The Answer Project

The Answer Project (TAP) is a US based deep tech discovery company that brings institutional portfolio management discipline to the earliest stages of research within a permanent capital structure. We act as a new interface from idea to commercial adoption, using distributed innovation to bridge the gap between small, high-variance research teams and larger, operationally savvy execution networks.

We are using our distributed collaboration framework, powered by AI and high performance computing, to build networks across life sciences, materials science, semiconductors, quantum, photonics, media, and infrastructure. Our aim is to compress the timeline from idea to impact in deep tech.

Our Approach

Most deep tech is like fractured distributed intelligence, rife with non-technical barriers and poor coordination mechanisms. TAP is built to resolve this — combining the agility of small teams with the operational capacity of large ones, inside a structure designed to compound knowledge and capital over time.

Distributed Innovation

TAP forms and orchestrates collaboration networks that bridge small, high-variance research teams with larger, operationally savvy execution networks. By identifying the right talent — from origination through adoption — we eliminate coordination barriers and create the conditions for breakthroughs that standalone organizations cannot achieve.

Compounding Knowledge

Most deep tech organizations operate in silos — learnings from one program rarely reach the next. TAP is designed so that every outcome across our network feeds back into the system, compounding intelligence within fields and across them. The platform gets smarter and more productive with each cycle, creating a durable advantage that grows over time.

Capital Efficiency

TAP is designed to be more capital efficient than conventional approaches to deep tech development. Our structure allows us to explore high-potential opportunities at lower cost — creating asymmetric upside while managing risk across the portfolio.

Our Verticals

TAP operates across four focus areas, each with dedicated teams, established partnerships, and deep domain expertise. Each vertical benefits from — and contributes to — our shared infrastructure, AI systems, and compounding knowledge platform.

Life Sciences & Pharma

Applying distributed innovation to drug discovery, biomarker development, clinical trial design, and portfolio management. We bridge academic research, biotech agility, and pharmaceutical-scale execution — with AI and empirical loops accelerating every stage.

Drug Discovery Biomarkers Clinical Trials Portfolio Management AI-Driven Research
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AI & Compute

AI is not a tool TAP uses — it is the operating system TAP is built on. Our AI-native architecture, HPC capabilities, and agentic orchestration underpin every network we form, every portfolio we manage, and every breakthrough we pursue.

AI-Native Architecture HPC Agentic Orchestration Meta-Learning Compounding Knowledge
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Hardware, Materials & Quantum

Building networks across semiconductors, quantum computing, photonics, and advanced materials — the foundational layers that unlock the next generation of computing, energy, and physical technology.

Semiconductors Quantum Computing Photonics Advanced Materials Chip Design
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Foundation

Capital Structures

Sustained outperformance requires financial and organizational innovation in lockstep with technical discovery. Our permanent capital structure and distributed risk model underpin every vertical above.

Permanent Capital Distributed Risk Spinout Framework
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Our Team

Chan Harjivan, PharmD/MBA/MPH

LinkedIn

Special Assistant to the President, Biological Threats • Managing Director/Partner, BCG, PwC • Operation Warp Speed architect

Henk de Jong

LinkedIn

Corporate and Technology Strategy • Entrepreneur, Co-Founder ValueAI Institute • Investor, Venture Partner

John Baldoni, PhD

LinkedIn

Senior Pharma Leadership • AI-driven Drug Discovery, Portfolio • Platform Technology and Science, GSK

John Santerre, PhD

LinkedIn

Machine Learning, Deep Learning • AI Researcher/Instructor, Berkeley, NASA • Founder, Silicon Valley Bank AI Lab

Rebecca Kurnat, MS

LinkedIn

Head of Operations, SaponiQx • Novavax Vaccine Lead, US Government Operation Warp Speed • Technology Selection and Clinical Evaluation, Department of Defense

Douglas Beshore, PhD

LinkedIn

Medicinal Chemist • Director, Exelixis • Principal Scientist, Merck

Christopher Bun, PhD

LinkedIn

Machine Learning, Computational Biology, Cancer Genomics • CSO / CTO, Cancer IQ

Amit Bhattacharyya, PhD

LinkedIn

Quantum Computing • Senior Engineer, IonQ • Machine Learning & Physics • Financial Industry Quant

Saurabha Bhatnagar, PhD

LinkedIn

Physician Executive & Software Engineer • Chief Medical Officer, United Healthcare, VA • Faculty, Harvard Medical School • Health Tech Turnaround Leader

Joe Camardo, MD

LinkedIn

Medical Strategy • CMO, ADC Therapeutics • SVP, Celgene, Pfizer, Wyeth

Robin Prince, PhD

LinkedIn

DNA Encoded Libraries • Informatics & Molecular Biology, Dice Therapeutics

Steven Spear, PhD/MEM

LinkedIn

Management Systems • High Performance Organization • Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan

Ashley Lim, MBA

LinkedIn

Life Sciences Strategy & Business Operations • Supply Chain, Project Management • Boston Consulting Group

Alph Bingham, PhD

LinkedIn

Senior Pharma Leadership • Collaborative Drug Discovery, InnoCentive • R&D Executive, Eli Lilly

Andrew Anderson, MBA

LinkedIn

Life Sciences Software • VP Innovation, ACD labs

Michael Yassa, PhD

LinkedIn

Professor of Neurobiology & Behavior, UC Irvine • Director, UCI Brain Initiative • Co-Founder, Augnition Labs & Enthorin Therapeutics • Memory, neuroimaging & cognitive decline • PhD, UC Irvine

Sara Burke, MBA

TAP Neuro

Amar Sahay, PhD

LinkedIn

Scientific Co-Founder, TAP Neuro (Alzheimer's Disease) • Professor, Harvard Medical School & MGH • Associate Member, Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard • Principal Faculty, Harvard Stem Cell Institute • Memory circuits, neurogenesis & cognitive restoration

Robert Kalescky, PhD

LinkedIn

Principal Scientist, O'Donnell Data Science & Research Computing Institute, SMU • HPC Applications Scientist, SMU • Adjunct Professor of Data Science, SMU • Computational Chemistry & Molecular Dynamics

Chris Mendez, MBA

LinkedIn

Founder, RoutineHub • Sr TPM, WhatsApp (Meta) • Sr TPM, Amazon Alexa AI — launched first web-scale voice search engine • USC MBA

Mark Anthony Gibbons, MBA/MS

LinkedIn

Founder, Ember Agentic Labs • Analytics & Data Science Engineering Manager, Google Cloud • Component Design Engineer, Intel • Berkeley MIDS

Shiva Rajgopal, PhD

LinkedIn

Kester & Byrnes Professor, Columbia Business School • Vice Dean of Research, CBS • ESG, Valuation & Corporate Governance • Schaefer Chair of Accounting, Emory University

Ricardo Bun

LinkedIn

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Orient Growth Ventures • Co-Founder, Monitor Capital Investments & Monitor Capital Partners • LP Advisory Board, B Capital Group • Kellogg School of Management

Robert Brown

LinkedIn

Founder, Impact Evaluation Lab & Resolution Investors • Founder & Senior Partner, Atlas Impact Partners • Senior Portfolio Manager, AllianceBernstein • Managing Director, Nomura Securities • Executive Director, Global Macro Research, Morgan Stanley

Andrew Francis

Founder • Distributed Innovation • Entrepreneur, Impact Investor

Contact

TAP engages with partners by referral.