Building Biotechs

This week I chatted with Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, CEO and co-founder of AOA Dx. Oriana shares insights on the challenges of fundraising and the importance of building a network for startup success. She highlights her career shift from biochemistry to economics and international relations, finally leading to her involvement in women's health diagnostics. Oriana emphasizes the significance of finding one's passion for excelling in their field and the role of previous startup successes in her current venture. I also loved learning more about AOA Dx's mission to revolutionize women's health diagnostics, focusing on unmet needs such as early ovarian cancer detection through innovative biomarker research. Oriana highlights the impact of leadership, resilience, and the pursuit of innovation in healthcare.

• Get Oriana's recommended book! Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
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• AOA DX – Early cancer detection

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00:00 Introduction to Oriana Papin-Zoghbi and AOA DX

00:37 Oriana's Journey: From Aspiring Doctor to Women's Health Innovator

04:06 Challenges and Triumphs in Women's Health Innovation

07:38 The Founding of AOA DX: A Mission to Transform Women's Health

07:57 Lessons Learned from Successful Exits and Setting Up AOA DX

09:28 AOA DX's Vision and Mission: Advancing Women's Health Diagnostics

12:57 Fundraising Journey: Overcoming Skepticism and Building Trust

15:21 Leveraging Business Development Skills in Fundraising

16:31 Y Combinator Experience and the Value of Community

18:23 Advice for Aspiring Founders in Women's Health

20:29 Future Plans for AOA DX and Personal Aspirations

23:48 Oriana's Reading Recommendations and Closing Thoughts

This week, I chatted with leadership advisor, speaker, entrepreneur, and podcast host Tony Martignetti, MBA, CPC, Founder, and Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Partners. We both agree there’s a critical need for more comprehensive coaching and support for leaders in the biotech industry. Drawing from his diverse career that spans from art to finance and biotech, Tony shares insights into how leaders can become more grounded. He highlights his three Cs of grounded leadership - Connection, Curiosity, and Compassion - and underscores the significance of mental health, adapting to rapid change, and maintaining authenticity in the workplace. These qualities, he argues, are paramount for building strong companies and navigating the complexities of leadership in fast-evolving sectors like biotech.

• Get Tony's favorite book: The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
• Tony Martignetti: books, biography, latest update
• Follow Tony on Social!
• Inspired Purpose Partners
• Link In with Tony!
• Ted Talk
• Podcast - Inspired Purpose Partners
• Campfires of Connection - Inspired Purpose Coaching

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00:00 Introduction to Tony Martignetti: A Multifaceted Leadership Advisor

00:11 The Importance of Leadership Coaching in Biotech

00:57 Tony's Journey: From Childhood Dreams to Leadership Advisory

02:37 The Pivotal Shift: Embracing Leadership Advisory After Burnout

04:42 Addressing Burnout: Personal Insights and Industry Observations

08:06 Navigating Post-Pandemic Challenges and Emphasizing Connection

11:11 The Three Cs of Grounded Leadership: Connection, Curiosity, Compassion

25:17 Incorporating Experience Design in Leadership Coaching

27:58 Campfire Lessons for Leaders: Tony's Book and Vision for the Future

35:44 Final Thoughts and Resources for Aspiring Leaders

In this episode, Heather E. Williams, PhD, MBA, MS, PgD, ErCLG, CG (ASCP) MB, the Chief Operating Officer of Cache DNA, chats about her career journey and the importance of always learning. Heather's passion for medicine and genetics has led her from childhood dreams of being like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to training as a clinical laboratory geneticist and eventually becoming a COO. She talks about the value of making connections, grabbing every chance to learn, and how genetic results can really make a difference in patient care. Tune in to hear more about Heather's career story and get a sneak peek into what she does at Cache DNA.

• Get Heather's favorite book: The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel
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• Cache DNA

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00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview

00:30 Heather's Early Career Aspirations

01:28 Current Role at CacheDNA

02:34 Building and Leading a Team

03:36 Transition to Flagship and Executive MBA

07:27 Gene Between and Endless Frontier Labs

11:28 Networking and Mentorship Insights

21:29 Challenges in Precision Medicine

28:27 Future Goals and Book Recommendations

30:46 Conclusion and Contact Information

This week, we had a conversation with Catharine Smith - the Executive Director at the Termeer Foundation. Catharine is passionate about supporting biotech founders in growing patient-centric companies. We are thrilled about the Termeer Foundation and have been delighted to witness the Termeer Fellows thrive through the support, training, and community that this organization provides. If you're interested in making a difference in human health through biotech, this episode is definitely for you.

• Get Catharine's favorite book: The Covenant of Water
• Link In with Catherine
• The Termeer Foundation

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00:00 Introduction to Catherine Smith and the Termeer Foundation

00:20 Catherine's Early Career and Passion for Healthcare

01:57 Role and Mission of the Termeer Foundation

04:04 Challenges and Support for Early Stage Biotech Leaders

06:56 Day-to-Day Life as Executive Director

08:56 Previous Experience at the Clinton Health Matters Initiative

11:46 The Termeer Fellows Program

13:48 Common Challenges for First-Time Founders

16:36 Global Reach and Diversity in Biotech

23:06 Nonprofit Career Insights and Mentorship

31:31 Future Aspirations and Book Recommendations

34:54 Conclusion and How to Connect with Catherine

In this episode, we chatted with Isaac Stoner, M.B.A., the CEO of Octagon Therapeutics. Isaac is known for his expertise in building small companies and embarking on adventurous missions such as recovering airplane black boxes (yes, you read that correctly!). He also hosts a science enthusiast networking group in Cambridge, where attendees drink beer and discuss science.

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• Isaac's favorite book: Children of Time
• Isaac's favorite book: A Heart That Works
• Get Isaac's favorite book: The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human
• Octagon Therapeutics

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00:00 Introduction and Background

02:41 Isaac's Early Aspirations and Career Path

05:17 Insight into Octagon Therapeutics

08:20 Company Focus and Structure

13:00 Guidance on Business Operations and Growth

16:13 Networking and Community Building

19:37 Industry Trends and Future Prospects

25:23 Fundraising Strategy and Advice

30:02 Building an Effective Board

34:12 Managing Company Growth and Exit Strategies

38:00 Long-term Plans and Personal Goals

40:10 Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts

This week we sat down with Kyriakos Economides, PhD, VP of Translational  Pharmacology at Werewolf Therapeutics. If there’s one constant in biotech, it’s change. We discussed the evolution of a career, rolling with the punches, and the importance of a solid clinical plan early in the drug development lifecycle. 

• Kyriakos's favorite book: The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
• Get Kyriakos's favorite book: The Lost Empire of Atlantis: History's Greatest Mystery Revealed
• Werewolf Therapeutics Inc.
• Linked In with Kyriakos

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This week, we had an insightful conversation with Leen Kawas, PhD, Managing General Partner at Propel Bio Partners. She shared her journey from studying pharmacy to founding a successful company (with a great exit) and now running a venture fund. She emphasizes the business case for the importance of DEI in the company leadership and in clinical trials. We also touched on tips on managing conflict in teams, fostering healthy communication, and the value of building a strong network and connections in the industry.

• Get Leen's favorite book: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
• Propel Bio Partners
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00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview

00:42 Early Aspirations and Career Path

02:46 Transitioning from Academia to Entrepreneurship

04:03 Founding a Fund and Supporting Companies

05:03 Day-to-Day Life and Global Interactions

07:54 Building and Managing Effective Teams

13:11 The Importance of Diversity in Clinical Trials

18:53 Navigating the Current Economic Environment

25:12 Conflict Management and Effective Communication

31:10 Networking and Future Goals

36:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Andrew Fraley, PhD, Entrepreneur in Residence with Atlas Venture. We chatted about his journey from bench chemist to entrepreneur, and some of the things he learned in the process. He also shared valuable insights on structuring a pitch deck for those on the funding trail. Tune in to learn from Andrew's fascinating experiences and fantastic advice!

• Get Andrew's favorite book: Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals
• Atlas Venture - We build breakthrough biotechnology companies.
• Link In with Andrew!

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In this episode, Rikin Mehta, Pharm.D., J.D., LL.M. co-founder of Lactiga and co-founder and CEO of Licentiam, discusses the importance of looking at biotech through a regulatory lens. Rik shares insights on the significance of regulatory knowledge across an organization and reflects on how his diverse career journey helped shape his outlook on building solid companies. He shares how regulatory knowledge plays a vital role in every aspect of the organization, and how you can apply that knowledge to your company.

• Get Rik's favorite book: A Tale of Two Cities
• Licentiam
• Lactiga
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This week we sat down with Sarah Hein, PhD, co-founder and CEO of March Biosciences. She shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, the story of her first company and successful exit, and how she’s leveraging strategic partnerships to grow her current company. She also gave some actionable frameworks for early-career founders. Tune in to learn about her experience working with a venture fund and launching two exciting startups.

• Sarah's favorite book: For Blood and Money: Billionaires, Biotech, and the Quest for a Blockbuster Drug
• Get Sarah's favorite book: We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse Book 1)
• March Biosciences
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Learn more about Recruitomics Consulting

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Download our free startup resources guide to grow your biotech efficiently

If you're on the job market, visit the Collaboratory Career Hub