Speaker Profile
JD, MBA, Partner, DFJ Growth
Biography
Justin Kao is an entrepreneur and investor. Prior to DFJ Growth, he co-founded Helix, serving as founding CEO and later as chief business officer. DFJ Growth led the Series B in 2018.Justin loves working with founders who operate at the intersection of different disciplines. In particular, he is excited by companies that use data and AI to improve healthcare. He also focuses on how AI can accelerate the hard sciences, including chemistry, physics, materials, and beyond. Finally, Justin believes AI will reshape the enterprise, with particular interest in finance, legal, HR, IT, and operations.Earlier in his career, Justin was a partner with Khosla Ventures and an investor at Warburg Pincus. He is a lifelong Lakers and Dodgers fan and enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy. On weekends, he can be found treasure hunting at Costco, indulging in a boba, or chasing around his two children (one human, one canine).
Talk
Investing in the Next Generation of Precision Medicine
Even as technology advances, fundraising for startups in diagnostics and precision medicine has been challenging, particularly beyond seed rounds. What do growth investors look for in the age of AI? How do tech firms think vs. biotech firms?
Clinical Dx Showcase:
DFJ Growth
DFJ Growth is a VC firm based in Silicon Valley singularly focused on helping founders grow and scale. The firm is known for investments in companies like SpaceX, OpenAI, Coinbase, Unity, and Tesla, and has invested in Lifetech companies like Neuralink, Cellares, Cellanome, Paradigm Health, Delfi, and Osmind.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2026 Silicon Valley
The PMWC 2026 Data Applications in Clinical Diagnostics Showcase will provide a 15-30 minute time slot for selected organizations, including commercial companies, clinical testing labs, and medical research institutions, to present their latest advancements, insights, applications, and technologies to an audience of clinicians, leading investigators, academic institutions, pharma and biotech, investors, and potential clients. We will learn about new technologies and findings that promise expedited, cost-effective, and accurate clinical diagnosis for early disease detection, treatment decisions, and disease prevention.
- Clinical Dx/Oncology (including Liquid Biopsy)
- Clinical Dx/Cardio Vascular
- Clinical Dx/Neurodegenerative
