Prakash Rao

Prakash Rao, Ph.D MBA, is a senior professional in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries with extensive experience in corporate and business development. He is currently an Executive Director of Corporate/Business Development at Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc., based in Boston, Massachusetts.1

Prior to his current role, Prakash held positions at i2o Therapeutics, including:

1. Executive Director-Corporate/Business Development (May 2023 - Present)
2. Director Corporate Development (December 2020 - April 2023)

During his time at i2o Therapeutics, Prakash was responsible for various aspects of corporate and business development, including:

• Leading collaboration and option agreement contracts
• In-licensing and out-licensing technology
• Alliance management
• Business liaison with technical teams
• Fundraising support
• Competitive intelligence
• Technological and therapeutic landscaping
• Market dynamics analysis
• Managing intellectual property processes1

Prakash has a diverse educational background, holding:

• Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania
• MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Sloan School of Management
• M.S. in Cell Biology from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences
• B.A. in Biochemistry-Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara1

His professional experience also includes roles at:

• Harvard University's Office of Technology Development
• Beacon VP as an Investment Associate
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a Group Leader in Cancer Epigenetics
• Selecta Biosciences as a Business Strategy Consultant1

Prakash is multilingual, with proficiency in Hindi, Kannada, and English.1 His diverse background in science, business, and technology development makes him well-suited for his roles in corporate and business development in the biotechnology sector.