The Office of Innovation & Commercialization’s Innovation at the Edge is an incredible speakers series that is your invite to hear from founders, researchers, venture capitalists, distinguished alumni, and creative leaders as they converge to nurture your entrepreneurial spirit.

This month for Meet the VC, we welcome Jon Bassett — and we’re excited to expand the conversation with a powerhouse panel of venture and innovation leaders. Joining Jon are Dr. Garrett Smith and Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Mourlas of ReefHaven Ventures, bringing deep experience across venture capital, entrepreneurship, corporate innovation, and healthcare investing.

Jon Bassett is a Managing Partner at NextGen Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on backing exceptional founders at the very beginning of their journeys. He is also a Partner and Head of Private Investment Research at Brown Advisory, a $180 billion registered investment advisor, where he helps shape private market investment strategy.

Along the way, Jon has learned that careers are rarely linear — he landed his first job in venture capital via a circuitous route that started with looking for a grant writer on Craiglist. Today, he also advises the U.S. Tennis Association’s Ventures Committee and serves on the investment committee of a European pre-seed venture fund. Jon is passionate about helping students see that curiosity, hustle, and relationships often matter just as much as credentials. Jon lives in North County San Diego with his wife, four young children, and their dog, and can usually be found playing pickleball or coaching his kids’ sports teams.

Dr. Garrett Smith brings more than two decades of experience as serial healthcare entrepreneur, academic and corporate innovator, and venture capitalist. He is Managing Partner at ReefHaven Ventures, where he invests at the intersection of medical technology, life sciences, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Smith previously served as CEO of CrownPoint Medical and has held senior leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson in partnering and investing with start-ups. He held an Investment Director role at MedeonBio where he was responsible for seed through Series B medtech investments, and since has invested in multiple start-ups as an angel investor. As a serial entrepreneur, he has co-founded two start-ups that have been acquired by AbbVie and Viatris for over $600M. He holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from UC San Diego, and completed a BioDesign Fellowship at Stanford.

Nicholas (Nick) Mourlas, Ph.D., is an Investment Partner at ReefHaven Ventures, where he invests in early-stage medical technology and life science companies operating at the intersection of advanced engineering, biology, robotics, and artificial intelligence. He brings more than 25 years of experience as a repeat founder, corporate innovation leader, and investor. Dr. Mourlas previously served as Head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS San Diego and has held senior innovation leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson and PARC (a Xerox company). He has founded and led multiple medical device companies acquired by Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Integra LifeSciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and was the John B. Simpson Biomedical Innovation Technology Fellow during the inaugural year of the Stanford Biodesign Fellowship Program.

Whether you’re a student with a burgeoning business concept or a seasoned professional seeking fresh insights, our series is your platform for education, connection, and bringing innovative ideas to life. Immerse yourself in this transformative community and unlock your entrepreneurial potential.

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Directions to the Design & Innovation Building

The event is located on the second floor (room 208) of the Design and Innovation Building (DIB). The entrances are located across from the Structural Materials and Engineering building or next to the UC San Diego Central Campus Station bus and trolley stop.

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MTS Trolley

The easiest way to get to the DIB is by taking the MTS trolley UC San Diego Blue Line and getting off at the UC San Diego Central Campus stop. The trolley stop is a short 1 minute walk to the DIB.

Parking

Public transportation is highly recommended as parking is limited on campus. If you plan to drive to campus, please give yourself plenty of time. You can download the ParkMobile app to pay for your space digitally once you find a spot.

• P510 – Pay and Display, Northside of the DIB *closest to the DIB*
• Gilman Parking Structure, Southwest side of the DIB