This article originally appeared on Devex.

Livio Valenti, co-founder of Vaxess Technologies, was among the entrepreneurs pitching Silicon Valley investors at the Emerging Markets Venture Forum in Napa, California, hosted by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group earlier this month.

Valenti and his team have raised $15 million from groups including the venture capital firm Norwich Ventures as well as the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“A combination of investors is really key,” he told Devex of the reason his life sciences company, which is developing a protein derived from silk to stabilize vaccines so they can be shipped without refrigeration, is seeking financing in the form of venture capital as well as grants.  “Venture capital will bring the efficiency, which will create that ultra performing organization, and the public health investment will bring the purpose,” he added.

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