ninth fund with a total of $450 million in capital. Notable recent exits for the firm include the initial public offerings (IPOs) of Cloudflare and 10x Genomics last year.

Join Us at Disrupt 2021

Disrupt 2021 will take place entirely online from September 21-23. Secure your virtual pass to participate alongside the TechCrunch community for under $100 by registering before the end of next month.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness the next generation of groundbreaking startups!