SAN FRANCISCO– Genoa Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in science-driven companies of consequence, is proud to announce the promotion of Landon Merrill from Principal to Partner. Merrill joined Genoa in June 2021, following a two-decade career spanning the life sciences industry, with leadership roles in companies ranging across sectors, including R&D tools, medical devices, automation, and pharma services.
Merrill brings a diverse and deep skill set honed through his technical and commercial leadership across organizations from startups to multinationals. His expertise in structured, rigorous product strategy and development, combined with a keen understanding of team dynamics and relationship building, make him an invaluable asset in deal diligence and portfolio company support.
“My passion for biology comes from a natural curiosity about the world and a commitment to stewardship of it,” said Merrill. “At Genoa, I have the privilege of working with extraordinary entrepreneurs, helping to cultivate groundbreaking discoveries into companies that will make a lasting impact on the world.”
Merrill holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Connecticut College and a Master of Science in Genetics from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Early in his career, he helped establish an NGS sequencing core for Harvard Partners Center for Personalized Genomic Medicine. He later joined GlaxoSmithKline to lead technology and process development for their encoded library technology platform. As a founding team member of 10x Genomics, Merrill played a critical role in translating early concepts into market-ready products, overseeing the launch of the GemCode and Chromium platforms that catapulted 10x Genomics into a billion-dollar brand.
Beyond his technical expertise and operating experience, Merrill excels in fostering strong relationships and aligning founding teams around clear visions and strategies that drive market success. His ability to blend scientific depth with commercial insight has been pivotal in guiding Genoa’s portfolio companies as they scale.
“Genoa Ventures was founded to identify outliers—visionary entrepreneurs building companies of consequence on foundations of impactful science—and provide them with the capital and support they need to accelerate their journeys,” said Jenny Rooke, Ph.D., Managing Director and Founder of Genoa Ventures. “Landon’s ability to connect big-picture vision with tactical execution has made him indispensable to our team and our portfolio companies. His strategic guidance continues to be instrumental in helping our portfolio companies transform their ideas into impactful, market-driven products.”
With Merrill’s promotion, he joins Dr. Rooke and Vikram Chaudhery, Ph.D., as investing Partners at Genoa Ventures. The firm now boasts a 10-person investment team with deep scientific expertise and extensive operating experience. The team collectively offers unparalleled insights into building high-impact companies at the convergence of biology and technology.
