Chandana Haque is the Executive Director of Altitude Lab, a healthcare startup accelerator building a community of diverse entrepreneurs in Utah. Altitude Lab was cofounded in 2020 by Chandana and Chris Gibson, the co-founder & CEO of Recursion in Salt Lake City. They recently announced the launch of a pre-seed venture fund aimed at supporting early-stage biotech startups impacted by recent federal funding policy shifts.

 

This pre-seed venture fund is dedicated to funding the highest impact ideas transitioning from basic research to industry. In partnership with Altitude Lab, they provide capital, lab space, and mentorship to high-potential SBIR reviewed companies, offering continuity for startups affected by recent funding policy changes while strengthening Salt Lake City’s position as a national biotech hub.

 

We talk about the Altitude fund, Altitude lab, lessons learned from other ecosystems; support from Recursion, better ways to support healthcare founders and many other topics.

 

Shownotes

• Altitude lab fund: a pre-seed venture fund dedicated to funding the highest impact ideas transitioning from basic research to industry. 

• Fund announcement: https://ir.recursion.com/news-releases/news-release-details/altitude-lab-launches-pre-seed-venture-fund-anchored-recursion

• Altitude labs: a health care accelerator building a community of diverse entrepreneurs in Utah

• Lessons learned (and unlearned) from Boston and Bay Area startup ecosystems

• Criteria for selection: Technology vs market readiness

• Founder fit, connecting founders to the right resources

• Turning a scrappy startup to a fundable one

• Overhyped areas in biotech

• Finding winners and lost opportunities

• Support from Recursion Pharma 

• Supporting diversity: Anecdotes of diverse founders

• Support from the University of Utah