“To create a transformational company, at its core it must have two key attributes: a mission focused upon positive societal impact and a business model that leverages technology and science in a financially sustainable manner.”
Dr. Ling Wong is a Senior Advisor to Lightspeed and General Partner and Founder at Highbury Group.
Highbury Group was founded on the principle to be a true partner and champion to entrepreneurs, using science and technology to build companies that fundamentally transform the world for the betterment of humanity today, and in the future. These principles serve as a North Star for any partnership that Dr. Wong enters. Lightspeed’s shared values and alignment with these principles is what ultimately attracted a partnership and led Dr. Wong to accept the invitation to be a Senior Advisor. In this role, she leads Lightspeed’s health investments.
Dr. Wong draws from her unique background and experience as a scientist, entrepreneur, and investor to support and bring to market companies that exist at the intersection between health and technology. “I love to partner with mission-oriented founders working on transformational ideas that can have a positive, lasting impact on society – and do so by leveraging technology and science in a financially sustainable manner,” said Dr. Wong.
Prior to Highbury, she served at the Gates Foundation where she helped to establish a $1.5B global investment portfolio and created a $200M early stage program to support early stage entrepreneurs in more than 60 countries.
As a health and technology investor, Dr. Wong has been involved in some of the market’s most significant investments and exits. She has partnered with over fifteen $1B+ companies, including: Devoted Health, Orca Bio, Collective Health, Color, Apeel, Shape, Stripe, Offer Up, Rappi, Branch Metrics, Notion, Modern Animal, Wheel and Satellite Bio. Notable exits include: Anacor Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Pfizer $5.2B), Genocea Biosciences (NASDAQ: GNCA), Visterra (acquired for $430M), Slack (NYSE: WORK), Guardant Health (NASDAQ: GH), and recently Singular Genomics (NASDAQ: OMIC).
Dr. Wong holds a PhD from Harvard in Engineering Sciences, a BSc in Chemical Engineering and BSc in Biology from MIT. During her time at Harvard, she created the world’s first inhaled TB vaccine. Her scientific training has shaped how she assesses financial opportunities, both to create value and to benefit human health. Dr. Wong has always been passionate about seeking entrepreneurs and partners that are looking to disrupt the status quo in science and technology for the betterment of society.
