The Biotech Startups Podcast

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"People are looking at cells, making decisions, and then acting on them—that’s a robotics loop. I felt it could be done autonomously."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee sits down with Jimmy Sastra, co-founder and CEO of Monomer, to discuss how his team transformed hands-on lab automation consulting into a breakthrough biotech robotics company. Jimmy shares how Monomer’s vertically integrated platform unites robotics, software, and biology to automate cell culture, cut reliance on animal models, and boost reproducibility. 
He also explains the company’s adaptive go-to-market strategy—ranging from software-only pilots to full robotic deployments—and reflects on the power of cross-disciplinary teamwork, global collaboration, and flexibility in navigating today’s challenging biotech landscape.
Key topics covered:

• Founding Monomer: Turning early consulting insights into a mission-driven biotech venture
• Autonomizing Cell Culture: Merging biology and robotics to automate complex lab workflows
• Vertical Integration: Unifying hardware, software, and biology into a single seamless system
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Offering tailored engagement paths—software, pilots, or full automation
• Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Using global experience to strengthen communication and leadership

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Jimmy Sastra, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-sastra-phd-11a0521/Website: https://monomerbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Clayton Christensen “The Innovator’s Dilemma”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Innovator%27s_DilemmaPrime Medicine & David R. Liu’s Prime Editing Research: https://primemedicine.com/Excedr’s Equipment Leasing Model: https://www.excedr.com/leasingExecdr’s TBSP: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Transcriptic (now Strateos): https://www.strateos.com/Monomer Bio: https://www.monomerbio.com/Excedr: https://www.excedr.com/Rosebud Biosciences: https://www.rosebudbio.com/Prime Medicine: https://www.primemedicine.com/ASML: https://www.asml.com/Cloudflare: https://www.cloudflare.com/
Mark Zhang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-zhang-1726361b/Carter Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-carter-allen/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:13 Founding Monomer & Early Consulting Days03:31 Defining the Thesis: Automating Cell Culture05:56 The Robotics Loop: Connecting Biology with Automation07:37 Building Cross-Functional Teams & Integration Challenges08:43 Lessons from ASML & the Power of Vertical Integration12:04 Clayton Christensen’s “Innovator’s Dilemma” in Biotech12:46 Monomer’s Go-To-Market Strategy & Adaptation14:55 Targeting the Pain: Stem Cell Automation Challenges16:51 Selling to Startups, Biotechs & Big Pharma17:58 Software-Only Deployments & Fast Land Strategy19:52 Monomer’s San Francisco Lab & Pilot Projects21:29 Cross-Cultural Collaboration & Building Global Partnerships27:37 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Life is amazing, but it’s also very fragile. I could not think of a more important mission than trying to understand how life works."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee continues his conversation with Jimmy Sastra, CEO and co-founder of Monomer Bio, tracing his evolution from a self-taught PhD student to a Silicon Valley engineer at the forefront of robotics and biotech innovation. Jimmy recounts his time at Willow Garage during the rise of ROS, his groundbreaking work at Transcriptic—where he helped build the world’s first robotic cloud lab—and how those experiences shaped his vision for Monomer Bio. 
He also explores the power of hiring for personal mission alignment and shares how a life-changing moment involving his brother inspired a career dedicated to understanding life through technology.
Key topics covered:

• From Academia to Industry: Lessons in grit, self-teaching, and applied innovation
• Willow Garage Era: Entering Silicon Valley’s robotics scene and shaping ROS
• Transcriptic and Strateos: Creating the first robotic cloud lab uniting bio and automation
• Leadership and Mission: Building teams around shared purpose and passion
• Founding Monomer: Turning personal inspiration into a biotech automation vision

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Jimmy Sastra, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-sastra-phd-11a0521/Website: https://monomerbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:(HBR) Case Studies – Pandemic Entrepreneurship Meetup: https://hbr.org/2024/01/how-the-pandemic-rebooted-entrepreneurship-in-the-u-sASML and Philips – Stories of Innovation in Engineering: https://www.asml.com/news/stories/2024/asml-founding-story
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/Willow Garage: https://www.willowgarage.com/Transcriptic (now Strateos): https://www.strateos.com/Monomer Bio: https://www.monomerbio.com/Ginkgo Bioworks: https://www.ginkgobioworks.com/Built Robotics: https://www.builtrobotics.com/Robust AI: https://www.robust.ai/
Sachin Chitta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinchitta/Rodney Brooks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-brooks-1a137517/Mark Zhang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-zhang-1726361b/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:03 Grad School Challenges & Learning Grit05:51 Self-Teaching and Confidence in Coding06:48 Willow Garage Opportunity & Culture08:39 Engineering Impact at Willow Garage11:39 Transition to Transcriptic and Robotics Cloud Lab15:35 Mission and Inspiration: Family Influence18:24 Challenges and Focus at Strateos18:42 Scaling Startups and Raising Capital21:36 Short Stints: Built Robotics, Robust AI, Ginkgo22:55 Pandemic Meetups and Finding a Co-founder23:32 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Maybe because of that experience, we still keep in touch. I feel fortunate that my friends and I built something together back then—even if it started with murals and late nights, it taught me about creativity, risk, and teamwork."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Jimmy Sastra, CEO and co-founder of Monomer Bio, unpacks his global journey from The Netherlands and Japan to transforming lab automation in biotech. Shaped by his father’s engineering legacy at Philips and ASML, Jimmy recalls lessons in creativity, rebellion, and resilience that guided his path from the University of Pennsylvania to a PhD in robotics. 
His story reveals how curiosity and systems thinking became the foundation for Monomer Bio’s mission to empower scientists through smarter, automated lab solutions.
Key topics covered:

• Early Influences: Growing up in an engineering household sparked Jimmy’s lifelong curiosity and drive to build.
• International Perspective: Moving between The Netherlands, Japan, and the U.S. taught adaptability and openness.
• The Rebellious Years: Graffiti turned creative defiance into problem-solving instincts.
• Academic Foundations: UPenn and his robotics PhD honed discipline and innovation.
• Engineering Meets Biology: The vision to automate labs and empower scientists was born.

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Jimmy Sastra, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-sastra-phd-11a0521/Website: https://monomerbio.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Good to Great: https://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.htmlThe Innovator’s Dilemma: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=46The World Is Flat: https://www.thomaslfriedman.com/the-world-is-flat-3-0/Emotional Intelligence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_IntelligenceMark Yim’s Robotics Lab at UPenn: https://www.grasp.upenn.edu/people/mark-yim/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:HKUST: https://hkust.edu.hk/TileDB: https://tiledb.com/MIT: https://www.mit.edu/Intel: https://www.intel.com/Boston Dynamics: https://www.bostondynamics.com/Xerox PARC: https://www.parc.com/University of Pennsylvania: https://www.upenn.edu/Robot Operating System: https://www.ros.org/Strateos: https://strateos.com/
Parul Bordia Doshi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parul-b-doshi/Sachin Chitta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinchitta/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro04:34 International Upbringing and Three Defining Traits06:05 Growing Up in Eindhoven: Philips and ASML Stories07:46 Moving to Japan at 15: A Cultural Reset08:34 Early Exposure to Business Strategy Books11:14 Rebellious Phase: Graffiti Crew and Getting Arrested14:07 High School Years and Academic Interests15:41 Choosing Bioengineering: An Endless Frontier17:47 Wet Lab Experience and Manual Labor Reality19:22 PhD Journey: Robotics and Parameter Optimization23:04 Simplifying Complex Systems Through Mathematical Models26:34 Graduate School Mentorship and Peer Support27:35 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"If anyone comes to me and says, 'Hey, I’ve got this idea. I think we could do something with it,' I’m like, 'You gotta take the I-Corps class first... it really changes your mindset.'"
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer and Executive Director of the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center at the University of California, Berkeley, reveals how 100 discovery interviews turned a $3 million campus experiment into a powerhouse for biotech innovation. 
He shares the creation of Berkeley’s flagship fellows program, the launch of speed teaming and venture grants, and how simple ideas like fostering connection and collaboration transformed campus culture. Darren also reflects on the leadership of Chancellor Rich Lyons and offers candid lessons on perseverance, mentorship, and the art of “showing up.”
Key topics covered:

• Launching the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center: Transforming a blank-slate idea into a thriving biotech launchpad
• Building Transformative Programs: Creating standout tracks like fellows, I-Corps, speed teaming, and venture grants
• Changing Campus Culture: Flipping Berkeley’s outlook to embrace innovation and collaboration
• The Power of Connection: Sparking new partnerships and opportunities across the campus ecosystem
• Reflections and Advice: Actionable mentorship lessons and founder tips for real-world impact

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Darren Cooke, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddcooke/Website: http://berkeley.edu/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:How UC Berkeley Became an Unexpected Leader in Entrepreneurship and Startups: https://iande.berkeley.edu/StartupCampusStartup Campus (How UC Berkeley became a leader in entrepreneurship) https://a.co/d/5pCg83q Berkeley SkyDeck Demo Day: https://skydeck.berkeley.edu/tag/demo_day/Bakar Faculty Fellows Program: https://bakarfellows.berkeley.edu/QB3 Speed Teaming program: https://qb3.org/event/bio-startup-speed-teaming/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:UC Berkeley: https://www.berkeley.edu/Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley Haas): https://haas.berkeley.edu/Venture Capital Fund: https://tinyurl.com/29dnsjpbBerkeley SkyDeck: https://skydeck.berkeley.edu/QB3 (California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences): https://qb3.org/Bakar Labs: https://bakarlabs.berkeley.edu/Rich Lyons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-lyons-30332b1/David Kirn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkirnmd/Tobias Schmid: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taschmid/Paul Alivisatos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-alivisatos-4b313b6/Ariel Notcovic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-notcovich/Justin Reese,: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-reese-3419b24/Hannah Weber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-weber001/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:01 Darren’s Berkeley Faculty Journey03:03 The $3 Million Startup Experiment05:24 Launching the Fellows Program08:43 The I-Corps Mindset Shift10:25 Signature Berkeley Showcase Event11:51 Speed Teaming for Startup Connections14:17 Haas & Life Sciences Cross-Campus Partnerships17:18 Startup Success Story: Reese & Weber20:10 Berkeley’s Shift Toward Entrepreneurship24:45 Chancellor Lyons’ Impact & Venture Fund27:38 Scaling Programs and Entrepreneur in Residence32:24 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"If you’re not challenging what you’ve always done, you’re not going to move forward or innovate."
In this episode, Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer and Executive Director of the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center at the University of California, Berkeley, reveals how he’s navigated the fast-changing world of financial advice by embracing regulatory shifts, championing innovation, and building trust through integrity and open communication, sharing hard-won lessons on personal growth, resilience, and finding new opportunities amid uncertainty and change.
Key topics covered:

• Embracing Regulatory Change: Adapting to new rules and compliance
• Client Trust and Communication: Building and rebuilding relationship credibility
• The Innovation Mindset: Challenging routines for growth
• Technology in Practice: Staying ahead with smarter tools
• Leadership Lessons: Cultivating resilience and empathy

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Darren Cooke, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddcooke/Website: http://berkeley.edu/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41881472-the-psychology-of-moneyThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slowThe Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26160019-the-innovator-s-dilemma(FCA) Guidance Papers: https://www.fca.org.uk/publicationsTRAP: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/trap-the-real-adviser-podcast/id1648027651Startup Campus (How UC Berkeley became a leader in entrepreneurship) https://a.co/d/5pCg83q 
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:UC Berkeley: https://www.berkeley.edu/Genentech: https://www.gene.com/NSF I-Corps (National Science Foundation I-Corps): https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley Haas): https://haas.berkeley.edu/
Errol Arkilic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/errol-arkilic-350b8/Rhonda Schrader: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondashrader/
Timestamps:00:00  Intro02:09  Building a Solo Law Practice03:46  University Tech Transfer – Bayh-Dole and Licensing05:31  Demystifying License Agreements07:46  Investor Perspectives & Startup De-Risking08:42  Transition to Mentorship and Teaching at Haas09:31  First Encounter with NSF I‑Corps10:39  Becoming a National I‑Corps Instructor14:26  “The Magic of Showing Up” in Academia15:41  Volunteering, Guest Lecturing, and Faculty Careers17:18  Student Stories: Breaking Into Top Biotech Labs19:55  Navigating Networking Barriers23:32  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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
Episode Description:

"If you ever find yourself in a situation where you’re busy and bored, you really should be doing something else."
In this episode, Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer and Executive Director of the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center at the University of California, Berkeley, traces his bold path from high-stakes law firm litigation to in-house IP leadership at Bio-Rad Laboratories, eventually launching his own practice to guide biotech startups. 
He dives into career pivots, lessons from Berkeley’s entrepreneurial scene, startup investing, and why simply showing up is often the secret to transformative opportunities and growth.
Key topics covered:

• Career Lessons: How rigorous mentors and big-law rigor fueled personal growth
• Life at Bio-Rad: Unique culture and hands-on IP leadership at a family-founded biotech
• Pivot to Startups: Startup exposure—and a key acquisition—sparked Darren’s leap to entrepreneurship
• Building Networks: Persistence and showing up lead to game-changing connections
• Angel Investing & IP Strategy: The real ingredients behind investable, resilient biotech startups

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Darren Cooke, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddcooke/Website: http://berkeley.edu/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:The Recorder: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recorder/Patent Prosecution Fundamentals: https://www.uspto.gov/patents/basicsStartup Campus (How UC Berkeley became a leader in entrepreneurship) https://a.co/d/5pCg83q 
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Bio-Rad Laboratories: https://www.bio-rad.com/Covington (Covington & Burling LLP): https://www.cov.com/QuantaLife: https://www.bio-rad.com/en-us/category/life-science-research/pcr/plastic-consumables-for-pcr/ddpcr-plastics?ID=OERYLNYQYBerkeley Angel Network: https://berkeleyangelnetwork.com/Life Science Angels: https://lifescienceangels.com/Berkeley SkyDeck: https://skydeck.berkeley.edu/
Alan Blankenheimer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-blankenheimer-a6761194/Rich Lyons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-lyons-30332b1/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:46 Key Lessons from Law Firm Experience04:32 Moving to Covington in San Francisco08:56 Balancing Big Law with Family Life10:39 How the Bio-Rad Opportunity Came About14:00 Going In-House: Culture and Day-to-Day Life17:19 Learning Patent Prosecution and Working with Inventors21:09 The QuantaLife Acquisition Sparks Startup Interest25:08 Launching a Solo Practice and Finding Zero Clients28:48 Joining Life Science Angels and Berkeley Angel Network32:33 Running LSA Investment Meetings: Trial by Fire34:42 What Makes Life Science Startups Investable37:38 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"If you go down a road and then you realize, Ah, shoot. This was not what I expected, or Why am I doing this? you can do something else. Right? Yeah. Don't sweat it."
In this episode, Jon Chee interviews Darren Cooke, UC Berkeley’s Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer, whose journey spans engineering cochlear implants, high-stakes patent law, and leading innovation at Berkeley. Darren shares how formative moments, career pivots, and mentorship shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, offering practical wisdom and behind-the-scenes stories from working with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to building collaborative biotech communities. 
His multifaceted perspective inspires listeners to embrace change, seek hands-on experiences, and build networks that drive biotech innovation.
Key topics covered:

• Formative Experiences: Early engineering curiosity drives hands-on problem solving.
• Career Pivots: Bold shifts unlock new strengths and passions.
• Mentorship Matters: Guidance from experts accelerates growth and insight.
• Building Startup Ecosystems: Leading collaborative innovation across Berkeley’s biotech landscape.
• Lessons for Founders: Embrace change, stay humble, and unite tech and business for success.

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Links:

Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Darren Cooke, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddcooke/Website: http://berkeley.edu/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Cal Poly San Luis Obispo "Learn by Doing" Engineering Program: https://www.calpoly.edu/learn-by-doingUCSF Department of Otolaryngology: Projects on Cochlear Implants: https://ohns.ucsf.edu/otology-neurotology/cochlear-implant-centerThe Gates Cambridge Scholarship: https://www.gatescambridge.org/apply/criteria/Columbia Law School’s Pro Bono Requirement: https://www.law.columbia.edu/careers/public-interest/pro-bono-requirement-and-programBerkeley’s BioTrack at SkyDeck Startup Accelerator: https://skydeck.berkeley.edu/biohealth-track/NIH and NSF I-Corps Entrepreneurship Programs: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/i-corpsStartup Campus (How UC Berkeley became a leader in entrepreneurship) https://a.co/d/5pCg83q 
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Life Science Angels: https://www.lifescienceangels.com/UCSF: https://www.ucsf.edu/Columbia Law School: https://www.law.columbia.edu/Brown & Bain (now part of Perkins Coie): https://www.perkinscoie.com/UC Berkeley: https://www.berkeley.edu/
Sonia Sotomayor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-sotomayor-6b7a56117/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro03:48 Early Life in Livermore and Lafayette07:53 Hobbies and Mechanical Curiosity10:36 Choosing Cal Poly and “Learn by Doing”13:07 Pivoting from Engineering to Medicine17:11 Early Experiences at UCSF and Mentorship22:55 Moving Toward Law and Columbia Law School27:37 Working with Sonia Sotomayor35:27 First Patent Litigation Roles in Phoenix42:10 Lessons from Brown & Bain and Team Culture44:50 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"If the door's not open, it's not open. I should only be walking through doors that are open. Why am I going to knock on doors that are closed?"
Sandra Shpilberg, Co-founder and COO at Adnexi, revisits her founder’s journey, sharing how setbacks and her son’s curiosity during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the launch of Adnexi, a mission-driven platform for biopharma. 
She reveals lessons on navigating non-competes, collaborating with market forces, and building resilient teams, while highlighting the rewards and challenges of creating a lasting family business and intentionally cultivating a supportive circle for growth.
Key topics covered:

• Founding Adnexi as a family: Turning pandemic downtime into a bold biotech launch
• Navigating non-competes and reimagining business models: Pivoting fast after acquisition hurdles
• Adapting to market forces, learning from failure, and the myth of founder omnipotence: Riding market waves and owning mistakes
• Long-term, mission-driven company building and defining a sustainable legacy: Building for impact, not just the exit
• The importance of support systems, mentors, and intentional relationship building for startup success: Leveraging strong connections for growth

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Sandra Shpilberg, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-shpilberg-b7b334/Website: https://adnexi.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:PubMed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PubMedClinicalTrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/Open Payments Data: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/Horizon (Case Study: Acquired by Amgen): https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2023/10/amgen-completes-acquisition-of-horizon-therapeutics-plcDaiichi Sankyo (Case Study): https://www.daiichisankyo.com/files/investors/library/annual_report/index/pdf/16.pdf
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Adnexi: https://adnexi.com/Seeker Health (by EVERSANA): https://www.eversana.com/teams/seeker-health/BioMarin Pharmaceutical: https://www.biomarin.com/Horizon (now part of Amgen): https://www.amgen.com/Daiichi Sankyo: https://www.daiichisankyo.com/
Sheryl Fox: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurehealthstrategies/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:47 Pandemic Pause and Family Curiosity Spark Adnexi02:53 Identifying the Market Gap: Building a Platform for Biopharma Stakeholders05:02 Reflecting on Post-Acquisition Challenges and Market Lessons06:45 Learning from Failure: The Value of ‘Ashes’ and New Beginnings10:42 Bootstrapping Adnexi: Early Growth and Pivots13:20 The SPAC Detour: Risks, Regrets, and Realizations17:59 Understanding Market Forces and Founder Humility20:56 Deciding to Go ‘Full-Time’ on Adnexi23:53 Today’s Adnexi: Platform Evolution and Ambitions27:48 Gratitude and Advice: The Importance of People and Energy38:59 Closing Advice for Younger Self: Intentional Relationship Building41:39 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
“There is something that happens when we create expectations that are actually realistic, that we have a chance to delight ourselves. And then that creates this motivation to keep going and be like, Oh, this is working out much better than I expected.”
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Sandra Shpilberg, Co-founder and COO at Adnexi, shares her remarkable founder’s journey, launching Seeker Health from her living room, landing her first customer on LinkedIn, and scaling a mission-driven startup without outside funding—all while balancing family life and navigating the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship and acquisition offers. 
Her story challenges Silicon Valley myths, showing that pragmatic optimism, real customer traction, and staying true to one’s values can drive both personal and professional success.
Key topics covered:

• Bootstrapping Seeker Health: Building a digital recruitment platform from scratch.
• Customer Acquisition Tactics: Winning early clients and validating demand fast.
• Building and Leading a Team: Evolving from solo founder to culture builder.
• Navigating Acquisitions: Facing offers, learning, and sealing a strong exit.
• Balancing Family, Growth, and Resilience: Juggling work, life, and relentless change.

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Sandra Shpilberg, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-shpilberg-b7b334/Website: https://adnexi.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:The Harry Potter Series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_PotterPlaid & Visa Acquisition Story: https://fortune.com/2020/01/14/visa-plaid-acquisition-fintech/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Adnexi: https://adnexi.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/Bain & Company: https://www.bain.com/Nora Therapeutics: https://noratherapeutics.com/Syneos Health: http://www.syneoshealth.com/
Mark Joing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjoing/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:47 Founding Seeker Health: The Early Days02:58 Launching and Naming the Company06:20 Landing First Customer & Mindset Shift08:53 The Power of Startup Networking09:46 Transitioning to Real Team Building11:57 Family Life & Involving Children13:36 Becoming a Syneos Health Supplier18:02 Growing Through Serious and Rare Disease Trials20:35 First Acquisition Offer and Lessons24:32 Structuring the Ideal Deal and Due Diligence35:29 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
“If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, what was exciting at BioMarin was that we were doing new things, innovating and creating from scratch.”
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Sandra Shpilberg, Co-founder and COO at Adnexi, shares her journey from leading commercial launches at BioMarin to discovering the pivotal market gap in digital patient recruitment while at Nora Therapeutics—a realization that sparked her leap into founding her own company. 
Her story weaves together the drive for innovation, deep patient connection, and the blend of professional ambition with personal priorities that shaped each career move.
Key topics covered:

• Launching Rare Disease Therapies: Lessons in pioneering, patient-focused drug launches
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Navigating teams through complex development milestones
• The Value of Patient Connection: How proximity to patients sparks real biotech innovation
• Entrepreneurship & Risk: Leaving security for startup life and bold decision-making
• Identifying Market Gaps: Spotting unmet digital enrollment needs and seizing opportunity

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Sandra Shpilberg, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-shpilberg-b7b334/Website: https://adnexi.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Naglazyme Case Study: https://www.naglazyme.com/about-mps-viKuvan and the National PKU Alliance Advocacy: https://www.kuvan.com/#:~:text=What%20is%20KUVAN?,Black%2C%20tarry%20stoolsPatient-Centered Drug Development: Principles and Practice: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6508534/Clinical Trial Recruitment Challenges in Rare Diseases: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3964003/Facebook Advertising for Clinical Trial Recruitment: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30409765/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:BioMarin Pharmaceutical: https://www.biomarin.com/Nora Therapeutics: https://noratherapeutics.com/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:56 Early BioMarin Experiences and Growth02:39 Marketing and Launching Rare Disease Therapies05:07 Patient Connections and Advocacy Impact06:55 Leading Cross-Functional Teams for Drug Development09:00 Strategic Leadership and Challenges in Biotech13:42 Core Lessons from BioMarin18:32 Making the Leap to Nora Therapeutics21:16 Family, Relocation, and Work-Life Balance in Startup Life22:40 Drug Trial Challenges and Discovering Digital Enrollment Gaps26:48 Building Solutions for Clinical Trial Recruitment33:17 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.