Greg Merril

Managing Partner

Velocity Biofund · Washington DC-Baltimore Area

Present

Velocity Biofund's mission is to strategically propel early-stage life science companies towards their next pivotal milestones. My roles include initial screening and selection of portfolio companies. I actively build and operate the portfolio companies as fractional CEO or Executive Director. I lead strategy, fundraising, licensing, and partnerships. I work with academic founders and investors to translate technologies into broadly impactful companies. Current portfolio leadership includes: • Fractional CEO – HBVtech (immunotherapies for chronic viral infections) • Fractional CEO – HOHCells (cryopreservation technology platform) • Executive Director – Chariot Biosciences (synthetic biology therapeutics) • Executive Director – AkriVita (microcapillary needle technology)

Fractional Ceo

HOHCells · College Park, MD

Present

HOHCells is advancing FreezOpt™, a patented cryopreservation accessory that dramatically improves post-thaw viability of stress-sensitive cells, including iPSCs, organoids, and primary tissues. The technology addresses a critical unmet need in biobanking, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy manufacturing by introducing reliable, passive control over ice nucleation during freezing. As Fractional CEO, I support HOHCells in navigating early commercialization, grant-funded development, and strategic partnerships—working closely with founder Dr. Shawn He to translate breakthrough academic research into practical, widely adoptable tools. My focus includes fundraising strategy, product development planning, and engagement with biobanks, CROs, and cell therapy innovators.

Fractional Ceo

HBVtech · Rockville, Maryland, United States

Present

HBVtech is a preclinical biotech advancing an innovative immunotherapy platform with potential to prevent or functionally cure chronic viral diseases.

Executive Director

Chariot Biosciences · Washington DC-Baltimore Area

Present

Chariot Biosciences is developing Simmbions™, a transformative platform for sustained in vivo delivery of therapy for treatment of chronic diseases. Simmbions are engineered symbiotic cells that persist in circulation and continuously secrete therapeutic proteins—including enzymes, hormones, and antibodies—at programmable levels from a single injection. Unlike conventional gene therapy vectors, Simmbions do not alter patient DNA and are fully reversible, as therapy can be discontinued with existing FDA-approved antimicrobials. Their modularity allows them to support diverse payloads, while their scalability makes them suitable for widespread use in rare diseases where affordability and accessibility are paramount. Chariot has support from the National Science Foundation, Maryland TEDCO, Velocity Biofund, and LifeBridge Health.

Board Director

BiomX Inc

BiomX is a clinical-stage company developing both natural and engineered phage cocktails designed to target and destroy bacteria in the treatment of chronic diseases. BiomX discovers and validates proprietary bacterial targets and customizes phage compositions against these targets.

Founder, Director, Strategic Advisor

Adaptive Phage Therapeutics

Founder & Ceo

Adaptive Phage Therapeutics · Gaithersburg, Maryland

"2023 Fierce 15" "2021 BioBuzz Breakthrough Company of the Year" "2021 Emerging Life Science Company of the Year": Maryland Technology Council "Top 1% of Startups in the Word: 2020": Startup Grind Global Conference "One of five biotech companies to watch in 2020": BiotechNews "Verl Zanders Emerging Business of the Year Finalist - 2019": Montgomery County Chamber "A High-momentum Game-Changing Startup of 2019": CB Insights Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc. (APT) is a clinical-stage company founded in 2016 to provide an effective therapeutic response to the global rise of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria. We are advancing personalized phage therapy from NICHE to BROAD USE for a variety of clinical indications representing critical un-met needs. Since 2016 APT’s technology has been used to rescue numerous critically ill patients for which standard-of-care antibiotics had failed. The story of the first patient treated with APT's tech is subject of a best-selling book, "The Pe…

Ceo

Yost Labs · Portsmouth, Ohio

Yost Labs is internationally recognized as a leading developer of telepresence virtual reality (VR) technologies – the next generation offering in the multi billion dollar online communications market. As the company advances its VR vision, it is achieving success in monetizing through the sale of iterative technologies including sensors, firmware, and full-body motion capture suits. Yost Lab’s QGRAD™ firmware and 3-Space™ sensors are winning market share for applications in robotics, drones, geospatial mapping, and biomechanics. 3-Space sensors are now a standard component in the US Navy and US Air Force target drones and for the Army Corps of Engineers geospatial mapping initiatives. Yost Labs PrioVR™ Dev Kit provides low latency full-body motion capture for animation and VR applications. The company’s innovation is subject to five patent awards with additional patents pending. The company has R&D and low-volume electronics production facilities in Portsmouth, Ohio. Large-volume prod…

Ceo and Chairman

Brain Sentry · Bethesda, MD

Brain Sentry, Inc. (BSI) developed and acquired key enabling technologies for accelerometer-based wearable sensors and was a leading wearable sensor company focused on impact sensors for brain safety. Brain Sentry sensors measure head acceleration and help to identify athletes that should be assessed for brain injury, and help coaches identify players with techniques that include excessive head impacts. BSI has uniquely converged microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS) with an understanding of the biophysics of brain injury. BSI’s sensors where the first and only practical and affordable products addressing brain safety in sports. Distribution was through direct sales to leagues, OEM helmet manufacturers, and other strategic partners.

Coo

Decision Technologies

Decision Technologies supports the Federal Government in the acquisition and deployment of advanced technologies and complex systems. Customers include the US Navy and the Missile Defense Agency.

Ceo and Chairman

Interaction Laboratories, Inc.

IA Labs developed a portfolio of patents and product concepts that make video games and military simulations physically active. Products named the 2005 and 2006 CES Electronic Gaming Innovations of the Year and a Readers Digest Top 100 of 2006. Ranked as one of the 2007 Fast50 companies for best new business ideas by the readers of Fast Company magazine. Built internal low-volume manufacturing operation and established outsourced large volume manufacturing capability in China. Sales channels included: • Retail: Distribution through Specialty Fitness, Electronics and Toy retailers • Consumer Direct Response: Long-form DRTV, eCommerce, and mall kiosks • Commercial Fitness: Direct sales and sales through value-added resellers (VARs) • Military: Established re-sale relationships with VARs Achieved over 100 million print media impressions, and averaged 339% annual revenue growth during first 36 months after initial product sale. Effort recognized with Entrepreneur of the Year honors present…