FOR MEDIA INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Yolanda Fintschenko, PhD
Executive Director, i-GATE Innovation Hub and Startup Tri-Valley
(925) 784-3597
yolandaf@igateihub.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Life Sciences Leaders to Explore Why Companies Are Choosing the Tri-Valley at 2026 Summit
Leaders from ZEISS Medical Technology, OPM Biosciences, and Themis Bios will discuss the ingredients needed to scale at the 2026 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit
PLEASANTON, CA, September 24, 2026 – A scientific breakthrough may begin in a laboratory. Building a company around it is harder. Continuing innovation after that requires a new strategy.
As life sciences companies race to bring new technologies to market, they must find the specialized talent, partnerships, investment, and infrastructure needed to grow and continuing to innovate. Increasingly, companies are finding those resources in the Tri-Valley.
On Thursday, October 15, leaders from ZEISS Medical Technology, OPM Biosciences, and Themis Bios will gather for the 2026 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit, The Business of Breakthroughs: Life Sciences at Scale. The conversation will examine what it takes to translate promising science into successful products, growing companies, and real-world impact, as well as why life sciences organizations are choosing the Tri-Valley as a place to innovate.
The free event will take place from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Rosewood Commons Conference Center, 4400 Rosewood Drive in Pleasanton. It is presented by California Life Sciences and Kilpatrick and organized by Startup Tri-Valley with the City of Pleasanton.
Scientific discovery is only the beginning of the commercialization journey. Companies must recruit and retain highly specialized talent, form strategic partnerships, attract investment, respond to customers, and build organizations capable of sustained growth. The decisions made during this period often determine whether a promising technology reaches the market.
| “Scientific breakthroughs get a lot of attention, but commercialization is where many of the hardest challenges begin,” said Yolanda Fintschenko, Executive Director of i-GATE Innovation Hub and Startup Tri-Valley. “The leaders joining this year’s summit have experience navigating growth, partnerships, talent, and market adoption. Their stories help explain why life sciences companies are choosing to grow in the Tri-Valley.” |
Confirmed speakers include Fiona He, CEO and Co-Founder of OPM Biosciences; Jay Harger, Chief Operating Officer of Themis Bios; and Anuj Kalra, Head of Chronic Disease Management at ZEISS Medical Technology.
Why the Tri-Valley?
From startup founders to global industry leaders, life sciences organizations are looking for places that offer access to talent, innovation partners, research institutions, and opportunities for growth.
Pleasanton Mayor Jack Balch of Pleasanton is proud to host the summit in Pleasanton for the sixth time, noting, “Pleasanton is a hub for life sciences, particularly in diagnostics, med tech, and emerging in contract research and development organizations. This summit highlights the ecosystem we are building to scale companies in the Tri-Valley’s innovation economy and reinforces our commitment to building a more innovative future by bringing leaders together to spark new ideas and partnerships.”
The Tri-Valley brings together national laboratories, healthcare organizations, higher education institutions, entrepreneurs, investors, and established life sciences companies. For growing organizations, those connections can support hiring, collaboration, commercialization, and expansion.
This year’s speakers represent organizations at different stages of growth. Each brings firsthand experience with turning innovation into business results and navigating the complex decisions that accompany scale. Collectively, their stories will provide a close look at both the challenges of life sciences commercialization and the factors that influence where companies choose to grow.
Key Questions We’ll Explore
- What happens after the breakthrough, and what does it take to bring innovation to market?
- How can startups and established companies collaborate effectively?
- Why are life sciences companies choosing the Tri-Valley to grow and scale?
- What partnerships are essential for successful commercialization?
- How do organizations attract, develop, and retain specialized talent?
- Where is artificial intelligence creating the greatest impact in life sciences?
- What separates a promising technology from a successful business?
- What opportunities lie ahead for the Tri-Valley’s life sciences industry?
The discussion will give attendees an inside look at the decisions organizations make as they move from discovery to growth, and the factors that make the Tri-Valley a destination for life sciences innovation.
Presenting Sponsor Perspectives
“CLS is at the forefront of advancing collaboration, growth, and success within the life sciences ecosystem,” said Mike Guerra, CEO of California Life Sciences. “CLS is proud to sponsor this Tri-Valley event highlighting the key ingredients for startup success as they scale their company”
“Since we started supporting this summit, its reach has grown from the East Bay to the greater Bay Area. We are proud to highlight that the key ingredients life sciences companies need to grow are right here in the Tri-Valley.” said Siegmar Pohl, Ph.D., Partner and Co-Chair of Kilpatrick’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice in Walnut Creek and San Francisco.
Event Details
| Event | 2026 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit |
| Theme | The Business of Breakthroughs: Life Sciences at Scale |
| Date | Thursday, October 15, 2026 |
| Time | 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Location | Rosewood Commons Conference Center, 4400 Rosewood Drive, Pleasanton, CA 94588 |
| Cost | Free, registration required |
| Audience | Life sciences founders, executives, scientists, investors, business leaders, and regional partners |
| Registration | Register for the 2026 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit |
About Our Presenting Sponsors and Organizers:
Presenting Sponsors
About California Life Sciences
California Life Sciences is the state’s life sciences membership organization, supporting companies ranging from early-stage innovators and startups to established biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical technology leaders. The organization works with universities, research institutions, investors, and other partners to advocate for and strengthen California’s life sciences sector. Learn more at https://www.califesciences.org/.
About Kilpatrick
Kilpatrick is a global law firm serving innovative companies through practical, business-focused legal counsel. Its Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice works with startups, investors, and established businesses navigating company formation, financing, intellectual property, growth, and strategic transactions. Learn more at https://ktslaw.com/
Event Organizers
About Startup Tri-Valley
Startup Tri-Valley is an initiative to grow and strengthen the region by helping more startups succeed. It connects founders and innovators to a network of resources built specifically for science-based startups. The initiative is supported by the Tri-Valley cities of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton; the Town of Danville; Alameda County; and i-GATE Innovation Hub partners Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories. Learn more at https://startuptrivalley.org.
About i-GATE Innovation Hub
i-GATE Innovation Hub is a nonprofit organization focused on increasing economic prosperity through entrepreneurship in the Tri-Valley. Through Daybreak Labs and Startup Tri-Valley, i-GATE provides incubation resources, supports founders, and connects the regional innovation community. Learn more at https://igateihub.org.
About the City of Pleasanton
The City of Pleasanton is home to a diverse, innovation-driven business community and supports the growth of the Tri-Valley’s life sciences and technology sectors. Learn more at https://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/.
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IMAGE CAPTION: Founders, executives, investors, scientists, and regional leaders will convene October 15 at Rosewood Commons Conference Center in Pleasanton for the 2026 Tri-Valley Life Sciences Summit. The program will explore how scientific breakthroughs become successful companies and why life sciences organizations are choosing the Tri-Valley as a place to scale.
A high-resolution image is available upon request.