Elliot Hershberg
Partner at Amplify Partners; Author of Century of Bio
About
I'm Elliot Hershberg, a Partner at Amplify Partners and the author of Century of Bio. My career has been defined by the intersection of biology and technology, moving from a background in software engineering and a PhD in Genetics at Stanford into the world of venture capital. I focus on early-stage digital biology, platforms, and infrastructure, helping technical founders translate complex scientific insights into scalable companies. I'm deeply passionate about the idea that biology is a programmable technology and that AI is the key modeling paradigm we need to finally understand biological complexity. Whether I'm backing founders or writing about the 'Century of Bio,' my goal is to support the next generation of full-stack drug companies and biotech infrastructure. I love connecting with interdisciplinary scientists and founders who are working to bend the arc of what's possible in medicine and biomanufacturing.
Networking
What I can offer
- ›Bridge between deep scientific expertise and venture capital
- ›Storytelling and narrative support for technical founders
- ›Expertise in computational biology and genomics pipelines
Looking for
- ›Technical founders in the bio-space
- ›Interdisciplinary scientists integrating chemistry, CS, and immunology
- ›exploring mutual opportunities in biotech and digital biology
Best fit for
Current Interests
Background
Career
Transitioned from research science and software engineering into biotech venture capital, moving from roles at UC Berkeley and Stanford to investment positions at 8VC, Not Boring, and Amplify Partners.
Education
PhD in Genetics from Stanford University (2021–2025); BS in Computer Science from Oregon State University (2018–2020); BA in Biology from Southwestern University (2014–2018).
Achievements
- ›Author of Century of Bio
- ›Co-led $15.4M round for Infinitopes
- ›Core developer for JBrowse 2
- ›Recruited high-profile advisors from Gilead and Stanford to Amplify Bio
Opinions
- AI is the necessary modeling paradigm to bridge the gap between biological measurement and understanding.
- We need a 'Cambrian explosion' of full-stack drug companies that innovate on both discovery and development.
- Biology is a programmable technology.
- The industry must focus on being the first investor for technical founders to translate insights into platforms.