Jon Kratochvil – Partner
Jon brings more than 30 years of leadership at the intersection of biotechnology innovation, intellectual property strategy, and global commercialization. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Global Licensing and Business Development at ERS Genomics, Ltd., where he led the worldwide licensing strategy for CRISPR technologies, shaping partnerships across industry and academia.
Prior to ERS, Jon held the role of Director of Business Development and Licensing at MilliporeSigma, overseeing global growth initiatives focused on gene editing and emerging therapeutic modalities. His work drove strategic collaborations and expanded access to next-generation technologies in rapidly evolving markets.
Earlier in his career, Jon was Business Development Director at Washington University, where he managed a diverse portfolio of more than 1,000 life science technologies and was instrumental in generating over $70 million in revenue through licensing and commercialization efforts. He also served at Abbott Laboratories’ diagnostics division as a Licensing Manager and Competitive Intelligence Analyst, contributing to advancements in novel detection platforms and pharmacogenetics.
An accomplished innovator, Jon is named on more than 40 patents and patent applications. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Rutgers University, as well as graduate degrees in Microbiology and Immunology from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago, reflecting his unique blend of scientific expertise and legal acumen.
Eric Rhodes – Partner
Eric brings more than three decades of experience spanning both scientific research and commercial leadership in the life sciences sector. He began his career as a molecular biologist, spending ten years in the laboratories of biotech startups in the San Francisco Bay Area. This technical foundation informed his transition into the business side of biotechnology, where he has spent over 20 years leading efforts in business development, commercialization, and strategic licensing.
Most recently, Eric served for eight years as Chief Executive Officer of ERS Genomics, an Ireland-based company specializing in the global licensing of CRISPR technology. During his tenure, he successfully established more than 150 licensing agreements worldwide, significantly expanding access to gene-editing innovations.
Prior to ERS Genomics, Eric was Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Horizon Discovery in the UK, where he led research and development initiatives and built a successful fee-for-service business division. Earlier in his career, he headed global business development at Sigma-Aldrich, managing both in-licensing and out-licensing of research technologies, tools, and reagents.
Eric’s introduction to gene-editing technologies began during his nearly decade-long tenure at Sangamo Biosciences, where he served as Vice President of Business Development and Alliance Management.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of California, Berkeley.