Stella Robertson

Dr. Stella Robertson is a co-founder and Partner of Bios Partners, a Fort Worth–based life-sciences venture capital firm she launched in 2014 alongside Managing Partners Aaron G.L. Fletcher, PhD, and Leslie W. Kreis, Jr. She brings over 35 years of pharmaceutical research and development experience spanning R&D strategy, project management, clinical trials, regulatory filings, product launch, market support, translational medicine, and medical communication. She holds multiple patents and is the author or co-author of more than 50 publications.

Before her investing career, Robertson was a Vice President of Research and Development at Alcon Laboratories, Inc., the global eye-care company headquartered in Fort Worth. There she built and led organizations responsible for the ophthalmic pipeline — designing and developing ophthalmic and otic pharmaceuticals and medical devices and achieving more than fifteen global product approvals, including ophthalmic medications and treatments for conditions such as otitis media and nasal allergy. Her deep ophthalmology expertise continues to shape Bios Partners' notable concentration in eye-disease and retinal companies.

She earned a PhD in biology-immunology from Johns Hopkins University, was an Arthritis Foundation postdoctoral research fellow at UT Health Science Center in Dallas (UTHSC Dallas), and completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. She also owns Arrochar Consulting LLC.

Beyond Bios Partners, Robertson is an active member and investor with Cowtown Angels and serves on the boards of multiple portfolio and early-stage companies, including Azitra, Trefoil Therapeutics, ONL Therapeutics, and AyuVis Research. She is also active with TechFW (TECH Fort Worth), university entrepreneurial programs, ARVO's Women in Eye and Vision Research, and the ARVO Foundation. In 2023 she was named the recipient of the Fort Worth Inc. "Supporter of Entrepreneurship" award and was honored by BioNTX as a Dennis K. Stone Award recipient.

• Sector: Advanced biotech and life sciences — small molecules, engineered cell therapy, gene therapy, recombinant proteins/antibodies, medical devices, and digital/AI-enabled medicines. A clear sub-specialty in ophthalmology and retinal/corneal disease reflects her Alcon background.
• Stage & capital: Bios invests across seed, early, growth, and later stages, but in practice concentrates capital in Series A and Series B clinical-stage and preclinical biotech companies. (Specific personal check size not publicly disclosed.)
• Geographic thesis: The firm's defining belief is that "great science is evenly distributed throughout the country," yet venture capital concentrates on coastal hubs (Silicon Valley, the Northeast). Bios aims to "disrupt the geographic favoritism prevalent in venture capital" by identifying and cultivating advanced biotech in overlooked, under-invested U.S. markets.
• Hands-on cultivation: Bios doesn't just write checks — the team helps cultivate companies and bring science to market, and Robertson personally takes board seats and operating-style roles. Her R&D, regulatory, and clinical-development experience is a core part of the value she brings to founders.
• What makes her say yes: Differentiated, science-driven assets — particularly in ophthalmology, neurodegeneration, oncology, and rare disease — with a credible path through clinical development and regulatory approval.