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Uncovering Europe’s Next Generation of Global Leaders

From aquaculture to semiconductors, European firms are quietly becoming global leaders in innovation, sustainability, and value creation.

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Revolutionizing Public Safety: The Axon Ecosystem

In this episode of What Matters Most, ⁠Sands Capital Portfolio Manager and Sr. Research Analyst Danielle Menichella discusses the business’ journey from Taser maker to artificial intelligence-powered software developer. 

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Fostering Long-Term Thinking

Executive Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager Brian Christiansen discusses the importance of candor, collaboration, and entrepreneurialism in creating a culture that promotes long-term thinking.

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FPT Harnesses Education to Transform Talent Landscape

FPT has harnessed education to drive Vietnam’s digital transformation and human-capital development.

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Public Equity

Our newest strategy takes an unconstrained approach to seeking the best growth businesses outside of the U.S.

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Venture and Growth Equity

Sands Capital invests in innovative businesses across all stages of the growth spectrum

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a man with gray hair wearing a black jacket and striped shirt smiles at the camera

Ian W. Ratcliffe

Executive Managing Partner
Executive Managing Director

Joined Sands Capital

2016

Work Experience

Sands Capital (2016 - 2022)
Arlington, VA | Managing Partner

Enzymatics Inc. (2013 - 2015)
Beverly, MA | CEO

Stemgent Inc. (2008 - 2013)
Cambridge, MA | Founder, CEO

Upstate Inc. (2002 - 2004)
Charlottesville, VA | President

Education

University of Virginia
MBA | Darden School of Business

University of Surrey
Chemical Engineering

Ian is an executive managing partner of the Sands Capital Life Sciences Pulse strategy and an executive managing director. He joined Sands Capital in 2016.

Ian is a serial entrepreneur and has 25 years of experience starting and investing in life sciences technology businesses as an angel, venture, and private equity investor. Ian has served as a founder, CEO, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, chairman, director, and advisor to a number of privately held life science product and service businesses. He has focused on cell signaling, drug screening, genomics, sequencing, cancer diagnostics, and cell culture at all stages of business development from initiation through profitability to trade sale. Before joining Sands Capital, Ian was the chairman and CEO of Enzymatics (now Qiagen); founder and CEO of Stemgent (now Reprocell), a stem and iPS cell life sciences tool company; and president of Upstate (now MilliporeSigma), a leading provider of cell signaling research products and services. Ian was also a founding investor in Firefly BioWorks and Genometry, both of which are Sands Capital Alternatives investments.

Ian received a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Surrey in the U.K. and an MBA from the UVA Darden School of Business.

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Notice for non-US Investors

Sands Capital is an active, long-term investor in leading innovative growth businesses, globally. Our approach combines analytical rigor and creative thinking to identify high-quality growth businesses that are creating the future. Through an integrated investment platform spanning alternatives, growth equity and public equity, we provide growth capital solutions to institutions and fund sponsors in more than 40 countries.

An independent, staff-owned firm founded in 1992 and headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with offices in London and Singapore, Sands Capital managed more than $58B in client assets as of June 30, 2025.

For institutional and professional investors only. Investment advisory fees are described in Part II of the adviser’s Form ADV.
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