69. Bioengineering at Scale, A Conversation with Anna Marie Wagner of Ginkgo Bioworks
Feb 26, 2021
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Anna Marie Wagner from Ginkgo Bioworks discusses the transformative potential of bioengineering and the barriers to biotech development, showcasing Ginkgo's platform solution for biological innovation. Topics include fearlessness in entrepreneurship, revenue models in bioengineering, disrupting the synthetic biology industry, navigating pandemic challenges, and transitioning to startup culture.
Ginko Bioworks utilizes synthetic biology to revolutionize industries through DNA programming.
AnnaMarie Wagner highlights the importance of embracing uncertainty and challenging conventional norms in high-growth companies.
Deep dives
AnnaMarie Wagner's Career Path to Ginko
AnnaMarie Wagner's journey to Ginko BioWorks traces back to her undergrad days studying molecular and cellular biology, conducting bioengineering competitions, and eventually transitioning to economics and finance. Despite a successful career in investing at Bain Capital's private equity team, she realized her passion lay in building something impactful. Serendipitously introduced to Ginko's founders, who were creating a synthetic biology platform, AnnaMarie found a mission aligned with her academic background and aspirations, leading to her current role driving corporate development at Ginko.
Engineering Organisms: The Code of Biology
Ginko BioWorks, under the leadership of AnnaMarie Wagner, focuses on engineering organisms through synthetic biology. The company's approach is rooted in the concept introduced by Tom Knight, a pioneer in synthetic biology who recognized biology's digital code structure. By reading and writing DNA as code, akin to computer programming, Ginko harnesses the power of biological programming to revolutionize various industries, aiming to transform the physical world through innovative solutions.
Ginko's Business Model and Innovation Strategy
Ginko BioWorks' business model centers on providing a platform for bioengineering advancements, charging fees to cover operational costs while capturing value from product innovations facilitated by the platform. By focusing on scalable operations, automation, data assets, and standardized workflows, Ginko accelerates biological engineering processes, enabling clients to explore a broader scope of projects, increasing success probabilities, and fostering transformative advancements across industries.
Lessons from Startup Culture and Innovation
Transitioning from established sectors to startup culture, AnnaMarie Wagner shares insightful lessons for current and future professionals. She emphasizes the need to adapt to a dynamic environment where decision-making responsibility is immediate, highlighting the importance of embracing uncertainty and being self-compassionate. Additionally, she advises challenging conventional norms to drive innovation, fostering a culture that encourages risk-taking and visionary thinking, essential for navigating the evolving landscape of high-growth companies.
We're delighted to begin Season 4 of The Disruptive Voice with Anna Marie Wagner, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Ginkgo Bioworks. Hosted by Derek van Bever, Anna Marie discusses the transformative potential of bioengineering and the work her company is doing to help facilitate it. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar, Anna Marie worked as an investor with Bain Capital Private Equity for several years before diving into the world of biotechnology. In this rich discussion, she teaches Derek (and all of us!) about synthetic biology, and the barriers to more nimble forms of biotech development, as well as the platform solution that Ginkgo has devised to facilitate biological innovation.
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