fnGlobal Keynote & Roundtables with David Llewellyn (November 16, 2023)

In recent years, the field of biotechnology has witnessed a remarkable surge in scientific and technological breakthroughs, driving progress across healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. Within this dynamic landscape, innovative biotech startups have emerged as pivotal players, catalyzing transformative developments.

DJS Antibodies is one such trailblazing biotechnology company, dedicated to forging the future of antibody therapeutics. Spearheading this endeavor is David Llewellyn, the company's managing director and co-founder, whose mission is to engineer antibodies combating chronic inflammatory diseases.

The culmination of their efforts reached a significant milestone in October 2022 when DJS Antibodies was acquired by AbbVie for a staggering $255 million. This strategic partnership promises to bolster research capabilities and fortify AbbVie's immunology portfolio.

On November 16, David will detail his journey with DJS Antibodies in a global keynote for Founders Network. During the event, he’ll share how his passion for exploring medical advancements led him to establish a cutting-edge biotech startup worth millions.

David will also cover:

• Creative strategies for funding a business in the idea phase
• Practical tips for how to accomplish more with less capital
• Insights into how to close an M&A deal
• How to identify who will help and hinder you during your startup journey

Opening Remarks @ 9:30am PT

Join us for opening remarks with Dina Fattom, Member Success Manager at Founders Network, to get the latest updates from the Network and opportunities for getting involved.

Keynote Speaker @ 9:40am PT

David Llewellyn is the Managing Director and co-founder of DJS Antibodies and led the company from initiation through to its acquisition by AbbVie in 2022. He completed a Ph.D. at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute and has more than 10 years of experience in immunology and antibody discovery.

DJS was founded with Dr. Joe Illingworth to pursue the discovery and development of novel therapeutics against chronic inflammatory diseases and secured investment from pharma, venture capital, and non-dilutive granting bodies prior to the acquisition.

Prior to founding DJS, David co-founded and led Beyond Equality, an organization promoting positive masculinity and gender equality amongst groups of young men. David remains committed to promoting values of equality and diversity throughout DJS and more broadly.

Stage-Based Roundtables @ 10:30am PT

Community Partner:

Jeff Erickson

Jeff leads the Partnerships Team at Forecastr — a leading FP&A software company that helps startups create kick-butt financial models to impress investors, confidently raise capital, and effectively run their businesses better.

Jeff serves on the advisory boards of several startup companies and is an active angel investor. He's passionate about startups and enjoys working with founders and mentoring entrepreneurs.

Jeff is an experienced entrepreneur and was the founder and CEO of a successful consumer goods company that he rapidly grew from $1M in sales its first year to over $40M in annual revenue in its fourth year of operations and was ranked #138 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies.

Prior to founding his own company, Jeff was a partner at Beanstalk Partners where he led the sales and business development activities. He also served as the National Sales Director for a venture-backed tech startup where he generated over $45M in client contracts and developed the company’s channel partner program.

Jeff has a degree in accounting and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Utah. After receiving his MBA in Finance from the University of Utah he served as the Vice President of Investments for Sentry Financial Corporation.

Cathy Keeler

Cathy is the Managing Partner at FullScope Growth, a global consortium of elite Fractional Executives and Business Acceleration Partners that provide the exact combination of experts that organizations require.

She has cross-functional experience in sales, management, marketing and business planning, client services, network development and operations. Delivers strong results within highly competitive markets.

Guests Are Welcome!

Please bring a guest! Every member can bring one (1) guest to each event. Each guest must be a full-time tech startup founder so they can bring new perspectives, skillsets, and experience to your chapter.

All guests must be full-time tech startup founders and you can register them directly on this function page. See How to Register a Guest here.

Confidentiality Reminder

All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity.