Derek K. Rapp

Derek Rapp is a managing director at RiverVest Venture Partners, a life sciences venture capital firm that invests in early-stage biopharmaceutical and medical device companies. He joined RiverVest in 2019. Previously, he served as president & CEO of JDRF International from 2014-2019. From 2011-2014, Derek was Head of Mergers and Acquisitions for Monsanto Company. He joined Monsanto after the company acquired Divergence, Inc., a venture-backed biotech startup that for which he was CEO from 2001-2011. In his career, Derek has focused on corporate strategy, business development, finance, and general management.

Derek has also been an active volunteer with numerous leadership roles in different organizations, including JDRF for which he was Research Chair and Vice Chair prior to becoming the organization’s CEO. He joined the board of directors of Research!America in 2018. Derek is also a board member of Cancer Research Foundation.

Derek holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University with concentrations in Economics and German and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Derek is married to Emily Rapp, and they have three adult children (Helen, Turner, and William). Derek and Emily reside in Saint Louis, Missouri.

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