WASHINGTON, DC (January 7th, 2026) – Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) announced the launch of the BIO Investment Council (BIC). The newly established council aims to serve small and emerging biotech innovators by increasing engagement between investors and BIO members to accelerate capital formation, drive innovation, and enable greater M&A activity across the biotechnology sector.BIO Board Member, Doug Dieter, Dr.P.H., Partner at Ares Management and Co-Head of Ares Specialty Healthcare, will chair the BIC. Dr. Nessan Bermingham, Operating Partner at Khosla Ventures, will serve as Vice Chair.“Private capital funding is the lifeblood of America’s small to midsize biotech innovators,” said John F. Crowley, President and CEO of BIO. “Today, more than half of innovative new medicines originate in small to mid-size biotech companies. Yet, despite incredible scientific progress and promise, significant challenges remain in private capital formation to support emerging companies. The launch of the BIO Investment Council, under the leadership of Doug and Ness, affirms our commitment as we seek to ensure biotech start-ups have the capital needed to innovate, grow, and ultimately deliver ground-breaking treatments that have enabled the US biotech to lead the world and improve the lives of millions of patients.”While overall VC funding into biopharmaceutical companies has remained stable, for the first time in a decade, investments in clinical-stage companies surpassed those in preclinical-stage companies. This discrepancy underscores the urgent need to better align small and emerging biotech companies with the right investors in the earliest stages of their research.“I am honored to take the helm of BIC at a time when urgent leadership is needed to secure U.S. advancement in biotechnology. Small and emerging biotech companies are facing unprecedented challenges, and through BIC, our goal is to remove barriers to accessing capital and improve the…