The Biotech Startups Podcast 🧬 Non-Traditional Leadership & Knowledge Sharing: The New Edge in Biotech | Aaron Edwards (Part 3/4)
Jul 23, 2025
39:56
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“This isn't just one gene edit—this is multiple edits, working in concert. It’s a fundamentally different chassis.”
In part three of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee and Aaron Edwards dive into the realities of biotech entrepreneurship, spotlighting the power of non-traditional career paths, self-awareness, and creative knowledge sharing. They unpack how embracing new tools, fostering open debate, and democratizing information through platforms like Notion, ELNs, and social media can drive both personal growth and startup success.
The conversation highlights the importance of capital efficiency, authentic community engagement, and building a culture where diverse perspectives fuel innovation in today’s fast-evolving life sciences landscape.
Key topics covered:
- Non-Traditional Paths to Leadership: Diverse backgrounds spark fresh biotech innovation.
- Institutionalizing Knowledge: Notion, ELNs, and Loom keep team wisdom accessible.
- Capital Efficiency & Execution: Build lean, use what works, skip reinvention.
- Democratization of Information: Open platforms put insights within everyone’s reach.
- Authenticity & Community: Self-awareness and real talk drive growth and connection.
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Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/
Website: https://www.kiragenbio.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:
Notion: https://www.notion.com/
Loom: https://www.loom.com/
Pillar VC Startup Guide: https://www.pillar.vc/playlist/topics/getting-started/
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:
Kiragen Bio: https://www.kiragenbio.com/
Benchling: https://www.benchling.com/
Nucleate: https://nucleate.org/
Sajith Wickramasekara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajithw/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:19 Non-Traditional Paths to Leadership: Aaron’s Journey
02:31 The Value of Diverse Experiences in Biotech
03:48 Creativity and First Principles Thinking
05:53 Leadership, Self-Awareness, and Therapy
08:09 Building a Safe Space for Debate and Growth
12:37 Institutionalizing Knowledge: Tools and Practices
14:05 Notion, ELNs, and Modern Documentation
16:04 Democratization of Information and Community
23:15 Capital Efficiency and Execution in Startups
26:27 Authenticity, Community, and Digital Engagement
38:07 Outro
The 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.