Bio Founder GPS Podcast: Biotech Fundraising, BD & Strategy

By 2050, one in four people in the world will be African. So why are so few investors paying attention, and what does it take for founders to build global companies from there?

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Eunice Ajim, Founding Partner of Ajim Capital, a pre-seed and seed fund backing technology founders across Africa. We recorded in New York during UN General Assembly week, the day after her Ajim Summit brought LPs, fund managers and founders together to take a serious look at African tech.

Eunice has been on both sides of the table. Her first startup ran out of money and left her homeless, sleeping in her car while she kept building. Today she's deploying her second fund and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in venture capital. We talk about where she sees the opportunity, from industrialization and the software it will need to building global companies from Africa; how she adapts business models that already worked elsewhere; who actually pays for healthcare; and the fund math every founder should understand before they pitch.

In this episode:

• Eunice's path from Apple to homelessness to launching a VC fund
• Where she sees the opportunity: industrialization, software, and global companies built from Africa
• Why she studies business models that already worked in the US, India, China and Latin America
• Why founders who "copy-paste" a playbook into Africa often fail, and why she backs local founders
• Healthcare: out-of-pocket payment, why consumer models struggle, and the B2B2C opportunity
• The fund math behind every early-stage check, and why founders should know it
• Myths about investing in Africa: currency, exits and political risk ("Compared to what?")
• How founders can build trust with investors long before they need the money

Connect with Eunice and Ajim Capital:

Eunice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/euniceajim/
Eunice on X: https://x.com/euniceajim
Ajim Capital: https://ajimcapital.com/
Ajim Capital on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/ajimcapital

📬 Get free weekly tips & resources for biotech founders: https://www.biofounder.io/

Work with me through Bench2Bio:

Raising capital, exploring licensing opportunities with pharma, or looking to build visibility and tell your company's story? My advisory firm, Bench2Bio, helps life sciences founders do just that. Learn more and get in touch to see whether there's a fit to work together: https://bench2bio.com

Connect with Vadim:

Join the free Bio Founder GPS community for founders, investors, and builders in life sciences: https://www.biofounder.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-shepel/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vadim.bio/
Substack: https://substack.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@biofoundergps

Chapters:
00:00 Trailer
01:09 Introduction
02:30 Welcome and the Ajim Summit
03:51 What is Ajim Capital?
05:04 From Apple to homeless to VC
12:12 Launching a fund in public
14:41 Who invests in an Africa fund
17:45 Fund managers fundraise too
22:47 How investors should approach Africa
26:35 Why US founders often fail in Africa
29:33 Proven models, new markets
32:24 Where African founders raise capital
35:40 AI talent, defense tech and "boring" SaaS
43:36 Healthcare: who actually pays?
50:26 Building global companies from Africa
55:09 How Eunice evaluates a pitch
58:07 The fund math every founder should know
1:06:17 Where founders need the most help
1:08:48 Myths: currency, exits and political risk
1:14:26 How to build trust with investors
1:21:06 One magic-wand change
1:22:31 Fire round
1:29:46 Where to find Eunice
1:30:26 Closing thoughts

Bio Founder GPS: Build the business your science deserves.

Why Mexico? For early-stage biotech founders looking across the U.S., the Mexico border could open up new relationships with investors, research partners, manufacturers, and potential customers.

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Ashley Marín, founder and GP of Scirena BioVentures, to explore the opportunities she sees on both sides of the border - and what it takes to build the ecosystem founders need to succeed.

Ashley’s own attempt to launch a biomaterials startup exposed gaps in access to resources and entrepreneurial support. That experience helped shape her work connecting Mexican scientific talent with capital and global networks, while helping U.S. companies explore development and commercial partnerships in Mexico.

We get a candid, behind-the-scenes look at raising a first fund, how Ashley evaluates founders and investment opportunities, and what an investor can bring beyond the check.

In this episode:
• Ashley’s journey from molecular biology and biomaterials to venture capital
• Building bridges between the biotech ecosystems in Mexico and the U.S.
• Research, clinical trial, manufacturing, and commercial partnerships founders can explore
• What it takes to raise a first fund and build investor relationships
• What Ashley looks for in founders: customer understanding, persistence, adaptability, and self-awareness
• How emerging fund managers can support companies beyond capital
• Finding your community and staying grounded through the uncertainty of building

Connect with Ashley and Scirena BioVentures:
Ashley on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashleymarin
Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycmarin/
Scirena BioVentures: scirena.bio
Scirena on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/scirena-bioventures

📬 Get free weekly tips & resources for biotech founders: https://www.biofounder.io/ 

Work with me through Bench2Bio:
Raising capital, exploring licensing opportunities with pharma, or looking to build visibility and tell your company’s story? My advisory firm, Bench2Bio, helps life sciences founders do just that. Learn more and get in touch to see whether there’s a fit to work together: bench2bio.com

Connect with Vadim:
Free Bio Founder GPS newsletter and community: biofounder.io
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vadim-shepel
Instagram: instagram.com/vadim.bio
Substack: substack.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS Podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@biofoundergps

If you found this conversation useful, subscribe and share it with a founder who’s figuring out their next step.

Bio Founder GPS: Build the business your science deserves.

https://www.biofounder.io/

China’s biotech boom is changing the competition for licensing deals and venture capital. How can founders protect their edge - and use a more global biotech ecosystem to their advantage?

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Marc Appel, founder and managing partner of Pacific Bridge New York, to unpack what China’s rise means for early-stage biotech founders, where to compete, and where collaboration can help you build a stronger company.

Marc brings the perspective of both a biotech company builder and an investor. We explore how promising drug programs move from Asia to the U.S., how Western biotechs can tap into Asia’s clinical development capabilities, and what VCs and family offices look for when evaluating a company.

In this episode:

• What’s driving China’s biotech rise and “China speed”

• How to differentiate your science and build a defensible competitive advantage

• Why founders need to think globally when designing clinical trials

• Opportunities across China and the wider Asia-Pacific ecosystem

• How licensing and partnerships can help advance or reposition your company

• How family offices approach biotech investing and what makes a credible fundraising pitch

📄 Free industry report: Biotech’s Shifting Center of Gravity

While preparing for this conversation, I took a deep dive into China and the wider Asia-Pacific biotech ecosystem -examining the dealmaking trends, regional strengths, and practical implications for founders.

I’ve brought that work together in an in-depth, printable industry report covering the licensing boom, what different markets offer founders, and the development, partnership, and licensing decisions that can shape your company’s next steps.

Get your free copy: https://www.biofounder.io/asia-biotech-report

Connect with Marc and Pacific Bridge NY:

Marc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcsappel/

Pacific Bridge NY: https://pacificbridgeny.com/

Pacific Bridge NY on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pbny/

Work with me through Bench2Bio:

Raising capital, exploring licensing opportunities with pharma, or looking to build visibility and tell your company’s story? My advisory firm, Bench2Bio, helps life sciences founders do just that. Learn more and get in touch to see whether there’s a fit to work together: https://bench2bio.com

Connect with Vadim:

Join the free Bio Founder GPS community for founders, investors, and builders in life sciences: https://www.biofounder.io/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-shepel/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vadim.bio/

Substack: https://substack.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS: Build the business your science deserves.

📬 Get free weekly tips & resources for biotech founders: https://www.biofounder.io/

How do you turn a grad-school idea into a life sciences software company - and raise more than $1 million in pre-seed funding?

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Ian Levine, co-founder and CEO of ModernVivo, to unpack how he and his co-founder built the company from the ground up, found product-market fit, and learned to sell into biotech startups and large pharma companies.

ModernVivo helps preclinical scientists draw insights from published research to design experiments faster and with more confidence. We explore the business behind the platform, from building an investor network from scratch to raising pre-seed capital and finding a place for life sciences software in the age of AI.

In this episode:

SPECIAL OFFER FOR BIO FOUNDER GPS LISTENERS:
Use code BIOGPS for 50% off any paid ModernVivo plan for 6 months.

Learn more about ModernVivo: https://www.modernvivo.com

Connect with Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-levine98/

📬 Get free weekly tips & resources for biotech founders: https://www.biofounder.io

Connect with Vadim:

Community: https://www.biofounder.io/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-shepel/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vadim.bio/ 

Substack: https://substack.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS: Build the business your science deserves.

What actually makes a healthcare startup investable?

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Tim Martens and Elizabeth Little of Vaark Ventures to pull back the curtain on how healthcare investors evaluate early-stage companies, build conviction, and decide when to write a check.

Vaark brings together a syndicate of roughly 250 clinicians, physician-operators, engineers, data scientists, regulatory experts, and other healthcare specialists. We unpack how that network evaluates startups, what investors are really looking for beyond the technology, and what founders can do to make their companies more investable.

In this episode:

We also dig into several Vaark portfolio companies, including Norbert Health, and explore where Tim and Elizabeth see healthcare heading across AI, diagnostics, robotics, data, and continuous care.

Connect with Tim:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-martens-70311418/

Connect with Elizabeth:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-little-phd/

Vaark Ventures:

https://vaark.vc/

Resources Mentioned:

📬 Get free weekly tips & resources for biotech founders: https://www.biofounder.io

Connect with Vadim:

Community: ⁠https://www.biofounder.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-shepel/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vadim.bio/
Substack: https://substack.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviW...
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Bio Founder GPS: Build the business your science deserves.

Why does storytelling matter for biotech founders, especially when the science is complex and you can’t give away your IP?

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Krishna Dave, founder and creator of Life Science India, to unpack how biotech founders can communicate complex science, create useful content, and build an audience without giving away their secret sauce.

We also explore the growing India–U.S. life sciences ecosystem, from biomanufacturing and diagnostics to synthetic biology and cross-border company building — plus where Krishna sees biotech converging with consumer health and wellness.

In this episode:

* Storytelling and content creation for biotech founders
* How to explain complex science to investors, pharma partners and patients
* Building an audience without revealing proprietary IP
* India–U.S. biotech and cross-border opportunities
* The convergence of biotech, consumer health and wellness

📬 Get free weekly tips & resources for biotech founders: https://www.biofounder.io

🧭 Bio Founder GPS Content Prompt Pack

Use it to identify your content pillars, generate topics, and map out your first 30 days of content — without sharing your secret sauce.

👉 Get the free Prompt Pack: https://www.biofounder.io/bio-founder-content-prompt-pack

Connect with Krishna:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishna-dave/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifescience_in/
Substack: https://substack.com/@lifescienceindia

Connect with Vadim:

Community: ⁠https://www.biofounder.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-shepel/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vadim.bio/
Substack: https://substack.com/@biofoundergps

Bio Founder GPS Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC?si=e1037e86042c4e80
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711

Bio Founder GPS: Build the business your science deserves.

Great science alone doesn’t build a successful biotech. The decisions around the science, from fundraising and IP to development strategy and execution, can be just as consequential.

In this episode, I sit down with Christopher Potts, CBO of Persephoni Bio and Co-Founder & CEO of Monarch Therapeutics, to unpack why promising biotech companies can still fail, and what founders can do differently when building a company around their science.

We cover:

• Why promising biotech companies can still fail even when the science is strong
• How Persephoni helps build the business around early-stage science
• How Chris navigates platform vs. asset using a “platform to product” approach
• The IP decisions founders can’t afford to overlook, including the hidden cost of patent runway
• Where to find your first investors beyond the usual biotech VCs, and how to quickly qualify them

If you’re a scientist-founder preparing to raise your first institutional round, this episode is packed with practical lessons on fundraising, IP strategy, company building, and making the transition from promising science to a fundable biotech.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER POTTS

Christopher Potts is Chief Business Officer of Persephoni Bio and Co-Founder & CEO of Monarch Therapeutics. Before becoming a biotech founder and operator, Chris built a career in intellectual property and held senior roles at companies including Lonza and Legend Biotech.

RESOURCES

Persephoni Bio: https://persephonibio.com/
Monarch Therapeutics: https://monarchtherapeutics.com/
BioLabs Philadelphia: https://www.biolabs.io/philly
ACS BrightEdge: https://acsbrightedge.org/
Michael J. Fox Foundation: https://www.michaeljfox.org/
CHARGE Syndrome Foundation: https://www.chargesyndrome.org/

ABOUT BIO FOUNDER GPS

Bio Founder GPS helps science-driven founders navigate the business side of taking a life sciences company from 0 to 1, including fundraising, business development, strategy, and company building.

Subscribe for more conversations with biotech founders, investors, operators, and other leaders across the life sciences ecosystem.

📬 Get free weekly biotech fundraising tips & resources: https://www.biofounder.io

LISTEN + SUBSCRIBE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC?si=46ef6b150fb4426b
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711
YouTube: / @biofoundergps

In this episode of the Bio Founder GPS Podcast, I’m joined by Elena Itskovich, PhD, Founding General Partner of Nest Catalyst, an entrepreneurship program helping scientist-founders make the leap from the lab to company creation.

Elena has a unique view into the scientist-founder journey. She has lived the transition herself from PhD and postdoc training to biotech BD and ecosystem building, and now works with founders while their companies are still taking shape.

We talked about what that transition really requires: not just learning fundraising tactics or polishing a pitch deck, but stepping into the founder role, choosing the right first path for the company, building the right community, and understanding when you’re actually ready to raise.

In this conversation, we cover:

If you’re a scientist-founder building your first biotech company, this conversation is a helpful look at the messy but important stage before the story is fully polished — when the company, the strategy, and the founder identity are all still forming.

Learn more about Nest Catalyst: https://nestcatalyst.com/

Connect with Elena: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-itskovich/

📬 Get free weekly biotech fundraising tips & resources: https://www.biofounder.io

LISTEN + SUBSCRIBE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviW...
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
YouTube:    / @biofoundergps

How do you go from scientist to biotech CEO?

Laura Hsieh, PhD, is the Co-Founder and CEO of TippingPoint Biosciences. Since spinning the company out of UCSF, she has raised more than $2 million in pre-seed funding and recently closed an oversubscribed $4.5 million seed round.

In this Founder Spotlight, Laura shares what happened behind those milestones - and what she had to learn while building the company, leading the science, raising capital, and developing relationships with pharma.

We cover:

RESOURCES

Connect with Laura: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurajhsieh/
Learn more about TippingPoint Biosciences: https://www.tippingpointbiosciences.com/
SOSV: https://sosv.com/
MBC BioLabs: https://mbcbiolabs.com/
Biocom California: https://www.biocom.org/
California Life Sciences: https://www.califesciences.org/
Endless Frontier Labs (EFL): https://endlessfrontierlabs.com/

📬 Get free weekly biotech fundraising tips & resources: https://www.biofounder.io

LISTEN + SUBSCRIBE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033iviWJ7U7DW61Ti1HjzC?si=102434a9bd4d49d9
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bio-founder-gps-podcast-biotech-fundraising-bd-strategy/id1896736711
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@biofoundergps

Is your biotech startup actually VC-backable, and how do investors make that decision?

In this episode of Bio Founder GPS, I sit down with Jonah Probell, founder and managing partner of Lexi Ventures, a seed-stage fund investing in the genetic engineering revolution.

We talk about how early-stage investors evaluate biotech startups, why some strong companies may still not fit the VC model, and how founders should think about matching their round to the right type of capital.

Jonah shares his perspective on:

If you’re a biotech, therapeutics, diagnostics, synthetic biology, or life sciences founder thinking about raising capital, this conversation will help you better understand how investors think - and how to position your company for the right funding path.

📬 Subscribe to Bio Founder GPS for more insights & resources on fundraising, BD, strategy, and company-building for science-driven founders:

https://www.biofounder.io/

💼 Apply to work with Vadim -

https://tally.so/r/dW6XJy

Where to find Jonah:

Where to find Vadim:

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction & Jonah Probell Overview
1:22 - Jonah's Background: From Computer Chips to Biotech
2:04 - Why Genetic Engineering? The Thesis Behind Lexi Ventures
3:50 - The Digital DNA Analogy: Why Biology = Programmable Chemistry
6:13 - Bottlenecks to the Genetic Medicine Future (Delivery & Manufacturability)
11:16 - Is Drug Delivery Underappreciated in Biotech Investing?
13:12 - Lexi Ventures' Thesis Beyond Human Health
15:58 - Agriculture, Industrial Biotech & Engineered Microbes
16:37 - Shoutout to SOSV & Biology Beyond Therapeutics
18:35 - How Lexi Ventures Sources & Evaluates Deals (Fund Overview)
17:44 - Check Size, Stage & Portfolio (12 Companies)
20:47 - How Jonah Evaluates Pitch Decks (Using AI / Claude)
21:11 - AI-ified Fundraising: Are Claude-Made Decks a Problem?
22:37 - Will AI Make Venture Markets More Efficient?
24:59 - Jockey or Horse? Founder vs. Market in Biotech
27:40 - Scientist-to-CEO: Common Mistakes & What Jonah Looks For
33:13 - The NPV Framework: How Jonah Calculates Deal Value
37:17 - Why Lexi Ventures Co-Invests (Fund Size & Risk Strategy)
41:21 - Small Funds vs. Large Funds: How Behavior Differs
44:15 - Angel Investing 101: AngelList vs. Sandhill Angels
46:28 - How to Pitch Angels & Angel Groups
48:11 - Words of Wisdom for Founders in 2026