In this episode of The Founder Mindset, host Leah Sarich speaks with Catalina Vasquez, Co-Founder and COO of Nanostics. Catalina opens up about her unexpected journey into entrepreneurship, from working in labs in Colombia to moving to Canada and building a biotech company that is reshaping prostate cancer diagnosis.

She discusses the origin and evolution of Nanostics’ flagship product, ClarityDX Prostate, including the critical pivot from nanotechnology to machine learning. Catalina highlights the global impact of making accurate, affordable prostate cancer diagnostics widely accessible, the resilience needed to push through scientific setbacks, and how her team is building toward FDA approval and international partnerships.

Listeners will gain insight into the challenges of biotech entrepreneurship, the power of collaboration, and the profound personal growth that comes with leading a mission-driven company.

About Catalina Vasquez

Catalina Vasquez is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Nanostics, a Canadian biotech company transforming how prostate cancer is diagnosed. Originally trained as a microbiologist in Colombia, Catalina moved to Canada in 2007 and quickly built a career at the intersection of science and innovation. From her early work in Dr. John Lewis’s lab to leading clinical trials, she embraced challenges that eventually led her into entrepreneurship, a path she once thought she’d never pursue.

As COO of Nanostics, Catalina has been central to the development of ClarityDX Prostate, a diagnostic tool that uses machine learning to improve early detection of prostate cancer. She has helped guide the company through pivotal scientific and business decisions, international collaborations, and progress toward FDA approval. Passionate about mission-driven innovation, Catalina is committed to making life-saving diagnostics accessible worldwide while also mentoring and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• The Alberta Small Business Innovation and Research Initiative (ASBIRI) Program Guide

The Founder Mindset is Sponsored By:

• ATB
• API
• Artemis
• OCIF

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Contact Thin Air Labs: 

• Website: ThinAirLabs.ca
• LinkedIn: Thin Air Labs
• X: Thin Air Labs
• YouTube: Thin Air Labs

Contact Catalina Vasquez: 

• Website: Nanostics
• Linkedin: Catalina Vasquez

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