Dr Elliott Dunn

Brandon Capital Partners

Prior to joining Brandon Capital Partners, Elliott project managed the research team at Blis Technologies Ltd. Previously, Elliott was a Commercialisation Analyst for Otago Innovation Ltd and a Scientific Officer in pharmacology at the University of Otago. After completing his PhD in 2018, Elliott chaired the Return On Science Biotech & Pharma and Otago Momentum Investment Committees, established two Government funded student-led investment committees in New Zealand, and conducted research for Upside Biotechnologies Ltd, which focused on developing a bioengineered solution for burns victims.

Elliott is a board observer of Amaroq Therapeutics, and a director of Cadmus Animal Health and TamoRx.

Elliott has a PhD in Stem Cell Biology from the University of Auckland, and a Bachelor and Masters in Immunology from the University of Otago. He is currently an active committee member of the Return on Science Biotech & Pharma and Otago Momentum Investment Committees.

Dr Martin Gagnon

Director, Research and Enterprise University of Otago

John Mansell

Director, Catalyst Intellectual Property

John has over 15 years’ experience advising Australasian innovators on all aspects of intellectual property law, and working with overseas clients to protect and enforce their IP rights in New Zealand and Australia. John is an intellectual property lawyer as well as a patent attorney registered to practice in both New Zealand and Australia.

​John’s focus is on innovation in the life sciences, with particular interest in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, biologicals, genomics and proteomics, agriculture, and food technology. He also has experience with other technologies. John works comfortably with researchers, commercialisation managers, and corporate leaders to deliver business-focused intellectual property strategies and IP portfolios that are properly aligned with their commercial goals.

​John practices across all aspects of intellectual property law, including IP strategy, patent drafting, prosecution, litigation and enforcement, portfolio management and due diligence, as well as providing validity and infringement advice.

​Prior to becoming a patent attorney, John was a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  John has a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Otago. He worked for three of New Zealand’s largest IP firms before joining Catalyst Intellectual Property.

Brian Russell

Brian is a tech entrepreneur with over 25 years in product design and commercialisation.

He started his career with large global corporates (Nokia-UK, Analog Devices-USA) then founded and ran Zephyr Technology Corp a US based medical device company for 14 years, raising capital in the US then successfully exiting to Covidien (now Medtronic).

He has 22 patents in silicon chip design and physiological monitoring. He is now involved with various projects and on several boards.

Hanie Yee

Hanie has more than 25 years’ experience across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medical devices commercialisation across US, Asia and NZ. She has held senior executive roles at Genentech, Roche, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Alimetry, leading clinical strategy, commercialisation, operations and global market expansion. Hanie is the Principal of STR Consulting, where she advises founders, boards and investors on commercialisation and growth strategy. She is Chair of the Return on Science MedTech Investment Committee, Executive Chair of RespirAq, Board Member of Te Tītoki Mataora, and serves on the Auckland Momentum Committee. 

Hanie holds a Masters Degree in Medical Science from University of Auckland, a Business Degree from Darden Business School, University of Virginia and has completed her executive education at Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania.

Melissa Yiannoutsos

Chair of PoC Judging, Booster Financial Services

Melissa has a twenty-year career in science commercialisation and investment. During which she has helped establish the first angel networks in NZ, managed pre-seed funds, grown start-ups within and for industry, CRIs and Universities, and lead investment and business incubation programmes. Melissa has been involved in every aspect of taking an idea from research into product concepts and markets.

Prior to joining Booster Financial Services in 2021, as its Innovations
Fund manager, she has progress inventions discovered at Universities into ambitious NZ companies in many areas from vaccine development to biosensors to acne skincare.