ABOUT HEMAI
Dr. Hemai Parthasarathy is a respected scientific leader who directs high-risk, high-reward technological initiatives, known for blending a strong background in science, publishing, and venture capital. Originally a neuroscientist with a Ph.D. from MIT, she has built a career focused on supporting radical, early-stage scientific businesses. She currently leads a team in Rapid Evaluation at X, the Moonshot Factory (formerly Google [X]), the technology company dedicated to creating and launching breakthrough technologies that aim for 10x impact on society. Before joining X, Hemai was the Scientific Director of the Thiel Foundation, where she was instrumental in creating and running Breakout Labs, a program that provides funding and support to bold scientist-entrepreneurs. Following the success of the philanthropic fund, she became a Founding Partner and CSO of Breakout Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in “deep tech” companies across biology, materials, and energy. Hemai also has a significant background in scientific publishing. She was the North American Editor at Nature and a founding editor and managing editor at PLOS Biology, a leader in the open-access scientific publishing movement. Her wide-ranging expertise makes her a sought-after advisor for organizations like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and the Activate Leadership Council.
