Dr. Sandeep Patel, former Director of BARDA's DRIVe, shares insights from his leadership role during the COVID-19 response. He discusses how BARDA functions like a biotech venture capital firm, bridging the funding gap for crucial biomedical innovations. The conversation dives into the challenges of federal hiring, the importance of attracting top talent, and the innovative funding models developed for health security. Patel also highlights the need for collaboration between public and private sectors to create sustainable solutions for future pandemics.