Gridiron Capital partners with van den Boom & Associates. Aug 12, 2026, 08:00 ET Gridiron Expands its Outsourced Pharma Services Expertise with Provider of Outsourced Finance, Accounting, and Back-Office Services to Life Sciences Companies NEW CANAAN, Conn., Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Gridiron Capital, LLC ("Gridiron Capital" or "Gridiron"), an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, is pleased to announce its partnership with van den Boom & Associates ("vdB&A" or the "Company"). Together, Gridiron and vdB&A, under Esther van den Boom's continued leadership, will invest in the people, processes, and technology to further strengthen the Company's role as the go-to white-glove, operational partner to emerging life sciences companies. vdB&A provides life sciences companies with a full-suite, embedded outsourced back-office solution that spans finance and accounting, human resources, contract management, compliance, and a newly launched information technology (IT) managed services offering. The Company serves 160+ active clients with a team of 150+ professionals, supporting companies at every stage of growth, from newly formed startups to public companies. Founded by Esther van den Boom in 2014, vdB&A is headquartered in San Diego, California, with additional offices in Boston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, and the Philippines. The partnership with vdB&A underscores Gridiron's conviction in its Outsourced Pharma Services Thematic Area of Expertise(TM) and builds on the firm's experience partnering with healthcare and pharma-adjacent services businesses, most recently including Gridiron's investment in Health Monitor Network. Gridiron will support vdB&A's continued growth by leveraging its Centers of Excellence to help the Company grow its core offerings and expand into adjacent services, and invest in tech-enablement, data analytics, and organizational development as it scales. Scott Harrison, Managing Partner and COO at Gridiron Capital, said, "vdB&A solves a real problem for companies whose success depends on staying focused on the science. For more than a decade, the vdB&A team has earned the trust of life sciences companies by giving them the operational leverage to grow. We see meaningful opportunity ahead as the business adds new services and invests in its people and technology, and we are excited to be their partner." Esther van den Boom, Founder and Managing Partner of vdB&A, said, "Since founding vdB&A, our focus has been on giving life sciences companies the turn-key back office and operational support they need so they can focus on improving patient outcomes and lives. In Gridiron, we found a partner that will enable us to continue being best in class, while expanding our offerings to serve more client needs. We are confident this next chapter will benefit both our clients and our people." Aaron Stoppelmann, Principal at Gridiron Capital, added, "vdB&A sits at the intersection of two durable trends, the growth of venture-backed life sciences companies and their increasing preference for specialized partners to manage core operations. The Company's consistent growth and client retention reflect the strength of that position. Gridiron will support its continued expansion through investments in leadership, new service offerings, and technology." Guggenheim Securities, LLC and Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisors and Greenberg Traurig, LLP served as legal counsel to Gridiron. Clearsight Advisors served as financial advisor and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP served as legal counsel to van den Boom & Associates. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About Gridiron Capital Gridiron Capital is an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, and creating value by building middle-market companies into industry-leaders in business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth segments in the United States and Canada. We help transform growing companies by winning together through hard work, partnerships grounded in shared values and a unique culture that comes from hands-on experience building and running businesses. As a team led by former operators and entrepreneurs, we know what it takes to run successful businesses on a day-to-day basis. Additional information is available on the firm's website: www.gridironcapital.com. About van den Boom & Associates van den Boom & Associates is an outsourced back-office firm offering finance, accounting, HR, contract management, IT managed services, SOX implementation and compliance, and technical accounting and transaction support to life sciences companies. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Diego, California, the Company serves 160+ active clients through a team of 150+ professionals across five offices in the United States and the Philippines. Additional information is available at vandenboomassociates.com. Gridiron Capital, LLC Scott Harrison Managing Partner & COO Contact Us Media Contact: Madeline Jones / Erik Carlson Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212.355.4449 SOURCE Gridiron Capital, LLC

Mission BioCapital announces opening of $4 million 2026 Platinum Program contest and 2025 Platinum ticket investments. PR Newswire - Up to eight winners to receive up to $500,000 each in pre-seed funding, incubator space, equity for discovery services, and expert mentorship - - New sponsors AbbVie, TIAP, Connecticut Innovations, CCRM, and Norton Rose Fulbright join existing partners Mission BioCapital, Ono Venture Investment, Alloy Therapeutics, HitGen, Goodwin, and van den Boom & Associates to support high-potential biotechnology innovation around the globe - CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Mission BioCapital (MBC), in partnership with sponsors AbbVie, Ono Venture Investment (OVI), Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP), Connecticut Innovations, Alloy Therapeutics, HitGen, CCRM, Goodwin, Norton Rose Fulbright, and van den Boom & Associates announced today that applications are open internationally for the 2026 Platinum Program. MBC's Platinum Program aims to advance high-potential life sciences start-up companies by providing pre-seed funding, global laboratory space, expert mentorship, and discovery services to accelerate their launch and initial development. Early-stage biotechnology innovators from around the globe are invited to apply. "Since 2022, Mission BioCapital's Platinum Program has helped launch 24 exceptional early-stage founders, deploying a total of $11.5 million in pre-seed funding and hands-on support to turn breakthrough ideas into medical breakthroughs," said Jennifer Griffin, Ph.D., Partner, Mission BioCapital. "We're thrilled to celebrate our alumni's ongoing achievements and excited to extend Platinum Program access to the next wave of biotech visionaries from around the world." The 2026 Platinum Program will award each of up to eight winning start-ups: * A guaranteed lab bench in one of MBC's 31 affiliated incubators located in 22 cities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan * Up to $500,000 of pre-seed capital from MBC, AbbVie, OVI, TIAP, and Connecticut Innovations * Drug discovery services from Alloy Therapeutics and HitGen to enable companies with a derisked path to lead candidate * Consulting support from any affiliates within the CCRM group of companies * General counsel, intellectual property, and finance and accounting services from Goodwin, Norton Rose Fulbright, and van den Boom & Associates * Strategic scientific and business development mentorship from experts at MBC, AbbVie, OVI, Alloy Therapeutics, HitGen, CCRM, and other companies across MBC's corporate network MBC will be accepting applications between April 1 and May 15, 2026, and winners will be announced in Summer 2026. To apply, please visit: www.missionbiocapital.com/platinum-program. Only non-confidential information will be required for application.