Austin, Texas, United States
Jason Scharf is an Austin-based investor, writer, and host of Austin Next, focused on how ecosystems form, compound, and evolve. He has spent nearly two decades pursuing his life’s mission of catalyzing innovation, with experience across Illumina, BD, and Amgen. As an early-stage investor, he focuses on the Bio Innovation Tech Stack and the Business of Health. Through the Austin Next podcast and Ecosystem Metacognition Substack, he explores Austin’s startup and tech scene, Bio & Health, hard tech, venture capital, talent, culture, and what their convergence makes possible.
Portfolio with a primary focus on Digital Health & TechBio – examples investments include Abterra Bio, BlueNalu, Elicio Therapeutics (Exited to Nasdaq: ELTX), Iridia, Pleno, and Syntrillo. Served in advisory, mentorship and leadership roles at NuFund Venture Group, the San Diego Angel Conference, and the Nex Cubed Digital Health Accelerator
Building a theory of innovation ecosystems from the Renaissance to today's Technopolises to What’s Next.
Austin continues transforming into the next innovation powerhouse. In this podcast we explore how Central Texas is growing…The people and companies, the industries and infrastructure, the macro and micro trends that come together to create the future of Austin. We want to answer one basic question… What’s Next Austin?
Led strategic planning, product management, and business development functions for direct-to-consumer microbiome solutions division Developed and launched version 2 of Gut microbiome test with updated bioinformatics pipeline Developed first women’s health test that included microbiome test with HPV and STI diagnostic Relaunched consumer brand as Kean Health with new marketing assets and strategy, product portfolio, and partnerships