Sergio Gazic, former Bioscience Portfolio Manager at the Arizona Commerce Authority, began his new role as Chief Executive Officer of BioAccel on Monday, May 22, 2017.
BioAccel CEO Sergio Gazic
An accomplished leader in the bioscience field, Sergio Gazic has held multiple executive roles in both startup companies as well as large, multinational firms. Over the past three years, he has focused on supporting the growth of Arizona’s bioscience and healthcare sector as Bioscience Portfolio Manger for the Arizona Commerce Authority. In this role, Gazic leveraged his vast experiences in sales, marketing, business development and management to support and help grow multiple Arizona-based bioscience companies and assist them through their various stages of development. At BioAccel, he will be using these talents to support BioAccel’s mission and leverage his well developed relationships across the life science sector to expand and improve BioAccel’s networking capacity. He currently serves on multiple committees and boards and works in partnership with local trade and economic development groups to develop and implement strategies to address the critical challenges facing bioscience companies and support the growth of these exciting bioscience firms.
“It is an honor to have this opportunity to build on the successes that MaryAnn and Ron have contributed to our bioscience community” shared BioAccel CEO Sergio Gazic. “I am excited to about the potential to take BioAccel to its next level as the premier development and investment organization supporting successful commercialization of medical device companies.”
BioAccel co-founders MaryAnn Guerra and Dr. Ron King will remain actively involved in BioAccel to support its important mission. Dr. King will continue to support BioAccel as the Chief Science Officer and member of the Council of Advisors. Guerra will remain as Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of the BioAccelerator Fund.
Based in Phoenix, Arizona, BioAccel is a fully independent nonprofit organization dedicated to translating life science discoveries into new business opportunities that drive economic development by accelerating commercialization of technologies with a focus on diagnostics, therapeutics, devices, tools and services.
BioAccel is a leader in the United States dedicated to developing a robust bioscience ecosystem including entrepreneur development, and the creation of a validated pipeline of commercially viable bioscience technology to transform healthcare delivery. Its mission is to work with qualifying entrepreneurs and their early-stage bioscience technology and medical device companies to identify startup funding, as well as training and support needed to accelerate commercialization, improve healthcare through innovation, and diversify economic development.
BioAccel co-founder and Chairman, MaryAnn Guerra
Since its inception in 2009, BioAccel has supported the launch of 23 game-changing healthcare device companies through early-stage funding, mentoring, and training, while filling an unmet need in Arizona’s emerging bioscience sector. BioAccel has helped our portfolio of bioscience entrepreneurs successfully navigate the “Valley of Death” while creating healthy communities through vanguard bioscience solutions and supporting Arizona economic growth.
An exciting new era begins
“It is obviously with mixed emotions that I depart my leadership role with BioAccel,” stated Guerra. “It was an honor to help create and grow BioAccel over the past 8 years, but having Sergio stepping into the CEO position makes it much easier! Sergio is a consummate leader in the bioscience startup community and economic development. BioAccel couldn’t be luckier or better well positioned!”
Dr. Ron King, BioAccel co-founder and Chief Science Officer
Dr. Ron King, co-founder of BioAccel stated “BioAccel is ready to begin a new era of its evolution and thrilled to have Sergio leading us in this effort. We are excited to have Sergio bring his extensive network and knowledge of the biosciences to lead the BioAccel team to support our portfolio companies and advance the mission to accelerate the development of new companies and biomedical products by providing entrepreneurs with the needed training, mentoring, and early-stage funding support.”