Mauritz Venter

Dr. Venter is co-founder and CEO of AzarGen. He conducted genetic research at Stellenbosch University, completing two postdoctoral fellowships (in plant biotechnology and human genetics respectively) and worked as a contract researcher and lecturer. He was part of the first group of postdoctoral fellows in South Africa to receive the National Research Foundation Innovation-Fund Postdoc Bursary in 2005-2006. During his postdoc fellowship in human genetics, he attracted funding and served as project leader of a Self-Initiated SA-MRC (South African Medical Research Council)-project. He has presented papers at several national and international conferences and authored or co-authored 17 research, book chapter and review articles in biotechnology and medical genetics. Dr. Venter is co-inventor of 2 patent families relating to AzarGen’s lead therapeutic candidate and synthetic promoter technology. After completing a productive internship, as a business analyst at Cape Venture Partners (CVP), he decided to combine his passion for science with business to become a biotech entrepreneur.