The Biotech Startups Podcast

🧬 Becky Beattie: From Rural Beginnings to Building a National Biotech Network (Part 1)

Feb 24, 2025

01:03:23

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“If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing or having fun, why are you doing it? Combine that with hard work and you can achieve cool things.”

In part one of our conversation with Becky Beattie, CEO of LaunchBio, we trace her unconventional path from rural San Jose pig farmer to biotech ecosystem builder. Becky shares how her early entrepreneurial grit, scientific curiosity, and business acumen converged to shape her career – including surviving a life-altering spinal injury and pioneering shared lab spaces.

Becky holds dual degrees in molecular biology and business from the University of Colorado Boulder. Before leading LaunchBio, she honed her skills in life science sales (SeraCare, Eppendorf), strategic marketing (Comprendia), and real estate innovation (ROC Shared Workspace).

Key topics covered:

Growing up in 4-H raising pigs: Early lessons in economics and grit
Mixing science & business: Blending molecular biology training with business strategy at CU Boulder
Cold-calling challenges: Cutting teeth in biotech sales at SeraCare Life Sciences
Pivoting through crisis: How a spinal cord injury reshaped career priorities
Building the shared lab space movement: Pre-WeWork innovation for life sciences

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Find our guest, Becky Beattie, at these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-beattie-68927a9/

Website: https://launchbio.org/

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

Resources & Mentions:

Resources & articles mentioned:

LaunchBio’s Larger Than Life Program: https://www.launchbio.org/programs/larger-than-life

Founder Circle Peer Advisory Forums: https://launchbio.org/programs/founders-circle/

SBIR Grants: https://www.excedr.com/blog/sbir-grants-guide

STTR Grants: https://www.excedr.com/blog/sttr-grants-guide

Build to Scale Grant Program: https://www.eda.gov/funding-opportunies

UCSD Gene Therapy Initiative: https://healthsciences.ucsd.edu/innovation

Companies & people mentioned:

LaunchBio: https://launchbio.org/

Eppendorf: https://www.eppendorf.com/

BioLabs: https://www.biolabs.io/

Heinrich Netheler: https://corporate.eppendorf.com/en/company/history/founders/

Hans Hinz: https://corporate.eppendorf.com/en/company/history/founders/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

03:15 Becky's early life and entrepreneurial experiences

05:55 College years and combining science with business

11:45 First job in biotech sales at SeraCare Life Sciences

16:44 Transition to Eppendorf and capital equipment sales

24:50 Balancing career and family after having children

31:03 Spinal cord injury and two-year recovery period

36:22 Return to work in real estate with ROC shared workspace

42:26 Lessons learned from sales and relationship-building

46:52 The importance of marketing and business strategy

51:23 Reflections on career pivots and personal growth

55:05 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.