Stephen Scaringe

Stephen Scaringe, PhD., is a successful entrepreneur, active investor, advisor, and mentor to startups and growth-stage companies, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective to scientific innovation and entrepreneurship. Stephen is a pioneering scientist and entrepreneur in the field of RNA chemistry and biotech. He holds undergraduate degrees in organic chemistry and molecular biology from MIT, followed by a PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder, where his doctoral research focused on developing novel chemistries for RNA synthesis. This foundational work led him to founding Dharmacon in 1995, a company that became a global leader in RNA oligonucleotide synthesis and gene modulation technologies, including RNAi. Under his leadership, Dharmacon grew to over 100 employees and played a pivotal role in advancing RNA interference research by providing innovative products to academic and industry scientists worldwide. After selling the company, he expanded his expertise into diverse areas, earning master’s degrees in religious studies from Naropa University and in theology and science from Oxford University.