Ventures Accelerated Expands Across U.S. West Coast, Appoints Roger Lias as U.S. President
By Helena Strigård, Founder and Senior Advisor at Ventures Accelerated
February 3, 2026
From Southern California to Seattle, Ventures Accelerated is set on a fast-paced expansion, establishing footholds in every major life science hub of the U.S. West Coast while appointing Roger Lias, P.h.D. as President of Ventures Accelerated U.S.
Julie Ames, President and CEO of The Cambridge Group
Dr. Roger Lias, President of Ventures Accelerated U.S.
Originally founded in Sweden, Ventures Accelerated is rapidly becoming a global force in life science growth. The opening of its Palo Alto headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, timed with the appointment of Dr. Roger Lias as President of Ventures Accelerated U.S., serves as a strategic bridge between European innovation and the world’s most influential life science clusters. This expansion extends the firm’s reach into key U.S. hot spots including San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Seattle cluster, complementing its established presence across major European hubs.
Strengthening the Inner Circle
Coinciding with the U.S. launch & Dr. Lias appointment, Ventures Accelerated has expanded its advisory board with industry titans:
Joe Panetta: PhD, President Emeritus of Biocom California and Board Member of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
Patricia Beckman: PhD, CEO of Genosera, Investor, and Kauffman Fellow.
These join existing advisor Krishna Allamneni, PhD, CBO at Concarlo Therapeutics.
"By doing this, we show our clients and portfolio companies that we follow our own counsel: to be street smart by tapping into the world's most vibrant communities of innovation and intelligent capital," says Helena Strigård, founder of Ventures Accelerated.
A Vision for Transatlantic Growth
Dr. Roger Lias, spearheading the U.S. operations, noted the firm's rapid ascent and ambition since its inception.
"In just over one year, Ventures Accelerated has gained tremendous interest from the life science and investment communities across Europe, North America, and the APAC regions," says Dr. Lias. "This validates our business model and our unparalleled ability to connect innovators, investors, service providers, academics and other life science stakeholders globally. The Ventures Accelerated concept, which originated in the Nordics, strives to accelerate the delivery of vital products to patients and technologies to the marketplace. The U.S. remains a vitally important sector and it is no surprise, therefore, that we are rapidly expanding our presence here. Transatlantic collaboration is vital as we match expertise, technologies, funding and passion around the globe. I'm excited to front our U.S. operations and to spearhead our business development activities as we take the next step in our growth journey."
Why California Matters
The strategic importance of the West Coast was echoed by new advisory board member Joe Panetta.
"The presence of Ventures Accelerated in California is a key advancement in creating significant partnering and funding opportunities for the Nordic life science community," they stated in a joint perspective. "It provides a direct conduit into the $400 billion California life science economy, the largest in the world."
About Ventures Accelerated
Ventures Accelerated provides high-level expertise and global connections across life science sub-sectors. Led by a team of "Accelerators" — C-suite biotech and medtech leaders handpicked for their extensive experience in the sectors and track records of delivering extraordinary growth — the firm specializes in navigating complex growth journeys for clients worldwide.