David Berry (inventor)
Encyclopedia
David Berry, M.D., PhD., is an American inventor, entrepreneur
, and venture capitalist. He is a Partner at Flagship Ventures, a venture capital
firm based in Cambridge, MA. Berry is founder and CEO of Essentient, a company founded in 2009 to transform global nutrition .
in 1978. He graduated Hackley School
in Tarrytown, NY in 1996. Berry graduated with a S.B. Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 2000. He was awarded his PhD from the Biological Engineering Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
after completing his thesis in the labs of Robert Langer and Ram Sasisekharan. Berry earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School
in 2006.
, Massachusetts
based venture capital firm that invests in and founds companies in healthcare and clean technology
, in 2005 where he is a Partner. Berry has been described "a rising star of the Boston-area venture capital scene," and "one of the most brilliant thinkers." Berry serves on the Board of Directors of Joule Unlimited, Theracrine, Eleven Biotherapeutics. Berry has been an author of 14 scientific papers and over 40 patent applications.
In 2005, Berry co-founded LS9, with Chris Somerville, Jay Keasling
, and George Church
, which uses synthetic biology
to engineer microorganisms to covert sustainable, plant-based materials into low-carbon fuels and chemicals, where he helped invent the early technologies and build the intellectual property estate. The technology behind LS9 led to its being named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum
in 2008 and its being awarded the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highest environmental honor.
In 2007, Berry co-founded Joule Unlimited, which is developing Solar Fuels—drop-in fuels produced directly from the sun. Berry served as President and CEO of the company through April 2009, and currently serves on the Board of Directors. In March 2010 and in April 2010, Joule’s technology was named by Technology Review
, and again in March 2011, Joule was named by Technology Review
as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies, as one of the 10 most important emerging technologies. Berry has been recognized as one of the top people in bioenergy by Biofuels Digest.
In 2009, Berry co-founded Theracrine with Joan Massague, Robert Weinberg
, Doug Hanahan, and Michael Rosenblatt where he served as founding CEO, and current serves on the Board of Directors. Theracrine is developing cancer therapeutics based on a new understanding of the disease.
In 2009, Berry also co-founded Essentient, a company focused on transforming global nutrition, where he serves as President and CEO.
. He is additionally a trustee at the Hackley School
, a member of the Global Board of the MIT Enterprise Forum., and a Board Member of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, and venture capitalist. He is a Partner at Flagship Ventures, a venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
firm based in Cambridge, MA. Berry is founder and CEO of Essentient, a company founded in 2009 to transform global nutrition .
Early life and education
Berry was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1978. He graduated Hackley School
Hackley School
Hackley School is a private college preparatory school located in Tarrytown, New York and is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League. Founded in 1899 by wealthy philanthropist Mrs. Caleb Brewster Hackley, Hackley was intended to be a Unitarian alternative to the mostly Episcopal boarding...
in Tarrytown, NY in 1996. Berry graduated with a S.B. Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 2000. He was awarded his PhD from the Biological Engineering Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
after completing his thesis in the labs of Robert Langer and Ram Sasisekharan. Berry earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
in 2006.
Career
Berry joined Flagship Ventures, a CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
based venture capital firm that invests in and founds companies in healthcare and clean technology
Clean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
, in 2005 where he is a Partner. Berry has been described "a rising star of the Boston-area venture capital scene," and "one of the most brilliant thinkers." Berry serves on the Board of Directors of Joule Unlimited, Theracrine, Eleven Biotherapeutics. Berry has been an author of 14 scientific papers and over 40 patent applications.
In 2005, Berry co-founded LS9, with Chris Somerville, Jay Keasling
Jay Keasling
Dr. Jay D. Keasling is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also Associate Laboratory Director for Biosciences at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Founding Head of the Synthetic Biology Department in...
, and George Church
George Church
George Church is an American molecular geneticist. He is currently Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and MIT, and a core faculty member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.With...
, which uses synthetic biology
Synthetic biology
Synthetic biology is a new area of biological research that combines science and engineering. It encompasses a variety of different approaches, methodologies, and disciplines with a variety of definitions...
to engineer microorganisms to covert sustainable, plant-based materials into low-carbon fuels and chemicals, where he helped invent the early technologies and build the intellectual property estate. The technology behind LS9 led to its being named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in 2008 and its being awarded the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highest environmental honor.
In 2007, Berry co-founded Joule Unlimited, which is developing Solar Fuels—drop-in fuels produced directly from the sun. Berry served as President and CEO of the company through April 2009, and currently serves on the Board of Directors. In March 2010 and in April 2010, Joule’s technology was named by Technology Review
Technology Review
Technology Review is a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was founded in 1899 as "The Technology Review", and was re-launched without the "The" in its name on April 23, 1998 under then publisher R. Bruce Journey...
, and again in March 2011, Joule was named by Technology Review
Technology Review
Technology Review is a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was founded in 1899 as "The Technology Review", and was re-launched without the "The" in its name on April 23, 1998 under then publisher R. Bruce Journey...
as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies, as one of the 10 most important emerging technologies. Berry has been recognized as one of the top people in bioenergy by Biofuels Digest.
In 2009, Berry co-founded Theracrine with Joan Massague, Robert Weinberg
Robert Weinberg
Robert Allan Weinberg is a Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research at MIT and American Cancer Society Research Professor; his research is in the area of oncogenes and the genetic basis of human cancer. Weinberg is also affiliated with the Broad Institute and is a founding member of the...
, Doug Hanahan, and Michael Rosenblatt where he served as founding CEO, and current serves on the Board of Directors. Theracrine is developing cancer therapeutics based on a new understanding of the disease.
In 2009, Berry also co-founded Essentient, a company focused on transforming global nutrition, where he serves as President and CEO.
Honors and Awards
- Recognized in 2008 by the US State Department as one of 12 Innovators Helping Reshape Reality along with J. Craig Venter and Tim Berners-LeeTim Berners-LeeSir Timothy John "Tim" Berners-Lee, , also known as "TimBL", is a British computer scientist, MIT professor and the inventor of the World Wide Web...
. - 2007 Technology ReviewTechnology ReviewTechnology Review is a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was founded in 1899 as "The Technology Review", and was re-launched without the "The" in its name on April 23, 1998 under then publisher R. Bruce Journey...
TR35TR35The TR35 is an annual list published by MIT Technology Review magazine, naming the world's top 35 innovators under the age of 35.Some of the most famous winners of the award include Larry Page and Sergey Brin , Linus Torvalds , Jerry Yang , Jonathan Ive , Mark Zuckerberg...
Innovator of the Year under the age of 35 - 2005 Lemelson-MIT PrizeLemelson-MIT PrizeThe Lemelson Foundation awards several prizes yearly to inventors in United States. The largest is the Lemelson-MIT Prize which was endowed in 1994 by Jerome H. Lemelson, and is administered through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
for invention and innovation
Other Affiliations
Berry currently serves as a member of the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. He is additionally a trustee at the Hackley School
Hackley School
Hackley School is a private college preparatory school located in Tarrytown, New York and is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League. Founded in 1899 by wealthy philanthropist Mrs. Caleb Brewster Hackley, Hackley was intended to be a Unitarian alternative to the mostly Episcopal boarding...
, a member of the Global Board of the MIT Enterprise Forum., and a Board Member of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.