# Srini Akkaraju

> Srini Akkaraju, MD/PhD, is the Founder and Managing General Partner of Samsara BioCapital, a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm he founded in 2016 to translate cutting-edge biology into transformative therapeutics. With a Stanford MD/PhD in Immunology and a computer science foundation from Rice University, Akkaraju has spent over 25 years at the intersection of science and capital - from corporate development at Genentech to partnership roles at J.P. Morgan Partners, Panorama Capital, New Leaf Venture Partners, and Sofinnova Ventures. Samsara has built a portfolio of 93+ companies with 32 IPO exits, backing breakthroughs in immunotherapy, cell therapy, kidney disease, and gene therapy. His conviction-driven approach is evident in moves like a $19M personal stake in Scholar Rock, and his belief that biotech is entering an 'unbelievable innovation cycle' over the next two to three decades.

- **Role:** Founder & Managing General Partner at Samsara BioCapital
- **Organizations:** Samsara BioCapital, Scholar Rock Holding (Board), Mineralys Therapeutics (Board), vTv Therapeutics (Board), Ottimo Pharma (Board), Alumis Inc. (Board), OrsoBio (Board), A2 Biotherapeutics (Advisory), Dewpoint Therapeutics (Advisory), EyeBiotech (Advisory), Link Cell Therapies (Advisory), Inventiva S.A. (Board)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BS in Biochemistry and Computer Science, Rice University, MD and PhD in Immunology, Stanford University
- **Known for:** Founded Samsara BioCapital in 2016, which has backed 93+ portfolio companies with 32 IPO exits and 14+ acquisitions, Co-founded Panorama Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity firm, Became Partner at J.P. Morgan Partners at a young age after joining the healthcare life sciences team

## Career timeline

- **1998** — Joined Genentech as Senior Manager, Business and Corporate Development; managed worldwide partnering, in-licensing and out-licensing activities
- **2001** — Joined J.P. Morgan Partners' Healthcare Group Life Sciences team
- **2005** — Became Partner at J.P. Morgan Partners
- **2006** — Co-founded Panorama Capital, LLC as Managing Director - private equity firm focused on healthcare
- **2009** — Joined New Leaf Venture Partners as Managing Director
- **2013** — Named General Partner at Sofinnova Ventures; Fortune Magazine covered the appointment
- **2016** — Founded Samsara BioCapital in Palo Alto as Founder and Managing General Partner
- **2022** — Joined Scholar Rock Holding board of directors (July 2022)
- **2023** — Portfolio company Chinook Therapeutics acquired by Novartis
- **2024** — Featured speaker at BIO Investor Forum 2024; appeared in RBCCM article on biotech investment strategies
- **2025** — Made approximately $19M personal investment in Scholar Rock shares, boosting holdings by 3,707%

## Achievements

- Founded Samsara BioCapital in 2016, which has backed 93+ portfolio companies with 32 IPO exits and 14+ acquisitions
- Co-founded Panorama Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity firm
- Became Partner at J.P. Morgan Partners at a young age after joining the healthcare life sciences team
- General Partner at Sofinnova Ventures, one of the leading life sciences VC firms
- Board member at multiple public biotech companies including Scholar Rock, Mineralys Therapeutics, and vTv Therapeutics
- Made a landmark $19M personal investment in Scholar Rock, demonstrating personal conviction in portfolio companies
- Led early investments in Chinook Therapeutics (acquired by Novartis), CARGO Therapeutics, Nkarta, and other breakthrough companies
- Built Samsara BioCapital team to 22 members with over 500 years of combined experience across science, medicine, and business
- Pioneer in CAR T-cell therapy and allogeneic cell therapy investments before mass adoption

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Continues as Founder and Managing General Partner of Samsara BioCapital with 93+ portfolio companies and 22-member team
- **2025-10** — Made approximately $19M personal investment in Scholar Rock Holding (SRRK) shares, boosting holdings by 3,707%
- **2025-01** — Provided public commentary on Chinese pharmaceutical program licensing and broader biotech funding environment
- **2024-11** — Featured in RBCCM article 'Unlocking Biotech's Potential: Strategies for Navigating Public and Private Market Investments'
- **2024-10** — Featured speaker at BIO Investor Forum 2024 discussing biotech investment trends and outlook
- **2023-01** — Portfolio company Chinook Therapeutics acquired by Novartis, representing a significant exit for Samsara

## Links

- Website: https://samsaracap.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/srini-akkaraju-bb0176
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/samsaracapital

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/srini-akkaraju
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-17