Saran Davies

First and foremost, I pride myself on being a scientist. I studied biology at Bristol University, gaining a Masters before wanting to explore the application of science in industry. I joined Congenica, a Series A startup in Cambridge specialising in genome-based medicine. Working alongside an incredible team of scientists there, I realised I wasn’t quite done with academia and pursued a PhD at Oxford University, where I studied antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Always itching for extra learning opportunities, I attended multiple entrepreneurial courses while studying and worked at the Government Office for Science, figuring out whether I wanted to work in industry or policy. Interestingly, it was my stint at GO Science that ultimately encouraged me to pursue a career in venture capital. I led a report on emerging technologies in AI and was hooked by the market analyses, scoping key opportunities for investment into sovereign AI capabilities (shout out to Mike Arpaia, who was a key expert stakeholder for this project!). This time also sparked my fascination with AI and the massive unlocking potential it holds across multiple markets.

Alongside contract work and rigorous lab protocols, I spent time supervising students and mentoring young Welsh people from disadvantaged backgrounds through the SEREN Network. Both were enriching experiences where equipping high-potential people with the tools to build made a world of difference.

After completing my PhD, I worked with a specialist MedTech VC fund, THENA Capital, later gaining experience at brilliant venture builders including Deep Science Ventures, Arcadia Science, and Zinc. During this time, I focused on translating complex science into commercial opportunities, evaluating emerging AI-biology interfaces, and working closely with founders to shape early-stage strategy and commercialisation roadmaps.

Having known Moonfire for several years, I’ve long admired the team and their scientific ambitions. Joining felt like a natural next step. Moonfire offers the perfect balance between empowering founders, unearthing exciting deals, and supporting the growth of category-defining companies.

Please do reach out if you’d like to chat, whether it’s an exciting new company or just an idea. I can’t wait to hear all about it.