Reception for New York City Alumni Celebrates Research Translation, Evergreen Gap Fund and Georgetown Tech Ventures

The Office of Technology Commercialization’s Georgetown Tech Ventures took innovation on the road to New York City this month for a reception celebrating the university’s deep-tech research translation and entrepreneurship across the sciences.

The reception, co-hosted by Georgetown Advancement, celebrated the impact of the Evergreen Gap Fund and the launch of Georgetown Tech Ventures.

“Sharing these technologies in New York City with alumni who are genuinely curious about Georgetown’s trajectory—and who may invest in or contribute to the Evergreen Gap Fund—was a great experience,” said Georgetown Tech Ventures Program Manager Christon Hill. “This group plays an important role in carrying forward the story of Georgetown’s innovation and entrepreneurial culture shift, and I appreciated being able to engage with them. We’re grateful to Oberland Capital for hosting the conversation.”

Launched by Georgetown’s Office of Technology Commercialization and funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Georgetown Tech Ventures focuses on implementing a research translation program to enable technology-based startups to contribute effectively to the economic ecosystem in the Washington, DC; Maryland, and Virginia region.

Supported by the president’s office, the Evergreen Gap Fund is another critical program that is driving innovation at Georgetown. Launched in 2024, the fund supports research projects with high commercial potential that bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world applications, address important scientific challenges and pave the way for significant advancements in the field. Projects by the 2025 awardees explore therapies for cancer and neurodegenerative disease, and instrumentation for drug development.

David Fajgenbaum, MD (NHS’07), a University of Pennsylvania physician-scientist, delivered the keynote at the event. Fajgenbaum is co-founder and president of Every Cure, a nonprofit on a mission to save and improve lives by repurposing drugs for overlooked diseases through AI and machine learning. He is also the author of the national bestseller Chasing My Cure.

Fajgenbaum spoke about co-founding the student organization AMF—Actively Moving Forward—while at Georgetown in memory of his mother, and how years later, after being diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, he used his own fight for survival as the template for launching Every Cure.

“It was a wonderful evening connecting with fellow Hoyas and discussing the exciting research, tech initiatives, and the Georgetown University Evergreen Gap Fund driving innovation on campus,” said attendee Tierney Sovic, who earned a master’s degree in biotechnology from Georgetown in 2020.

Speakers extended appreciation to the generous donors whose gifts have made these awards possible.

William Clifford of Oberland Capital, who in 2004 earned a master’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Georgetown, hosted the event.

Attendees representing Georgetown included Jeffrey Toretsky, MD, professor and division chief of pediatric hematology and oncology; Peter Turkeltaub, MD, PhD, professor in the departments of neurology and rehabilitation medicine, and Priyanka Joshi, PhD, assistant professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular & cellular biology.

Attending on behalf of KeifeRx, a startup built around Georgetown technology, was Chris Hoyt. Andy Ray (C’88) and Colin L. Ray represented the DMV Angel Group.

Interested in learning more about how to support the Evergreen Gap Fund and cutting-edge research at Georgetown? Contact Mark Antonucci or donate here.