
SynBioBeta 2026 Speaker
Kit McDonnell
Superorganism VC
Head of Ecosystem
Kit McDonnell is a leading strategist and ecosystem builder within the bioeconomy, working at the intersection of biodiversity and technology. Trained as a systems and molecular biologist, her work is informed by environmental anthropology and explores how human culture shapesโand is shaped byโthe natural world.As Head of Ecosystem at Superorganism Ventures, the first venture firm purpose built for biodiversity, Kit leads platform strategy and stakeholder engagement across the growing nature tech landscape. She has held key roles at high-growth companies including LanzaTech and Ginkgo Bioworks, where she helped integrate emerging biotechnologies into legacy industries. Kit has also advised and built high-impact partnerships with global corporations, luxury brands, NGOs, and Fortune 500 companies. In 2020, she was named to the World Economic Forumโs COVID-19 Health and Healthcare Industry Action Group for the mid- and long-term pandemic response.A sought-after advisor, speaker, and thought leader, Kit is known for making technology more accessible and culturally resonantโusing unexpected intersections to drive change. She also collaborates with artists, designers, and scientists to explore potential sustainable futures. Outside of work, Kit and her standard poodle Hubert steward Spring House Farm, a 250-acre living laboratory in the Driftless Area.



Reagan
Jarvis
Anocca AB
CEO, Co-founder

Alex
Rives
CZI Biohub
Head of Science

Karenโฏ
Akinsanya
Schrodinger
President, R&D โ Therapeutics

Christopher
Arendt
Takeda
CSO, Head of Research

Stef
van Grieken
Cradle
CEO

Michael
Koeris
DARPA
Director, BTO

Jennifer
Dionne
Pumpkinseed
CEO

Daniyal
Hussain
GSK
Exec. Dir., Tech BD

Cynthia
Hong
Novartis
Dir., Search & Evaluation
SynBioBeta 2027 May 3-6, San Jose, California


