In Memory of Larry Bock
Aira is deeply saddened by the death of Larry Bock, Aira Co-Founder and the company’s first Executive Chairman. Larry passed away at his home on July 6, 2016 after a 13-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Nationally known for his brilliance as an serial entrepreneur, innovator and venture capitalist, he contributed significantly to Aira’s early development after first becoming acquainted and intrigued with the company’s concept and technology in 2014 while attending a Dining in the Dark event sponsored by Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), where he met Aira co-founders Suman Kanuganti and Yuja Chang.
Larry, who was legally blind for 25 years, soon became so impressed with Aira’s potential that he not only became a product user, but also an angel investor and later Aira’s first Executive Chairman. With his keen passion for high-tech startups, and his acumen as a leader, entrepreneur and forward-thinker, Larry contributed significantly to Aira’s early successes, including: garnering the company’s first major round of funding from prominent venture capital technology investors Lux Capital and ARCH Venture Partners; helping to develop and execute Aira’s first Beta Trials with blind users; expanding Aira’s connections in the blind community and with leading investors and innovators, and helping to form and guide the core Aira team.
During his 30-year career in the field of biotech and life sciences startups, Larry founded, co-founded or provided early stage financing to 50 companies that have achieved a cumulative market capitalization of over $75 Billion. These companies include Illumina, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Onyx Pharmaceuticals. His other major contributions include founding the USA Science & Engineering Festival, the largest outreach endeavor of its kind in the country to educate and inspire the next generation to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Scott Minick, noted healthcare entrepreneur and venture capital investor, began serving as Aira’s newly apointed Executive Chairman in June of this year.
Please read Aira’s tribute to Larry written by Suman Kanuganti, Aira Co-Founder & CEO, which looks back in a personal way on how Larry impacted the company and the Aira team during his memorable and pivotal two-year relationship with the firm.
