This article appeared in Catalyst Magazine, Spring 2024
When Ritankar Das (B.S. Bioengineering and Chem Bio; M.S. Biomed Engineering) talks about his time at UC Berkeley, he is modest and unassuming, but the mark he made as a student was evident. While at the College of Chemistry, Das formed a campus chapter of the American Chemical Society, founded the Berkeley Chemical Review research journal, and pursued a double major in bioengineering and chemical biology. At just 18 years old, he was the youngest person in over a hundred years to win the University Medal, and the first student from the College of Chemistry in 58 years to win the award.
The University Medal, which has been around since 1871, is presented to an individual whose career has significantly benefited the public, surpassing the conventional expectations of tradition, rank, or direct service to Berkeley.ity.
"I was so fortunate to get that award—and then I found out that I had to give a speech [at commencement] right after Steve Wozniak," said Das. "Had I known that I'm not sure that I would have..." he joked. "It was a great honor, and I was very excited [to be a part of] getting representation for the College of Chemistry."
Following graduation, Das went to England —first to Oxford, where he studied computer vision and got a master's degree in biomedical engineering. He then went on to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry as a Gates-Cambridge scholar, working on applications of machine learning in energy landscapes.
But ultimately, his heart was in entrepreneurship.
Das dropped out and started a company in California where he could apply his learnings in machine learning to healthcare. In 2017, he created Dascena, a machine learning diagnostic algorithm company that targets early disease intervention to improve patient care outcomes.
In 2022, Das sold Dascena, with the company having reached over a million patients, but by then, he had moved on to his next venture: BlueWillow—an AI image generation platform with a vibrant artist community.
He has since sold BlueWillow to LimeWire, and is now focused on Forta Health, a familypowered autism therapy startup, whose primary focus is improving access to therapy for those with autism spectrum disorder using its artificial intelligence algorithm paired with familymediated therapy.
Das attributes much of his success to great mentorships—those on campus that helped him figure out his future path and those in other areas that helped him determine his priorities. He was also hugely inspired by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos, a celebrated scientist, businessman, and philanthropist, who was president and CEO of the American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.
"Dr. Vagelos has lived a terrific life, and has impacted many others, mine included. His integration of science and business showcased how one could catalyze positive societal change, influencing my entrepreneurial path. Notably, his initiative at Merck, ensuring free global access to ivermectin, saved the sight of hundreds of millions, serving as a testament to his altruism. He has also helped many folks in the sciences and in medicine access education," said Das. "That's actually a big part of [why I got] involved with the campus and especially the College of Chemistry [as an alumni]. I think that opportunity should be there for future generations."
Das took that inspiration and gave his first gift, a contribution of $1.25 million, to the College of Chemistry in 2023.
"It's such a great environment," he said when talking about the College. "You'll find people who are highly supportive, who are driven and motivated, with a broad range of skills, who ultimately teach you a specific way to think that you will take with you no matter what you decide to do."
His passion for the College is evident—and it's clear that while he believes access to higher education in general is important, his belief in the College itself is a major driving force in his generosity.
Today, Das continues to do his research, continues his plans to give back to the College, and continues to put his trust in the people that make up the College of Chemistry.