Former BioCrossroads exec named Watanabe Award winner
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A former executive vice president of strategy for Indianapolis-based BioCrossroads is the recipient of the 2022 August M. Watanabe Life Sciences Champion of the Year Award. The state’s life sciences initiative says Nora Doherty is being recognized for her work supporting life sciences startups and managing three seed funds.
The award honors individuals or organizations that have “made or enabled unique achievements in the development of Indiana’s life sciences and healthcare research, clinical, educational or economic advancement.”
Doherty managed BioCrossroads’ three Seed Fund programs that launched in 2005, 2012, and 2018, respectively. The funds totaled nearly $25 million and have invested in 32 life sciences startups, which have gone on to raise an additional $796 million.
BioCrossroads says Doherty’s insight helped with the launch of the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute in 2012 and the activation of 16 Tech near downtown Indianapolis in 2015.
“Nora’s work with start-ups encouraged deep relationships with our research institutions, especially Indiana and Purdue universities, bringing some of their innovations to market. It has also led to productive collaborations between industry and academia,” BioCrossroads CEO Patty Martin said in written remarks. “She is incredibly well regarded by many of the leading scientists and start-up CEOs in the state, as well as venture capital fund managers across the country. She was instrumental in putting Indiana’s life sciences entrepreneurial ecosystem on the map.”
Doherty received the award today during the Indiana Life Sciences Summit. The award is named after former BioCrossroads Chairman August Watanabe.