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 shapesโ€”and is shaped byโ€”the 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 Forumโ€™s 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 resonantโ€”using 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.

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Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
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Reagan

Jarvis

Anocca AB

CEO, Co-founder

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Alex

Rives

CZI Biohub

Head of Science

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Karenโ€ฏ

Akinsanya

Schrodinger

President, R&D โ€“ Therapeutics

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Christopher

Arendt

Takeda

CSO, Head of Research

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Stef

van Grieken

Cradle

CEO

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Michael

Koeris

DARPA

Director, BTO

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Jennifer

Dionne

Pumpkinseed

CEO

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Daniyal

Hussain

GSK

Exec. Dir., Tech BD

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Cynthia

Hong

Novartis

Dir., Search & Evaluation

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Sarah Lynn

Tao

CSL Behring

Sr. Dir., S&E; Ig TA & Tech Lead

Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure

SynBioBeta 2027 May 3-6, San Jose, California