The World Economic Forum Recognizes Four Flagship Ventures Portfolio Companies as Technology Pioneers for 2014

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagship Ventures, a leading venture capital and venture creation firm focused on healthcare and sustainability, today congratulates four of its portfolio companies, Agios Pharmaceuticals, BIND Therapeutics, Oasys Water and Selecta Biosciences for being recognized as World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers for 2014.

Agios, BIND, Oasys and Selecta are among the 36 most innovative technology startups selected this year by the World Economic Forum for their potential to transform the future of business and society. Flagship portfolio companies Joule and LS9 were previously recognized as World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers in 2012 and 2008, respectively.

"It is a great honor to see four companies, in which Flagship has been a founding investor, simultaneously recognized for their diverse accomplishments," said Noubar Afeyan, Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Flagship Ventures. "We are fully committed to developing and financing startup companies based on pioneering innovations that can transform the healthcare and sustainability industries. We congratulate Agios, BIND, Oasys and Selecta for being recognized on this global stage and are looking forward to their continued success." 

Each year the World Economic Forum chooses a select number of Technology Pioneers from hundreds of applicants. Candidate companies are nominated by Members, constituents and collaborators of the World Economic Forum, and by the public. A selection committee, comprised of top technology and innovation experts, academics and venture capitalists, reviews all applications before making its recommendation to the World Economic Forum.

More information about the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers program can be found at http://www.weforum.org/techpioneers.

About Flagship Ventures

Realizing entrepreneurial innovation is the mission of Flagship Ventures. The firm operates through two synergistic units: VentureLabs™ which invents and launches transformative companies, and Venture Capital, which finances and develops innovative, early-stage companies. Founded in 2000, and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Flagship Ventures manages over $900 million in capital. The Flagship team is active in three principal business sectors: therapeutics, health technologies and sustainability/clean technology. Past successful Flagship portfolio companies include: Accuri Cytometers (acquired by Becton, Dickinson and Company), Adnexus (acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb), Hypnion (acquired by Eli Lilly), Agios (NASDAQ: AGIO), AVEO (NASDAQ: AVEO), BG Medicine (NASDAQ: BGMD), Receptos (NASDAQ: RCPT), Tetraphase (NASDAQ: TTPH), and Morphotek (acquired by Eisai). Additional notable portfolio companies include: Affinnova, BIND Therapeutics, Joule Unlimited, Quanterix, and Moderna Therapeutics. For more information, please visit www.flagshipventures.com.

Contact:

For Flagship Ventures:   Rachel Brenner
Ruder Finn
212.715.1623
flagship@ruderfinn.com

SOURCE Flagship Ventures