The Biotech Startups Podcast
Excedr
Welcome to The Biotech Startups Podcast by Excedr. Join us as we speak with first-time founders, experienced scientists, long-time company operators, serial entrepreneurs, and biotech investors about the challenges and triumphs of running a biotech startup. Gain actionable insight into navigating the ever-changing life sciences industry in each episode as we explore the business of science, from pre-seed to IPO. With your host, Jon Chee.
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Top 10 The Biotech Startups Podcast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Biotech Startups Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Biotech Startups Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Biotech Startups Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.Part 2 of 4: Jon Chee hosts Chris Moxham, the Co-Founder, CEO, and CSO of Transcripta Bio, a pioneering biotech company charting a faster path in drug discovery to create better lives for people around the world.Chris earned his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at Stony Brook University and is a seasoned veteran with over 25 years of drug discovery experience, having spent two decades at Eli Lilly where he was instrumental in advancing over 10 molecules into clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas and both small and large molecule modalities. Chris has a wealth of knowledge, and his commitment to both scientific advancement and team growth makes his insights invaluable for aspiring leaders in biotech.Join us this week to hear about:
Topics Mentioned:Eli Lilly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Lilly_and_Company ImClone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImClone_Systems Merck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck_%26_Co. Fulcrum Therapeutics https://www.fulcrumtx.com/Marketing & Sales Tools for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechsBiotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-researchHow to Bootstrap a Biotech Tools Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startupPeople Mentioned:Jose Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefcaro/ Timestamps:00:49 Intro02:31 "The Power of Persistence in Recruiting" - How Jose Caro's personal outreach convinced Chris to join Eli Lilly05:31 Early days at Lilly: Transitioning from obesity research to high-throughput screening platforms08:18 Leadership evolution: Key lessons in scaling from small teams to managing 45+ scientists12:16 Cu...
- How he got recruited to Eli Lilly through persistent outreach by VP Jose Caro, who recognized Chris's potential
- How Chris advanced rapidly from obesity research to heading lead generation biology at Lilly Indianapolis
- His experience successfully leading a complex $20M lab buildout in NYC after Lilly's ImClone acquisition
- Transitioning to biotech as CSO at Fulcrum Therapeutics, where he gained valuable experience in investor relations and helped raise $200M in public markets
- What it means to serve as CEO developing an innovative "drug machine" platform that combines machine learning with wet lab approaches
Topics Mentioned:Eli Lilly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Lilly_and_Company ImClone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImClone_Systems Merck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck_%26_Co. Fulcrum Therapeutics https://www.fulcrumtx.com/Marketing & Sales Tools for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechsBiotech Partnerships: How Partnering with Big Pharma Can Support R&D: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-researchHow to Bootstrap a Biotech Tools Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startupPeople Mentioned:Jose Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefcaro/ Timestamps:00:49 Intro02:31 "The Power of Persistence in Recruiting" - How Jose Caro's personal outreach convinced Chris to join Eli Lilly05:31 Early days at Lilly: Transitioning from obesity research to high-throughput screening platforms08:18 Leadership evolution: Key lessons in scaling from small teams to managing 45+ scientists12:16 Cu...
🧬 Cyriac Roeding - Part 1 | From Flea Market Entrepreneur to Silicon Valley CEO | Reinvention During an Exchange Year | Finding Perspective in Japanese Business Culture
The Biotech Startups Podcast
12/30/24 • 37 min
🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast, brought to you by Excedr—empowering life science startups with founder-friendly equipment leasing to fast-track R&D and drive commercialization success.🔬 Know someone in need of lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give your friends $1,000 and earn $1,000 for every qualified referral! 💸🔗 Get your unique referral link here: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY. Part 1 of 4: My guest today is Cyriac Roeding, founder, investor, and CEO of Earli, a company on a mission to transform cancer into a manageable condition. Using innovative gene therapy approaches, Earli’s technology forces cancer cells to produce a synthetic, non-human biomarker—overcoming the limitations of relying on naturally occurring biomarkers that cancer may or may not provide. Cyriac is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has created ventures at the intersection of physical and digital worlds. He has invested in startups like OpenAI and served as CEO of Shopkick, which was acquired for $250 million. His current focus, Earli, has raised nearly $60 million from top investors. Cyriac's journey from launching his first startup at 15 to being named a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer showcases his valuable insights into building successful startups.In this episode, you’ll hear about:
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Cyriac Roeding, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyriacroeding/https://www.earli.com/ https://www.joinrewind.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:Earli Inc https://www.earli.com/ Karlsruhe Institute of Technology https://www.kit.edu/english/index.php People Mentioned:Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro03:06 Early life in Germany and first entrepreneurial experiences at local flea markets05:03 First job experience at a newspaper company and selling software at age 1508:59 Exchange student experience in Texas and transformation from German school life10:52 Life with host families in Texas and personal growth14:29 Return to Germany and fresh start at a new school16:31 Early business ventures, teaching computer skills and running a company at 1720:14 High school graduation and organizing a Coca-Cola sponsored beach event21:37 University decisions and pursuing industrial engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology26:54 Journey to studying in Japan and securing a scholarship30:44 Cultural lessons in Japan: experiencing different value systems and problem-solving approaches36:30 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at:
- How Cyriac's entrepreneurial journey began at age 8 selling at flea markets, leading to selling his first computer program at 15 to a newspaper company
- His transformative exchange year in Texas at age 16 and how it allowed Cyriac to reset his identity
- How his graduation event transformed his school into a beach with Coca-Cola sponsorship and TV coverage
- How he created and hosted a late-night radio show, balancing academic demands with creative pursuits
- How his experience studying in Japan revealed valuable lessons about cultural perspectives
Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Cyriac Roeding, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyriacroeding/https://www.earli.com/ https://www.joinrewind.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:Earli Inc https://www.earli.com/ Karlsruhe Institute of Technology https://www.kit.edu/english/index.php People Mentioned:Marc Benioff https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbenioff/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro03:06 Early life in Germany and first entrepreneurial experiences at local flea markets05:03 First job experience at a newspaper company and selling software at age 1508:59 Exchange student experience in Texas and transformation from German school life10:52 Life with host families in Texas and personal growth14:29 Return to Germany and fresh start at a new school16:31 Early business ventures, teaching computer skills and running a company at 1720:14 High school graduation and organizing a Coca-Cola sponsored beach event21:37 University decisions and pursuing industrial engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology26:54 Journey to studying in Japan and securing a scholarship30:44 Cultural lessons in Japan: experiencing different value systems and problem-solving approaches36:30 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at:
Part 1 of 3.
My guest for this week’s episode is Kittu Kolluri, Founder and Managing Director of Neotribe Ventures, an early- and growth-stage venture capital firm investing in companies that solve hard technical problems and disrupt non-traditional industry sectors. Neotribe is led by a team of serial entrepreneurs with a track record of supporting and advising startups from seed round to IPO.
As a Silicon Valley veteran with a career spanning three decades, Kittu has had numerous roles before his time at Neotribe Ventures. Some highlights include working as an engineer at Silicon Graphics, co-founding Healtheon/WebMD, being the founder and CEO of Neoteris, and investing in over four dozen successful companies as a general partner at NEA.
Join us as we sit down with Kittu to talk about his childhood in Hyderabad and his recollection of the many serendipitous accidents that have occurred in his life. He talks about his experience as a first-generation immigrant getting into entrepreneurship, and the differences between his and his parent’s generation. He also discusses how he got into computer science, his time at Silicon Graphics, and his opinion on why culture can make or break a startup. Please enjoy my conversation with Kittu Kolluri.
Find Our Guest, Kittu Kolluri, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittukolluri/
https://www.neotribe.vc/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:51 Episode starts, Kittu’s childhood in Hyderabad, India, recognizing accidental influences in his life
06:10 The difficulties of taking the entrepreneurial risk as a first-generation immigrant
08:50 The differences in outlook between his parent’s generation and his generation
10:18 Choosing to studying mechanical engineering, ending up at SUNY Buffalo
12:52 Studying operations research, getting exposure to computer science, benefits of multidisciplinary exposure
16:35 Working at Silicon Graphics, falling in love with being a software engineer
20:48 Dealing with a company’s rapid growth, learning from your mistakes
24:05 Pride of ownership, mentors and colleagues who influenced Kittu
28:37 Being a student for life, the definition of trust in a team
30:17 Why startups can beat large companies, the dangers of microcultures in a company, company culture’s importance
34:02 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Staffing Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/blog/staffing-your-startup
Writing a Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-a-business-plan-for-biotechs
What Is Startup Valuation https://www.excedr.com/resources/startup-valuations
Biotech Funding for Startups https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options
Bootstrapping Your Biotech Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup
Silicon Graphics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Graphics
Grant Funding for Biotech Startups https://www.excedr.com/resources/grants-public-funding-biotech-startups
Naming Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/naming-your-startup
Pre-Money vs. Post-Money https://www.excedr.com/resources/pre-money-vs-post-money
Should You Incorporat...
My guest for this week’s episode is Kittu Kolluri, Founder and Managing Director of Neotribe Ventures, an early- and growth-stage venture capital firm investing in companies that solve hard technical problems and disrupt non-traditional industry sectors. Neotribe is led by a team of serial entrepreneurs with a track record of supporting and advising startups from seed round to IPO.
As a Silicon Valley veteran with a career spanning three decades, Kittu has had numerous roles before his time at Neotribe Ventures. Some highlights include working as an engineer at Silicon Graphics, co-founding Healtheon/WebMD, being the founder and CEO of Neoteris, and investing in over four dozen successful companies as a general partner at NEA.
Join us as we sit down with Kittu to talk about his childhood in Hyderabad and his recollection of the many serendipitous accidents that have occurred in his life. He talks about his experience as a first-generation immigrant getting into entrepreneurship, and the differences between his and his parent’s generation. He also discusses how he got into computer science, his time at Silicon Graphics, and his opinion on why culture can make or break a startup. Please enjoy my conversation with Kittu Kolluri.
Find Our Guest, Kittu Kolluri, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittukolluri/
https://www.neotribe.vc/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:51 Episode starts, Kittu’s childhood in Hyderabad, India, recognizing accidental influences in his life
06:10 The difficulties of taking the entrepreneurial risk as a first-generation immigrant
08:50 The differences in outlook between his parent’s generation and his generation
10:18 Choosing to studying mechanical engineering, ending up at SUNY Buffalo
12:52 Studying operations research, getting exposure to computer science, benefits of multidisciplinary exposure
16:35 Working at Silicon Graphics, falling in love with being a software engineer
20:48 Dealing with a company’s rapid growth, learning from your mistakes
24:05 Pride of ownership, mentors and colleagues who influenced Kittu
28:37 Being a student for life, the definition of trust in a team
30:17 Why startups can beat large companies, the dangers of microcultures in a company, company culture’s importance
34:02 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Staffing Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/blog/staffing-your-startup
Writing a Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-a-business-plan-for-biotechs
What Is Startup Valuation https://www.excedr.com/resources/startup-valuations
Biotech Funding for Startups https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options
Bootstrapping Your Biotech Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup
Silicon Graphics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Graphics
Grant Funding for Biotech Startups https://www.excedr.com/resources/grants-public-funding-biotech-startups
Naming Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/naming-your-startup
Pre-Money vs. Post-Money https://www.excedr.com/resources/pre-money-vs-post-money
Should You Incorporat...
Part 1 of 3.
My guest for this week’s episode is Maneesh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Mirvie, a life science company that predicts pregnancy complications before they happen by revealing the underlying biology of pregnancy health. Mirvie is dedicated to shaping the future of pregnancy health through simple, personalized blood tests. Before Mirvie, Maneesh was a founder, CEO, or executive of five successful start-ups, which include Parallele Bioscience, Auriphex Bioscience, Ion Torrent, Butterfly Network, and Cirina.
All of the businesses successfully exited or commercialized to the likes of Affymetrix, Illumina, Life Technologies, the FDA, and GRAIL, respectively. Join us as we sit down with Maneesh to talk about how his fundamental curiosity and perseverance have been a mainstay across his career.
Maneesh also discusses how he views entrepreneurship as a way to improve lives and make positive societal impacts. Lastly, we cover his time during undergrad and graduate school, how it led to spinning out ParAllele BioScience, and the many lessons its merger with Affymetrix provided. Please enjoy my conversation with Maneesh.
Find Our Guest, Maneesh Jain, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneesh-jain-2509388/
https://www.mirvie.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:20 Episode start, Maneesh’s fundamental curiosity and thirst for knowledge, the value of perseverance
04:43 Entrepreneurship as a way to improve people’s lives and make a societal impact, time at CalTech
07:02 Undergraduate lab experience, turning knowledge into practical applications, mentors
09:36 Graduate school at Stanford, taking big open-ended problems and breaking them down
12:17 Moving to a field that is going to have its “Magic Decade”, transitioning to life sciences
15:00 Benefits of being a “clean slate”, working at the Stanford Genome Technology Center
17:24 Finding a project to spin-out, ParAllele BioScience and finding co-founders
22:28 The importance of showing basic scalability, going through the merger with Affymetrix
26:30 Learning about product differentiation, understanding technology and market life cycles
29:50 Outro
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Entrepreneurship https://www.excedr.com/category/entrepreneurship
Lean Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-lean-business-plan
Reducing Startup Costs & Expenses https://www.excedr.com/blog/startup-costs-and-expenses
CalTech https://www.caltech.edu/
SURF https://www.nist.gov/surf
Biotech Accelerators https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-accelerators
Accelerator vs. Incubator https://www.excedr.com/resources/accelerator-vs-incubator
Human Genome Project https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project
Stanford Genome Technology Center https://med.stanford.edu/sgtc.html
Computational Biology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_biology
ParAllele Bioscience https://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Article/2005/06/01/Affymetrix-acquires-ParAllele-BioScience
Tech Transfer https://www.excedr.c...
My guest for this week’s episode is Maneesh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Mirvie, a life science company that predicts pregnancy complications before they happen by revealing the underlying biology of pregnancy health. Mirvie is dedicated to shaping the future of pregnancy health through simple, personalized blood tests. Before Mirvie, Maneesh was a founder, CEO, or executive of five successful start-ups, which include Parallele Bioscience, Auriphex Bioscience, Ion Torrent, Butterfly Network, and Cirina.
All of the businesses successfully exited or commercialized to the likes of Affymetrix, Illumina, Life Technologies, the FDA, and GRAIL, respectively. Join us as we sit down with Maneesh to talk about how his fundamental curiosity and perseverance have been a mainstay across his career.
Maneesh also discusses how he views entrepreneurship as a way to improve lives and make positive societal impacts. Lastly, we cover his time during undergrad and graduate school, how it led to spinning out ParAllele BioScience, and the many lessons its merger with Affymetrix provided. Please enjoy my conversation with Maneesh.
Find Our Guest, Maneesh Jain, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneesh-jain-2509388/
https://www.mirvie.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:20 Episode start, Maneesh’s fundamental curiosity and thirst for knowledge, the value of perseverance
04:43 Entrepreneurship as a way to improve people’s lives and make a societal impact, time at CalTech
07:02 Undergraduate lab experience, turning knowledge into practical applications, mentors
09:36 Graduate school at Stanford, taking big open-ended problems and breaking them down
12:17 Moving to a field that is going to have its “Magic Decade”, transitioning to life sciences
15:00 Benefits of being a “clean slate”, working at the Stanford Genome Technology Center
17:24 Finding a project to spin-out, ParAllele BioScience and finding co-founders
22:28 The importance of showing basic scalability, going through the merger with Affymetrix
26:30 Learning about product differentiation, understanding technology and market life cycles
29:50 Outro
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Entrepreneurship https://www.excedr.com/category/entrepreneurship
Lean Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-lean-business-plan
Reducing Startup Costs & Expenses https://www.excedr.com/blog/startup-costs-and-expenses
CalTech https://www.caltech.edu/
SURF https://www.nist.gov/surf
Biotech Accelerators https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-accelerators
Accelerator vs. Incubator https://www.excedr.com/resources/accelerator-vs-incubator
Human Genome Project https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project
Stanford Genome Technology Center https://med.stanford.edu/sgtc.html
Computational Biology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_biology
ParAllele Bioscience https://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Article/2005/06/01/Affymetrix-acquires-ParAllele-BioScience
Tech Transfer https://www.excedr.c...
Part 3 of 4.
My guest for this week’s episode is Sandy Paige, co-managing director of the Seabright Ventures Fund, a search fund investing in the US middle market, with a focus on life sciences and cleantech. Sandy is an expert CEO, most recently leading and scaling Explora BioLabs before its acquisition by Charles River Laboratories for $295 Million.
Prior to Seabright, Sandy led The Jackson Laboratory as a Site Director and a Director of International Distribution from 2008 to 2018. Before The Jackson Laboratory, Sandy spent time as a general manager, consultant, and financial analyst, gaining extensive experience in a wide range of industries outside of the life sciences.
Join us as we sit down with Sandy to talk about his experience managing international distribution at The Jackson Laboratory. Sandy also discusses how meaningful work and personal buy-in are important forms of equity. We cover his thoughts on how business development is different from sales and his advice on getting your start in BD.
Lastly, Sandy touches on leaving The Jackson Laboratory to start a search fund, his success in doing so, and the initial stages of his acquisition of Explora Biolabs. Please enjoy my conversation with Sandy Paige.
Find Our Guest, Sandy Paige, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielsandypaige/
https://seabrightventuresfund.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Episode starts, managing international distribution at The Jackson Laboratory
03:32 The Jackson Laboratory and cancer research, personal buy-in as a form of equity
06:08 Advice on business development, starting in sales, and the benefits of that experience
10:20 The importance of learning about sales, and business development as “everyone’s job”
13:38 Leaving The Jackson Laboratory, raising a search fund
16:12 Learning about search funds, raising the fund at age 48
18:50 Finding Explora Biolabs, the prevalence of VC money in biotech companies, finding a good business “fit”
21:50 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
The Jackson Laboratory https://www.jax.org/
Marketing & Sales Strategies https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs
Intellectual Property 101 https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide
Understanding Intellectual Property Rights https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs
How to Protect Your Intellectual Property https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-protect-your-intellectual-property
Life Sciences Licensing Agreements https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guide
Patent Licensing & How It Works https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works
Search Fund https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fund
Explora Biotech https://ir.criver.com/news-releases/news-release-details/charles-river-laboratories-acquires-explora-biolabs
What Is Secured Debt https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-secured-debt
Understanding Debt & Equity Funding Options <...
My guest for this week’s episode is Sandy Paige, co-managing director of the Seabright Ventures Fund, a search fund investing in the US middle market, with a focus on life sciences and cleantech. Sandy is an expert CEO, most recently leading and scaling Explora BioLabs before its acquisition by Charles River Laboratories for $295 Million.
Prior to Seabright, Sandy led The Jackson Laboratory as a Site Director and a Director of International Distribution from 2008 to 2018. Before The Jackson Laboratory, Sandy spent time as a general manager, consultant, and financial analyst, gaining extensive experience in a wide range of industries outside of the life sciences.
Join us as we sit down with Sandy to talk about his experience managing international distribution at The Jackson Laboratory. Sandy also discusses how meaningful work and personal buy-in are important forms of equity. We cover his thoughts on how business development is different from sales and his advice on getting your start in BD.
Lastly, Sandy touches on leaving The Jackson Laboratory to start a search fund, his success in doing so, and the initial stages of his acquisition of Explora Biolabs. Please enjoy my conversation with Sandy Paige.
Find Our Guest, Sandy Paige, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielsandypaige/
https://seabrightventuresfund.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Episode starts, managing international distribution at The Jackson Laboratory
03:32 The Jackson Laboratory and cancer research, personal buy-in as a form of equity
06:08 Advice on business development, starting in sales, and the benefits of that experience
10:20 The importance of learning about sales, and business development as “everyone’s job”
13:38 Leaving The Jackson Laboratory, raising a search fund
16:12 Learning about search funds, raising the fund at age 48
18:50 Finding Explora Biolabs, the prevalence of VC money in biotech companies, finding a good business “fit”
21:50 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
The Jackson Laboratory https://www.jax.org/
Marketing & Sales Strategies https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs
Intellectual Property 101 https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-guide
Understanding Intellectual Property Rights https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechs
How to Protect Your Intellectual Property https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-protect-your-intellectual-property
Life Sciences Licensing Agreements https://www.excedr.com/blog/life-sciences-licensing-agreements-guide
Patent Licensing & How It Works https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-works
Search Fund https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fund
Explora Biotech https://ir.criver.com/news-releases/news-release-details/charles-river-laboratories-acquires-explora-biolabs
What Is Secured Debt https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-secured-debt
Understanding Debt & Equity Funding Options <...
Part 1 of 3.
My guest for this week’s episode is Fengru Lin, Founder and CEO of TurtleTree, a biotech company revolutionizing food for good. Having raised a 40 million dollar Series A, TurtleTree is creating cell-based milk, with a current focus on releasing LF+, the world’s first sustainably produced lactoferrin made with cutting-edge precision fermentation technology.
Prior to TurtleTree, Fengru worked at UL, Salesforce, and Google, gaining a tremendous amount of experience in sales and business development. Her breadth of experience makes her insights invaluable to life science companies looking to create opportunities for themselves in their verticals.
Join us as we sit down with Fengru to talk about her upbringing in Hong Kong and Singapore and her time in the Girl Guides. Fengru talks about how her early love of planning helped hone her operational management skills as an adult.
We also cover her thoughts on the value of business people for their ability to connect the dots and communicate ideas effectively. Lastly, Fengru talks about graduating college, her internship at Nestle, and how her first job out of college at Collis Asia taught her about the importance of QA/QC. Please enjoy my conversation with Fengru Lin.
Find Our Guest, Fengru Lin, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengru/
https://www.turtletree.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:43 Episode starts, Fengru’s upbringing in Hong Kong, being self-reliant and determined, joining Girl Guides
04:00 How loving planning helped hone operational management skills as a child
05:40 Going to Singapore Management University, diving into tech as the internet boomed
07:27 The value of business people connecting the dots and communicating between individuals
11:24 Summer jobs, internship at Nestle, learning what you want and don’t want in your career
14:04 Getting a job at Collis Asia after college, learning about QA/QC and how it is still an applied skill
16:07 Going into international sales and business development, empowering your team
19:22 Traveling internationally, learning about cultural differences in business
21:28 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Girl Guides https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Guides
Daiwa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiwa_Securities_Group
Nestle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9
What Should Investors & Founders Expect https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations
Write a Lean Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-lean-business-plan
Write a Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-a-business-plan-for-biotechs
What Is Cash Runway https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-cash-runway
UL https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UL_(safety_organization)
Loan Covenants & Their Effects https://www.excedr.com/resources/loan-covenants-and-their-effects
Blanket Liens & Their Effects https://www.excedr.com/resources/blanket-liens-and-their-effects The Biotech Startups Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at:
My guest for this week’s episode is Fengru Lin, Founder and CEO of TurtleTree, a biotech company revolutionizing food for good. Having raised a 40 million dollar Series A, TurtleTree is creating cell-based milk, with a current focus on releasing LF+, the world’s first sustainably produced lactoferrin made with cutting-edge precision fermentation technology.
Prior to TurtleTree, Fengru worked at UL, Salesforce, and Google, gaining a tremendous amount of experience in sales and business development. Her breadth of experience makes her insights invaluable to life science companies looking to create opportunities for themselves in their verticals.
Join us as we sit down with Fengru to talk about her upbringing in Hong Kong and Singapore and her time in the Girl Guides. Fengru talks about how her early love of planning helped hone her operational management skills as an adult.
We also cover her thoughts on the value of business people for their ability to connect the dots and communicate ideas effectively. Lastly, Fengru talks about graduating college, her internship at Nestle, and how her first job out of college at Collis Asia taught her about the importance of QA/QC. Please enjoy my conversation with Fengru Lin.
Find Our Guest, Fengru Lin, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengru/
https://www.turtletree.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:43 Episode starts, Fengru’s upbringing in Hong Kong, being self-reliant and determined, joining Girl Guides
04:00 How loving planning helped hone operational management skills as a child
05:40 Going to Singapore Management University, diving into tech as the internet boomed
07:27 The value of business people connecting the dots and communicating between individuals
11:24 Summer jobs, internship at Nestle, learning what you want and don’t want in your career
14:04 Getting a job at Collis Asia after college, learning about QA/QC and how it is still an applied skill
16:07 Going into international sales and business development, empowering your team
19:22 Traveling internationally, learning about cultural differences in business
21:28 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Girl Guides https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Guides
Daiwa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiwa_Securities_Group
Nestle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9
What Should Investors & Founders Expect https://www.excedr.com/resources/investor-founder-expectations
Write a Lean Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-lean-business-plan
Write a Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-a-business-plan-for-biotechs
What Is Cash Runway https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-cash-runway
UL https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UL_(safety_organization)
Loan Covenants & Their Effects https://www.excedr.com/resources/loan-covenants-and-their-effects
Blanket Liens & Their Effects https://www.excedr.com/resources/blanket-liens-and-their-effects The Biotech Startups Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at:
Part 3 of 3.
My guest for this week’s episode is Fengru Lin, Founder and CEO of TurtleTree, a biotech company revolutionizing food for good. Having raised a 40 million dollar Series A, TurtleTree is creating cell-based milk, with a current focus on releasing LF+, the world’s first sustainably produced lactoferrin made with cutting-edge precision fermentation technology.
Prior to TurtleTree, Fengru worked at UL, Salesforce, and Google, gaining a tremendous amount of experience in sales and business development. Her breadth of experience makes her insights invaluable to life science companies looking to create opportunities for themselves in their verticals.
Join us as we sit down with Fengru to talk about TurtleTree’s early days and how focusing on HR early was crucial to their success. She talks about creating a people-first work culture and how having a business-centric leadership team can be advantageous. She also discusses her experience refocusing TurtleTree’s efforts to reach earlier commercialization and touches on navigating fundraising for series A and B in volatile markets. Please enjoy my conversation with Fengru Lin.
Find Our Guest, Fengru Lin, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengru
https://www.turtletree.com
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:13 Episode starts, TurtleTree’s vision and mission, building TurtleTree’s team and focusing on HR early
03:42 Creating a people-first company culture, the importance of a business-centric leadership team
06:34 TurtleTree’s pivot to creating lactoferrin to commercialize earlier rather than later
10:12 The idea of refocusing on something new vs pivoting completely
12:03 Planning go-to-market strategy and commercialization efforts, understanding market fluctuations
16:02 Navigating fundraising for TurtleTree, tips and tricks for fundraising efforts, raising Series B funding
18:27 Biggest challenges and triumphs for TurtleTree, empowering your team to get their buy-in
23:14 What is in store for TurtleTree in the next couple of years
26:06 Fengru’s shout-outs, advice to her 21-year-old self
27:35 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
TurtleTree https://www.turtletree.com
Staffing Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/blog/staffing-your-startup
Abbott Laboratories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_Laboratories
Fonterra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fonterra
Precision Fermentation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_fermentation#Precision_fermentation
Lactoferrin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactoferrin
Gross Margin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_margin
Lab Equipment Leasing https://www.excedr.com/leasing
Bioreactors https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/bioreactor
Choosing & Collaborating with a CMO https://www.excedr.com/blog/contract-manufacturing-organizations
Financial Modeling & How Can It Help with Fundraising https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-financial-modeling
What Is Due Diligence https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-due-diligence
What Is Series A, B, & C Funding
My guest for this week’s episode is Fengru Lin, Founder and CEO of TurtleTree, a biotech company revolutionizing food for good. Having raised a 40 million dollar Series A, TurtleTree is creating cell-based milk, with a current focus on releasing LF+, the world’s first sustainably produced lactoferrin made with cutting-edge precision fermentation technology.
Prior to TurtleTree, Fengru worked at UL, Salesforce, and Google, gaining a tremendous amount of experience in sales and business development. Her breadth of experience makes her insights invaluable to life science companies looking to create opportunities for themselves in their verticals.
Join us as we sit down with Fengru to talk about TurtleTree’s early days and how focusing on HR early was crucial to their success. She talks about creating a people-first work culture and how having a business-centric leadership team can be advantageous. She also discusses her experience refocusing TurtleTree’s efforts to reach earlier commercialization and touches on navigating fundraising for series A and B in volatile markets. Please enjoy my conversation with Fengru Lin.
Find Our Guest, Fengru Lin, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengru
https://www.turtletree.com
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:13 Episode starts, TurtleTree’s vision and mission, building TurtleTree’s team and focusing on HR early
03:42 Creating a people-first company culture, the importance of a business-centric leadership team
06:34 TurtleTree’s pivot to creating lactoferrin to commercialize earlier rather than later
10:12 The idea of refocusing on something new vs pivoting completely
12:03 Planning go-to-market strategy and commercialization efforts, understanding market fluctuations
16:02 Navigating fundraising for TurtleTree, tips and tricks for fundraising efforts, raising Series B funding
18:27 Biggest challenges and triumphs for TurtleTree, empowering your team to get their buy-in
23:14 What is in store for TurtleTree in the next couple of years
26:06 Fengru’s shout-outs, advice to her 21-year-old self
27:35 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
TurtleTree https://www.turtletree.com
Staffing Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/blog/staffing-your-startup
Abbott Laboratories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_Laboratories
Fonterra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fonterra
Precision Fermentation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_fermentation#Precision_fermentation
Lactoferrin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactoferrin
Gross Margin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_margin
Lab Equipment Leasing https://www.excedr.com/leasing
Bioreactors https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/bioreactor
Choosing & Collaborating with a CMO https://www.excedr.com/blog/contract-manufacturing-organizations
Financial Modeling & How Can It Help with Fundraising https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-financial-modeling
What Is Due Diligence https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-due-diligence
What Is Series A, B, & C Funding
Part 2 of 3.
My guest for this week’s episode is Kittu Kolluri, Founder and Managing Director of Neotribe Ventures, an early- and growth-stage venture capital firm investing in companies that solve hard technical problems and disrupt non-traditional industry sectors. Neotribe is led by a team of serial entrepreneurs with a track record of supporting and advising startups from seed round to IPO. As a Silicon Valley veteran with a career spanning three decades, Kittu has had numerous roles before his time at Neotribe Ventures. Some highlights include working as an engineer at Silicon Graphics, co-founding Healtheon/WebMD, being the founder and CEO of Neoteris, and investing in over four dozen successful companies as a general partner at NEA.
Join us as we sit down with Kittu to talk about Healtheon’s origins, mission, and culture, and how he applied learnings from that experience with Neoteris. He talks about the important difference between leadership and management, talks about the dot com bubble and its similarity to the AI trend of today, and talks about fundraising in a down economy. He also speaks on feeling shifts in the market, finding a “new normal” in the economy, and how he ended up in venture capital. Please enjoy my conversation with Kittu Kolluri.
Find Our Guest, Kittu Kolluri, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittukolluri/
https://www.neotribe.vc/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:11 Episode starts, Healtheon’s origins, mission, and culture
03:38 Starting Neoteris and focusing on creating a culture to be proud of, co-authoring a culture statement
07:03 The difference between leadership and management, leaving Healtheon
08:40 Comparing the dot com bubble and the current AI trend, talking down-market conditions
12:15 Neoteris’ origins, raising money during a down economy, the importance of a CEO’s confidant
15:25 The isolation of being a CEO, attracting a great team, and discovering product/market fit
19:02 Feeling shifts in the market, capital being cheap for nearly 30 years, finding a “new normal”
23:37 Leaving Juniper Networks to do venture capital at NEA, interviewing many people to find a fit
27:34 Finding a rubric of success in venture capital, the value of authenticity and intellectual curiosity
30:27 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Healtheon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healtheon
Neoteris https://www.computerworld.com/article/2572211/netscreen-to-buy-neoteris-for--265-million.html
Naming Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/naming-your-startup
NetScreen Technologies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetScreen_Technologies
Juniper Networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_Networks
NEA https://www.nea.com/
Top VC Firms for Biotech https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech
Fully-Diluted Capitalization & Why It’s Important https://www.excedr.com/resources/fully-diluted-capitalization
Funding https://www.excedr.com/category/funding
Negotiating a Term Sheet https://www.excedr.com/resources/negotiating-a-term-sheet
Leasing Options: Lower Monthly Payments vs. Lower Total Lease Cost
My guest for this week’s episode is Kittu Kolluri, Founder and Managing Director of Neotribe Ventures, an early- and growth-stage venture capital firm investing in companies that solve hard technical problems and disrupt non-traditional industry sectors. Neotribe is led by a team of serial entrepreneurs with a track record of supporting and advising startups from seed round to IPO. As a Silicon Valley veteran with a career spanning three decades, Kittu has had numerous roles before his time at Neotribe Ventures. Some highlights include working as an engineer at Silicon Graphics, co-founding Healtheon/WebMD, being the founder and CEO of Neoteris, and investing in over four dozen successful companies as a general partner at NEA.
Join us as we sit down with Kittu to talk about Healtheon’s origins, mission, and culture, and how he applied learnings from that experience with Neoteris. He talks about the important difference between leadership and management, talks about the dot com bubble and its similarity to the AI trend of today, and talks about fundraising in a down economy. He also speaks on feeling shifts in the market, finding a “new normal” in the economy, and how he ended up in venture capital. Please enjoy my conversation with Kittu Kolluri.
Find Our Guest, Kittu Kolluri, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittukolluri/
https://www.neotribe.vc/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:20 Intro
01:11 Episode starts, Healtheon’s origins, mission, and culture
03:38 Starting Neoteris and focusing on creating a culture to be proud of, co-authoring a culture statement
07:03 The difference between leadership and management, leaving Healtheon
08:40 Comparing the dot com bubble and the current AI trend, talking down-market conditions
12:15 Neoteris’ origins, raising money during a down economy, the importance of a CEO’s confidant
15:25 The isolation of being a CEO, attracting a great team, and discovering product/market fit
19:02 Feeling shifts in the market, capital being cheap for nearly 30 years, finding a “new normal”
23:37 Leaving Juniper Networks to do venture capital at NEA, interviewing many people to find a fit
27:34 Finding a rubric of success in venture capital, the value of authenticity and intellectual curiosity
30:27 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
Healtheon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healtheon
Neoteris https://www.computerworld.com/article/2572211/netscreen-to-buy-neoteris-for--265-million.html
Naming Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/naming-your-startup
NetScreen Technologies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetScreen_Technologies
Juniper Networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_Networks
NEA https://www.nea.com/
Top VC Firms for Biotech https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotech
Fully-Diluted Capitalization & Why It’s Important https://www.excedr.com/resources/fully-diluted-capitalization
Funding https://www.excedr.com/category/funding
Negotiating a Term Sheet https://www.excedr.com/resources/negotiating-a-term-sheet
Leasing Options: Lower Monthly Payments vs. Lower Total Lease Cost
Part 1 of 3.
As a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” at https://www.excedr.com/rewards.
My guest for this week’s episode is Terry Lo, President and CEO of Vizgen. Vizgen is developing and commercializing the next generation of genomics tools to expand on the capabilities of spatially resolved transcriptomics. Vizgen’s technology will aid the acceleration of biological research and discovery to advance human health. Terry is a pioneer in the emerging Spatial Biology market and has a proven track record of driving exceptional growth across global life science organizations, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hologic, Roche, PerkinElmer, and Akoya Biosciences. In addition to over two decades of experience scaling and building multinational biopharma and diagnostic groups, he is also an expert in developing business strategies for novel, innovative products.
Join us as we sit down with Terry as he talks about his early years, studying psychology and molecular genetics as an undergraduate at Ohio State and his later decision to pursue a master's in microbiology at Virginia Tech and then finance at the University of Chicago. Terry also discusses his transition from investment banking to corporate development and marketing roles at Bristol Myers Squibb, and highlights the importance of understanding customer needs and financial modeling in business development. Please enjoy my conversation with Terry Lo.
Find Our Guest, Terry Lo, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-lo-034a034/
https://vizgen.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:28 Intro
02:10 Episode start, early experiences at Ohio State and Terry’s decision to pursue science
05:09 Terry's unique undergraduate lab experience in psychology and molecular biology
07:01 Terry's time at Virginia Tech as a molecular microbiology grad student running experiments
10:08 Terry mapping out his decision to go towards business after graduating from Virginia Tech
13:00 Terry's experience in sales after being in the lab
16:02 MBA at the University of Chicago and the decision that led Terry there
17:44 Key lessons and takeaways from being at the University of Chicago
19:28 Terry's experience in investment banking and financing, key takeaways, and learning financial modeling
25:28 Terry's time at Bristol-Myers Squibb in corporate development and experience in the marketing department
29:45 Terry's experience and transition to international business
31:50 Advice on business development
37:16 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Topics Mentioned:
An Equipment Leasing Program for Scientists https://www.excedr.com/leasing
How to Fund an R&D Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps
Unleashing Innovation https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-tax-credits-incentives
Biotech Partnerships https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research
Pre-Money vs. Post-Money: What's the Difference? https://www.excedr.com/resources/pre-money-vs-post-money
What Is Financial Modeling & How Can It Help with Fundraising? https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-financial-modeling
Equipment Leasing vs. Financing: What's the Difference? https://www.excedr.com/blog/equipment-...
As a podcast listener, you can redeem exclusive discounts with a growing list of biotech vendors and get $500 off your first equipment lease by using promo code “TBSP” at https://www.excedr.com/rewards.
My guest for this week’s episode is Terry Lo, President and CEO of Vizgen. Vizgen is developing and commercializing the next generation of genomics tools to expand on the capabilities of spatially resolved transcriptomics. Vizgen’s technology will aid the acceleration of biological research and discovery to advance human health. Terry is a pioneer in the emerging Spatial Biology market and has a proven track record of driving exceptional growth across global life science organizations, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hologic, Roche, PerkinElmer, and Akoya Biosciences. In addition to over two decades of experience scaling and building multinational biopharma and diagnostic groups, he is also an expert in developing business strategies for novel, innovative products.
Join us as we sit down with Terry as he talks about his early years, studying psychology and molecular genetics as an undergraduate at Ohio State and his later decision to pursue a master's in microbiology at Virginia Tech and then finance at the University of Chicago. Terry also discusses his transition from investment banking to corporate development and marketing roles at Bristol Myers Squibb, and highlights the importance of understanding customer needs and financial modeling in business development. Please enjoy my conversation with Terry Lo.
Find Our Guest, Terry Lo, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-lo-034a034/
https://vizgen.com/
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:
00:28 Intro
02:10 Episode start, early experiences at Ohio State and Terry’s decision to pursue science
05:09 Terry's unique undergraduate lab experience in psychology and molecular biology
07:01 Terry's time at Virginia Tech as a molecular microbiology grad student running experiments
10:08 Terry mapping out his decision to go towards business after graduating from Virginia Tech
13:00 Terry's experience in sales after being in the lab
16:02 MBA at the University of Chicago and the decision that led Terry there
17:44 Key lessons and takeaways from being at the University of Chicago
19:28 Terry's experience in investment banking and financing, key takeaways, and learning financial modeling
25:28 Terry's time at Bristol-Myers Squibb in corporate development and experience in the marketing department
29:45 Terry's experience and transition to international business
31:50 Advice on business development
37:16 Outro
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Topics Mentioned:
An Equipment Leasing Program for Scientists https://www.excedr.com/leasing
How to Fund an R&D Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps
Unleashing Innovation https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-tax-credits-incentives
Biotech Partnerships https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-research
Pre-Money vs. Post-Money: What's the Difference? https://www.excedr.com/resources/pre-money-vs-post-money
What Is Financial Modeling & How Can It Help with Fundraising? https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-is-financial-modeling
Equipment Leasing vs. Financing: What's the Difference? https://www.excedr.com/blog/equipment-...
Part 1 of 3.
My guest for this week’s episode is Alok Tayi, Founder of Vibe Bio, a life science company focused on funding & guiding high-potential drug programs through value inflection points. Vibe Bio’s core is a community of scientists, patients, and partners that are dedicated to helping biotechs find the promising treatments that patients deserve.
Prior to Vibe Bio, Alok started and ran several life science-focused software companies, including PreScouter, TetraScience, and the Life Sciences division at Egnyte.
Join us as we sit down with Alok to talk about how his experience at SUNY as a teenager sparked his journey into science and showed him the combination of software and science that has been a common trend throughout his career.
Alok also speaks to the importance of mentors, especially those he found at Cornell, Northwestern, Tokyo, and Harvard. Alok also covers how his time as a postgraduate working with George Whitesides changed his outlook on how to think, focusing on how to make an impact. Please enjoy my conversation with Alok Tayi.
Find Our Guest, Alok Tayi, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aloktayi/
https://www.vibebio.com
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:45 Episode start, Alok’s early journey into science, the combination of software and science
03:41 Serendipitous timing and its influence on Alok’s trajectory, the intersection of tech and biotech, the importance of good mentors
06:33 Experience at Cornell, the growth of materials science after the dot com bubble burst, motivation to get a PhD
09:45 Choosing Northwestern for a PhD, the benefits of working in Sam Stupp’s lab
14:27 Equipment in labs not being utilized, the difficulty of keeping people in the scientific discipline
18:33 Being a JSPS Fellow at University of Tokyo, Japan’s culture of hard work and other differences
23:33 Time at Harvard, pursuing a postdoc with George Whitesides
25:55 George Whitesides’ view on how does one think, working on things that have an impact, solving problems
28:17 Outro
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
University at Albany, SUNY https://www.suny.edu/
Materials Science https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materials_science
General Lab Equipment https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment
Liquid Handlers https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/liquid-handler
Industrial Robots https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/industrial-robots
High Content Imaging https://www.excedr.com/blog/an-introduction-to-high-content-imaging
What Are Immunoassays https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-are-immunoassays
Cell Imaging Systems https://www.excedr.com/microscopes/cell-imaging-system
Bioanalyzers https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-does-a-bioanalyzer-work
Nanotechnology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
Molecular Biology https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-molecular-biology
X-Ray Crystallography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_crystallography
Organic Electronics http...
My guest for this week’s episode is Alok Tayi, Founder of Vibe Bio, a life science company focused on funding & guiding high-potential drug programs through value inflection points. Vibe Bio’s core is a community of scientists, patients, and partners that are dedicated to helping biotechs find the promising treatments that patients deserve.
Prior to Vibe Bio, Alok started and ran several life science-focused software companies, including PreScouter, TetraScience, and the Life Sciences division at Egnyte.
Join us as we sit down with Alok to talk about how his experience at SUNY as a teenager sparked his journey into science and showed him the combination of software and science that has been a common trend throughout his career.
Alok also speaks to the importance of mentors, especially those he found at Cornell, Northwestern, Tokyo, and Harvard. Alok also covers how his time as a postgraduate working with George Whitesides changed his outlook on how to think, focusing on how to make an impact. Please enjoy my conversation with Alok Tayi.
Find Our Guest, Alok Tayi, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aloktayi/
https://www.vibebio.com
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
https://www.excedr.com
Social & Website
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr
Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:45 Episode start, Alok’s early journey into science, the combination of software and science
03:41 Serendipitous timing and its influence on Alok’s trajectory, the intersection of tech and biotech, the importance of good mentors
06:33 Experience at Cornell, the growth of materials science after the dot com bubble burst, motivation to get a PhD
09:45 Choosing Northwestern for a PhD, the benefits of working in Sam Stupp’s lab
14:27 Equipment in labs not being utilized, the difficulty of keeping people in the scientific discipline
18:33 Being a JSPS Fellow at University of Tokyo, Japan’s culture of hard work and other differences
23:33 Time at Harvard, pursuing a postdoc with George Whitesides
25:55 George Whitesides’ view on how does one think, working on things that have an impact, solving problems
28:17 Outro
Enriched Notes:
Topics Mentioned:
University at Albany, SUNY https://www.suny.edu/
Materials Science https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materials_science
General Lab Equipment https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment
Liquid Handlers https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/liquid-handler
Industrial Robots https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/industrial-robots
High Content Imaging https://www.excedr.com/blog/an-introduction-to-high-content-imaging
What Are Immunoassays https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-are-immunoassays
Cell Imaging Systems https://www.excedr.com/microscopes/cell-imaging-system
Bioanalyzers https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-does-a-bioanalyzer-work
Nanotechnology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
Molecular Biology https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-molecular-biology
X-Ray Crystallography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_crystallography
Organic Electronics http...
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Biotech Startups Podcast have?
The Biotech Startups Podcast currently has 112 episodes available.
What topics does The Biotech Startups Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Culture, Life Sciences, Entrepreneur, Biotech, Startups, Podcasts, Science and Business.
What is the most popular episode on The Biotech Startups Podcast?
The episode title '🧬 James Evans - PhenoVista - Part 3 | Being a Scrappy Founder | Adapting to Change & Learning to Pivot | The Importance of Professional Business Development | Setting Client Expectations' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Biotech Startups Podcast?
The average episode length on The Biotech Startups Podcast is 33 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Biotech Startups Podcast released?
Episodes of The Biotech Startups Podcast are typically released every 4 days.
When was the first episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast?
The first episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast was released on Dec 7, 2022.
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