Telecoms

Blausteinwas director of the University Intellectual Property Programme at DuPont from 2004 to 2008. He previously worked at DuPont in research and development portfolio management from 2000 to 2004 and as a business director for non-wovens in Europe from 1997 to 1999.

Asanuma was previously a director at Yasuda Enterprise Development America, a venture firm backed by Japan-based insurers Sompo Japan Insurance and Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance.

With such sizeable funding in place, if Intarcia can carry out a successful trial it would be in a stronger position to reap the returns of what could be a blockbuster treatment worth billions of dollars per year as well as a technology potentially applicable in other areas.

Our forthcoming Powerlist covering the 100 most powerful people in corporate venturing is due for publication on November 26 and makes for a fascinating insight into who are the key decision-makers in this growing industry.

Read say: "Digital is now something like 30% of revenue [at WPP] and Paidcontent ranked us number seven in its list of the top global digital media businesses. What we are trying to do is digitise the group."