Flot.bio x Philip Hemme

Biotech great Rodger Novak, Co-Founder and Chairman of CRISPR Tx joins us on the show. In this episode, we chat about bringing the first CRISPR drug to the market and why he thinks everything is wrong in bio in Europe besides science. Rodgers’ is a name everyone should know, having made it big in the global biotech scene. I first interviewed him back in 2016 at Labiotech. It’s a treat to be able to sit down with him again. 💎 ABOUT THE SPEAKER A serial entrepreneur, Rodger Novak has made it big through his many successful enterprises in the pharma and biotech scene. As co-founder of one of the hottest and best-known biotechs in the world, CRISPR Tx, he has been an instrumental player in bringing cutting-edge gene therapy to the world. Trained with a medical degree, he has also provided key contributions in the fields of anti-infectives, genetics and personalized medicine. 📜 TRANSCRIPT Read the full transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/9kucsnzt 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED: - Rodger at Hello Tomorrow 2022 - https://youtu.be/OWMRlLzJ5l8 - Rodger at Labiotech Refresh in 2019 - https://youtu.be/kp6m6BDckDk?si=RhjDeDi-n0crXMra - Rodger at Labiotech Refresh in 2016 - https://youtu.be/XFK-B1xJzGc?si=TG7ut5f-aGEgpLwg - Rodger on the Between Biotech Waves podcast - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1PFWLgJ80QmZwdN9Rmy6a7?si=0QLdSEJTSIe_et0vDarYmQ 🔗 FOLLOW US - Don't miss an episode by signing up for our monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/h_fnmH - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flot-bio/ - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/FlotBio 🎙️ ABOUT FLOT.BIO Our show is a unique addition to the European podcast scene, complementing other news-focused or locally-targeted podcasts. We bring you rare long-form conversations with the best in European biotech. Your host Philip animates the conversation to dig out exciting, and sometimes contrarian ideas. These might inspire you and help you grow. 10k monthly views. ⭐️ SPONSORSHIP Ready to amplify your brand to influential leaders in biotech and biopharma? Contact nick@flot.bio and unlock sponsorship opportunities in our podcasts! 🙏 LIKE/FOLLOW/REVIEW Did you enjoy the episode? Let us know your thoughts and what you found useful by dropping a comment. Also, make sure you like the episode and follow our channel so you never miss an episode and help others find it too. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS [00:00:00] Intro [00:00:38] Welcome [00:01:45] Bringing CRISPR to the market [00:17:33] Experience in biotech isn't everything [00:21:35] How important is CRISPR? [00:27:07] How to become best in class [00:33:40] The secret recipe for founding a successful company [00:37:28] Everything is wrong in biotech in Europe besides science [00:46:44] What can a young European founder do to bridge the US gap for biotech [00:57:01] The European attitude can get in the way of entrepreneurship [01:06:20] Follow Rodger Novak [01:09:23] Thanks for listening and follow Flot.bio

We’re back live and in Paris 🇫🇷 with our next guest, Johannes Fruehauf. We talk about reinventing the co-working labs for biotech startups, the difficulties of doing business in Europe, profitability in biotech, and much more (see timestamps below). 💎 ABOUT THE SPEAKER Johannes is the President, CEO, and founder of BioLabs, the biggest “incubator”, or as they like to call it “co-working laboratory”, platform for biotech startups in the world. Today they have over 14 locations, including 3 in Europe (2 in Paris and 1 in Heidelberg). He is also the founder of LabCentral and a general partner at Mission BioCapital.  📜 TRANSCRIPT Read the full transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/mt9dva8u 🔗 FOLLOW US - Don't miss an episode by signing up for our monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/h_fnmH - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flot-bio/ - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/FlotBio 🎙️ ABOUT FLOT.BIO Our show is a unique addition to the European podcast scene, complementing other news-focused or locally-targeted podcasts. We bring you rare long-form conversations with the best in European biotech. Your host Philip animates the conversation to dig out exciting, and sometimes contrarian ideas. Those might inspire you and help you grow. 10k monthly views. ⭐️ SPONSORSHIP Ready to amplify your brand to influential leaders in biotech and biopharma? Contact nick@flot.bio and unlock sponsorship opportunities in our podcasts! 🙏 LIKE/FOLLOW/REVIEW Did you enjoy the episode? Let us know your thoughts and what you found useful by dropping a comment. Also, make sure you like the episode and follow our channel so you never miss an episode and help others find it too. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS [00:00:00] Intro [00:00:39] Welcome to this new episode [00:02:19] How & why reinvent biotech incubators [00:14:14] The competitors [00:17:41] Entrepreneurship in Europe [00:22:11] The Challenges of doing business in Europe [00:29:37] People make it happen [00:36:51] BioLabs in Asia and Japan [00:41:46] Is a higher risk tolerance a good thing for everyone? [00:48:22] Money: being profitable in life sciences and not raising money if you don't have to. [00:59:15] Synergies between real estate and investing [01:14:01] Should you get a business coach? [01:25:52] Thanks for listening

In a virtual special, we welcome Bernat Olle to the show. We discuss the microbiome space, including Vedanta’s upcoming Phase 3, and how it feels to be a European founder in Boston. Bernat is the CEO and co-founder of Boston-based Vedanta Biosciences, one of the leading microbiome companies. They’ve had a positive Phase 2 trial and recently raised a $107M round to run a Phase 3. Bernat is a life science trailblazer. During his doctorate at MIT, he developed a novel method for large-scale bacterial culture. He's been named "Innovator of the Year in MIT Technology Review Spain's "Innovators under 35" awards and even has his own TED Talk! I’ve known Bernat since 2013 when I was studying in Boston and he was starting Vedanta. It was great to catch up again and become inspired once more. 📜 Read the full transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/yek8ctss 🔗 Links mentioned: Ep112: Bernat Olle on Microbiome Therapeutics - The Long Run with Like Timmerman - https://timmermanreport.com/2022/04/microbiome-based-drug-development-bernat-olle-on-the-long-run/Ending the War on Microbes | Bernat Olle | TEDxCambridge : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yScP4Cm0-gE&pp=ygUQYmVybmF0IG9sbGUgdGVlZA%3D%3D 🔗 FOLLOW US- Don't miss an episode by signing up for our monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/h_fnmH- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flot-bio/- X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/FlotBio 🎙️ ABOUT FLOT.BIOOur show is a unique addition to the European podcast scene, complementing other news-focused or locally-targeted podcasts. We bring you rare long-form conversations with the best in European biotech. Your host Philip animates the conversation to dig out exciting, and sometimes contrarian ideas. Those might inspire you and help you grow. 10k monthly views. ⭐️ SPONSORSHIPReady to amplify your brand to influential leaders in biotech and biopharma? Contact nick@flot.bio and unlock sponsorship opportunities in our podcasts! 🙏 LIKE/FOLLOW/REVIEWDid you enjoy the episode? Let us know your thoughts and what you found useful by dropping a comment. Also, make sure you like the episode and follow our channel so you never miss an episode and help others to find it too. ⏰ Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:00:56) Welcome (00:02:36) Zooming out on the microbiome field (00:11:44) Standardizing the process and composition (00:21:39) What's the cost? (00:27:16) Scalability (00:33:05) The many microbiome companies (00:39:43) EU microbiome industry (00:43:51) Challenge of fundraising (00:49:23) Running a company in the US vs EU (01:00:30) Would you recommend the entrepreneurial path? (01:06:04) What can I do for my microbiome? (01:18:06) Follow Bernat (01:19:09) Wrapping up

It’s a treat to welcome Ingmar Hoerr on the show. We chat about building a 20B dollar biotech startup, almost dying on the job, and why people skills are so important in biotech. Ingmar is a pioneer in the EU biotech scene, revolutionizing drug development with mRNA therapeutics. He and his team created the initial technology used in mRNA vaccines and submitted the first patents for its use. CureVac helped other mRNA companies such as Moderna and BioNTech successfully solve the Covid pandemic. Ingmar is very inspiring, as he is visionary and bold while remaining humble and caring. I’ve known him for almost a decade, and each interaction with him was memorable. This long episode and the lunch that followed are yet another example. Enjoy 😉LINKS MENTIONED:The 25 Most Valuable Biotech Companies in Europe in 2025: https://flot.bio/most-valuable-biotech-companies-europe-2025/📜 Read the full transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/5n7d3652🔗 FOLLOW US- Don't miss an episode by signing up for our monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/h_fnmH- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flot-bio/- X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/FlotBio🎙️ ABOUT FLOT.BIOOur show is a unique addition to the European podcast scene, complementing other news-focused or locally-targeted podcasts. We bring you rare long-form conversations with the best in European biotech. Your host Philip animates the conversation to dig out exciting, and sometimes contrarian ideas. Those might inspire you and help you grow. 10k monthly views.⭐️ SPONSORSHIPReady to amplify your brand to influential leaders in biotech and biopharma? Contact nick@flot.bio and unlock sponsorship opportunities in our podcasts!🙏 LIKE/FOLLOW/REVIEWDid you enjoy the episode? Let us know your thoughts and what you found useful by dropping a comment. Also, make sure you like the episode and follow our channel so you never miss an episode and help others to find it too.⏰ Timestamps:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:53) Welcome(00:01:54) Background(00:05:53) The mindset to make change(00:06:59) Early days of RNA and mice(00:08:55) The beginnings of CureVac(00:13:39) How to survive while founding a company(00:15:03) Where did the money come from?(00:19:19) The key to getting the funds(00:20:22) Getting the lab running(00:22:34) Advancing RNA for humans(00:24:29) Becoming a real biotech company(00:27:31) Surviving the startup phase(00:28:54) Investing in vision(00:33:06) Getting proof of concept(00:35:15) Phase one(00:37:35) Phase two - failure is important(00:42:51) Pharma partnerships(00:47:01) Flu, rabies, and covid(00:49:33) Stepping down to add in USA spirit(00:53:01) Close to death(00:57:49) Coming to peace with a new role(01:02:06) The pandemic(01:08:35) RNA people(01:10:51) Moving on from CureVac(01:11:53) Creating a foundation(01:16:48) Freedom(01:27:46) Biotech people are risk takers(01:29:29) Sharing inspiration(01:37:28) Reflection is key(01:40:42) Making decisions(01:51:37) People are important(02:05:39) Strengths vs weakness(02:11:32) Creating a common culture(02:29:11) Thanks for listening

It's great to have Werner Lanthaler, the CEO of Evotec, one of the largest biotech research companies in Europe/the world, on the show. We have known each other for almost ten years now. He's not only sharp but also friendly and easy to talk to. In this episode, we chat about leading AI in biotech, the sharing economy in the industry, how to be authentic, and more. Hope it helps you learn, be inspired and grow 😉📯 MENTIONED- Fireside chat with Werner talking about AI in Biotech in 2019 at BIO-Europe Spring in Vienna - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDd1qXCsGSc&pp=ygUad2VybmVyIGxhbnRoYWxlciBsYWJpb3RlY2g%3D- The 25 Most Valuable Biotech Companies in Europe in 2025: https://flot.bio/most-valuable-biotech-companies-europe-2025/📜 Read the transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/p62vxwty🔗 FOLLOW US- Don't miss an episode by signing up for our monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/h_fnmH- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flot-bio/- X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/FlotBio🎙️ ABOUT FLOT.BIOOur show is a unique addition to the European podcast scene, complementing other news-focused or locally-targeted podcasts. We bring you rare long-form conversations with the best in European biotech. Your host Philip animates the conversation to dig out exciting, and sometimes contrarian ideas. Those might inspire you and help you grow. 10k monthly views.⭐️ SPONSORSHIPReady to amplify your brand to influential leaders in biotech and biopharma? Contact nick@flot.bio and unlock sponsorship opportunities in our podcasts!🙏 LIKE/FOLLOW/REVIEWDid you enjoy the episode? Let us know your thoughts and what you found useful by dropping a comment. Also, make sure you like the episode and follow our channel so you never miss an episode and help others to find it too.⏰Timestamps:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:37) Welcome(00:02:49) AI in biotech(00:10:08) What AI means for staff(00:11:27) How are biotech companies using AI today?(00:15:28) Biotech - a sharing industry(00:25:32) Trending back to integrated companies(00:30:46) The global EU biotech industry(00:36:03) A brighter funding future(00:44:01) Background on Werner(00:48:12) From no science to CEO(00:59:04) Staying humble(01:04:06) Mindmaps for motivation(01:09:27) A typical day(01:12:33) What's Evotec building?(01:18:32) Follow Werner and Evotec(01:19:42) Thanks for listening(01:20:20) About Flot.bio

For our first episode, we catch up with Antoine Papiernik, the chairman of Sofinnova partners, one of the top EU biotech VC funds. We chat about building billion-euro biotechs in Europe, being listed on the Midas list (without letting it go to your head), the importance of being good at selling, being lucky, and how to balance all this with family priorities. I've been lucky to know and be inspired by Antoine for almost 10 years. Over his successful career, he has invested in over 500 companies, focusing on platform companies and entrepreneurs. He currently has over €2.5 billion under management in several funds, both early and late, in drug development, industrial biotech, and medtech. Antoine is a remarkable speaker and a good fun person. 📜 Read the full transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/57fn8b49 🔗 FOLLOW US- Don't miss an episode by signing up for our monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/h_fnmH- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flot-bio/- X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/FlotBio 🎙️ ABOUT FLOT.BIOOur show is a unique addition to the European podcast scene, complementing other news-focused or locally-targeted podcasts. We bring you rare long-form conversations with the best in European biotech. Your host Philip animates the conversation to dig out exciting, and sometimes contrarian ideas. Those might inspire you and help you grow. 10k monthly views. ⭐️ SPONSORSHIPReady to amplify your brand to influential leaders in biotech and biopharma? Contact nick@flot.bio and unlock sponsorship opportunities in our podcasts! 🙏 LIKE/FOLLOW/REVIEWDid you enjoy the episode? Let us know your thoughts and what you found useful by dropping a comment. Also, make sure you like the episode and follow our channel so you never miss an episode and help others to find it too. ⏰ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:27) Welcome (02:17) Background and serendipity (05:25) Getting into investment (07:23) I wouldn't hire me (09:23) Are you lucky and curious? (14:27) Joining Sofinnova (17:38) Becoming Managing Partner (19:10) Midas List (20:41) You're only as good as your last deal (21:45) Equal opportunity (28:03) How to get funded (31:12) Europe vs USA( 35:54) How Europe can do better (39:27) Crossing the chasm to the future (41:04) Follow Antoine (41:35) Wrapping up