Francisco Gimenez, Partner at 8VC, shares his unconventional journey from Stanford PhD to venture capital, where he leads investments in Bio-IT and enterprise AI. Known for his technical background and sharp instincts, Francisco has been pivotal in backing startups pushing the boundaries of biotech and healthcare innovation.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

00:48 Introduction to Driving Alpha
01:18 Meet Francisco Gimenez: A Journey from Academia to Venture Capital
02:45 Francisco's Early Career and Academic Background
04:02 Joining Formation Eight and Transition to 8VC
06:18 Investing in Visionary Founders and Unique Companies
08:26 Challenges and Insights in Deep Tech and Biotech Investing
12:15 The Importance of Problem-Oriented Founders
19:51 Exciting Companies and Future Prospects
20:41 Engineering Principles in Biologics
22:26 Innovative Cell Biology Tools
23:36 Biological Foundation Models and AI
24:52 VC Perspective on Biotech and Pharma
26:00 Challenges in Biotech Innovation
33:50 NIH Funding and Indirect Costs
39:13 Advice for Aspiring VCs and Founders
42:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode,

Francisco unpacks how he spots the kinds of biotech companies others overlook, those “end-of-one” startups tackling massively complex problems with groundbreaking approaches. He explains why he focuses on founders driven by a deep obsession with solving difficult problems, rather than chasing trends or easy wins.

The discussion explores the future of biotech, with insights into companies like Big Hat Biosciences and Seleno Therapeutics, pioneers at the intersection of AI and biology. Francisco explains why applying engineering and iterative design principles to the life sciences is unlocking new frontiers in drug development. He also offers his take on NIH funding controversies and shares why decentralized biotech innovation could spark the next wave of transformative therapies.

Francisco Gimenez (8VC) on Spotting Biotech Unicorns Others Miss