Elliot Hershberg

On Formative Experiences

I started my career as a scientist studying molecular biology. Every summer, I would return home to Seattle and work at the Cancer Vaccine Institute at the UW. I can still distinctly remember reading a set of research papers in 2015 that changed my life trajectory. I saw very clearly that early computational biology tools could dramatically accelerate our work developing new medicines.

I decided to retrain as a computational biologist and have never looked back. Since making that transition, I’ve been obsessed with how computation and AI can transform the life sciences. During grad school in Silicon Valley at Stanford, I saw how startups could uniquely translate results on this frontier into real world impact. That’s when I knew I had to be a part of this ecosystem.

On Investing

My mission is to partner with leading engineers and researchers who are doing their life’s work. It’s incredibly fulfilling to be able to support brilliant scientists who have often spent a decade or more refining their skills to be uniquely positioned to solve massive problems. When I met the Amplify team and learned about their singular focus on supporting great technical founders from day one, I knew it was the right home for me.

On Working With Founders

Technical founders deserve to partner with investors who have deep context for their science and market. As a scientist and engineer by training, I love to dive deep into the underlying research and technology in order to help founders achieve “platform-disease fit” or identify market opportunities where they have a unique right to win.

As a writer, I also enjoy helping founders craft their company story. As Ben Horowitz has said, “the story is the strategy.” Refining a company’s central narrative is essential for strategy, fundraising, and hiring. Humans think in stories, so this really helps to get an entire team rowing in the same direction.

On Growing Up

My childhood was spent buried in books. My love for reading persisted across my scientific career and into investing. I read dozens of research papers every day looking for the next major breakthrough that can change the world.

On Life Outside of Work

As cliche as it sounds, my favorite pastime is actually going for long walks on the beach. I live with my wife on the west side of San Francisco, so we take every chance we can get to spend time outdoors at Ocean Beach or Golden Gate Park. Oftentimes, these walks include detours to new cafes, bakeries, and restaurants.