David Darst, MBA

David Darst is a Growth Partner with Flagship Pioneering. David is a board member and co-responsible partner for multiple growth stage portfolio companies.  He supports their organizational development, long-term strategy, financing, and business development efforts to generate the greatest value creation and impact for those companies.

Prior to joining Flagship, David was the COO/CFO of a cancer focused biotechnology company he co-founded, where he led financing, business and corporate development, and drug development efforts.  He was previously the lead life sciences advisor to a large international pension fund and, prior to that, was a venture capital investor at OrbiMed Advisors. David was also a co-founder, EVP, and Director of Potentia Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by its spin-out company Apellis Pharmaceuticals (ticker: APLS).

David earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA, cum laude, from Harvard College.