Following a career in principal investment and strategy consulting spanning almost two decades, and upon returning to Austria, he joined ISTA to build the team that is now driving the development of xista, the ecosystem to translate scientific findings into innovative products and services. With a broad exposure to natural sciences and technology at MIT ranging from molecular biology to electrical engineering, he gained experience in venture capital investing with Safeguard Scientifics and the European Investment Fund, strategy consulting with the Boston Consulting Group, and principal investment with QIA, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. Wanko is a Managing Partner of xista science ventures as well as Managing Director of the xista science park and the tech transfer arm. He serves on the board of AUTM, the US tech transfer association, as well as Cutanos and Ribbon Biolabs. He holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School, an MSc from TU Vienna, and an MIM from WU Vienna and HEC Paris.