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Part 4 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, the Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. Barbara brings a wealth of experience as a former researcher, entrepreneur, and industry veteran. She has worked extensively with startups and early-stage ventures. Her scientific background is in Telomeres and DNA Repair research.
Prior to her role at J.P. Morgan, Barbara advised biotech and medtech companies at Manos Accelerator, served as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, and co-founded BioChron, an AI-driven biological aging tracking company. Her unique combination of scientific knowledge, business acumen, and investment/finance expertise makes her an invaluable resource for founders in the biotech space.
Join us this week to hear about:- Barbara’s unexpected pivot into banking
- Her transition from SVB to J.P. Morgan
- Her unique life sciences and entrepreneurial backgrounds
- The importance of mentorship, resilience, and seizing unexpected opportunities
- Navigating the challenges of building a career in both science and finance
Please enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva!
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Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/https://www.jpmorgan.com/global
Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.com
Excedr 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:SVB: https://www.svb.com/J.P. Morgan: https://www.jpmorgan.com/globalNucleate: https://www.nucleate.xyz/Women in Bio: https://womeninbio.org/How to Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startupPatent Licensing for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-worksBiotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-support
People Mentioned:Timestamps:00:28 Intro02:18 Pivoting from Life Sciences Angels to SVB10:24 Joining the Life Sciences practice and establishing the Early-Stage division13:22 Transitioning to Private Equity and J.P. Morgan16:16 The power of mentorship and mentor networks17:46 Barbara Reflects on her pivot from Life Sciences Angels to J.P. Morgan19:17 Why J.P. Morgan stands out and the impact of Barbara's group23:58 The importance of business partners who understand the Life Sciences27:55 How J.P. Morgan supports Growth-Stage companies30:57 Barbara’s 2-year vision34:34 Barbara’s shoutouts and advice to younger self37:00 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business
and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.
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