Angel Invest Boston

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More   Stephane Allard, MD and Peter MacGuire of Alissa Pharma explained the company’s promising approach to treating cancers like Hodgkin’s lymphoma or pancreatic cancer which over-express a certain protein on the surface of tumor cells. Alissa’s therapy targets this protein with antibodies linked to radioactive material that decays quickly. The result is destruction of tumor cells with reduced toxicity. A really compelling chat. Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson.   Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Stephane Allard and Peter MacGuire What Alissa Pharma is Solving "... Then we can look at different indication because we already have preclinical data indicating that the product, the anti-ferritin combined with the radiotherapy could work in pancreatic cancer, in hepatic cancer, and in neuroblastoma..." How the Idea of the Product Came About "...What you've done is you have been able to create a more usable manufacturable chemistry ... which gives you better results, more stable results of the binding of the antibodies to the radioactive tracers or radioactive therapy..." Where Alissa Pharma is Headed Competition Peter MacGuire's Background Dr. Stephane Allard's Background Topics: biotech, founding story, product

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More   Ten years ago, Pierre-Louis Théron dreamed of changing the internet. With two classmates at a top French engineering school, he created software that improved the streaming of content. The dream became portfolio company Streamroot which was acquired in 2019. A great story about three guys who made the internet smarter.   Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson.   Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Pierre-Louis Theron Streamroot: the Problem it Was Solving "... What's interesting with our approach is it wasn't like we're going to remove completely the traditional or the CDN out of the picture, what we're doing is that we're going to sit on top..." "... Your genius idea was to come up with software that you could load onto peoples' set-top box, let's say a Roku, or whatever, over the box, they have local business..." Pivot Point in the Execution Phase "...We should also mention to listeners that the platform doesn't leave a footprint on the set-top box..." How the Idea of Streamroot Came About "... It took you a long time to develop your technology, but by 2017, it was rock solid, you ended up raising $6 million..." Pierre-Louis's Background "... I think it's being relentless, not only in your own dedication but also in building up the relationship with your partners, to have them excited and motivated year after year even though it's not an easy path..." Advice to the Audience Topics: discovering entrepreneurship, founding story, product

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More   Arturo Falck and Steven Valenti founded Whoo.ai to help owners and tenants of apartment buildings deal with security and buzzing people in. Their device connects to a free app giving tenants a Ring doorbell-like experience. A clever go-to-market strategy promises quick adoption.   Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson.   Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Arturo Falck and Steven Valenti What Whoo.ai is Solving The Benefit of an Open, Android-type System versus a Closed, Apple OS-type System. "... As a property manager or property owner, you pay for the device and then you pay us a subscription service for every one of your tenants..." "... We actually are in a really good position to bring the technologies of things like Cobu to these communities because they already have the app..." Arturo's Backstory Steven's Backstory "... I just wanted to point out that my brother is also involved, we actually have two sets of brothers..." Topics: discovering entrepreneurship, co-founders, founding story

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More   Infection is a major problem for long-term users of catheters. Souvik Paul saw the problem in his family and founded Aurie. Based at Harvard’s i-lab, Aurie has a design that promises more safety and convenience.  The reusable self-catheter is backed by a grant from the Department of Defense. Do listen to this committed and capable founder.   Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson.   Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Souvik Paul The Problem Aurie is Solving "... Essentially, what we're doing is we're increasing access to the safer life-saving technology by making it safely, automatically, and portably reusable..." How Aurie is Reducing Infection Rates and Costs What Stage the Product is At Funding Balancing Online and In-Person Care "... Our whole model is partnering with people living with disabilities to develop products that help improve quality of life, improve health in everyday contexts..." Souvik's Entrepreneurial Journey Advice to the Audience Topics: biotech, discovering entrepreneurship, founding story

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More   Inspired by a tragedy Dr. Junaid Shaik built a device that radically lowers the cost of tests on blood smears. Livo.AI is now translating its experience in India to the US. Shout out to listener Sudhir Manda, MD for connecting me with this compelling founder and startup.   Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson.   Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Dr. Junaid Shaik What Livo.ai is Solving "... We are basically digitizing these samples, whichever goes into a microscope so that a pathologist can basically see these tests or see these cells or samples in very high resolution from elsewhere, sitting elsewhere..." "... That's where Livo comes in. You directly jump right into the report, and the second problem is you don't have to in the first place travel there..." What Makes This Device So Affordable? How Livo.ai Will Bring in Revenue Dr. Junaid's Background “...I understand that what pushed you to start Livo.ai is that you had a tragic experience in medical school…”   Topics: biotech, founding story, discovering entrepreneurship

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More Founder Casey Grage has a better device for drilling into human skulls. Hear how her personal story led to the founding of Hubly Surgical. A truly compelling narrative. Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson. Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Casey Grage What Problem is Hubly Surgical Solving? How Casey Came to Hubly Testing the Drill Studies on the Hubly Drill Vs. Hand-Cranked Drill "... We want to know when we're going through the finance committees and hospitals, what kind of questions do they ask? What data do they need? Then we want to intimately know the users of our very first customers, and we want to be able to interview them after they use the drill..." Casey's Entrepreneurial Journey Casey's Entrepreneurial Inspiration Failure Builds Success Advice to the Audience Topics: biotech, discovering entrepreneurship, founding story

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More Tomer Amit and Sonia Berrih-Aknin, PhD founded PreciseMent Health to target treatments for depression and bipolar disorder guided by protein markers associated with good outcomes. The work promises to address the great uncertainties that exist in current treatment practices. Truly a mind-expanding conversation with a compelling team. Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson. Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Tomer Amit and Sonia Berrih-Aknin, PhD What PreciseMent Health is Solving "...Basically, you had a database of patient data, where the patient's response to treatment had been recorded. Then you took blood samples, and you analyzed to see if there were proteins that indicated certain treatments being more likely to lead to successful treatment than others..." "... Really, for the first time, we can say that we are identifying dependable biosignatures in the peripheral blood..." Dealing With Side Effects "... We'll make it more accessible because of the copay. The $2,000 has a $300 copay with it, which makes it very difficult for a lot of people to pay. We can go in a lot lower because our costs of goods sold are going to be lower ... We want to really have a huge change in the way that mental health is treated and diagnosed..." Intellectual Property Protection "...We're targeting initially the psychiatry market. We'll be looking to provide them with a plasma card test, which will give them, in a sense, for the first time, the ability to test an individual at the point of care with a few drops of blood..." Tomer and Sonia's Backstories "... we are in the process of having biotechnology eat the world as software was eating the world for the last 11 years. We're seeing everything being turned over and reinterpreted in the light of these extremely powerful technologies that can discover patterns, where, before, it was just invisible for us..." Topics: biotech, co-founders, founding stories

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More Founder Tim Spong is back to update us on how vistaPath.ai went from product discovery to real-life operations. Our first interview was part of my due diligence for this digital health investment that is now VC-backed. A really instructive and fun chat. Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson. Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Tim Spong VistaPath: What is It? "... You're using machine vision AI to give superpowers to the lab technician and to make his or her work more efficient, and also much more reliable, and much more accountable..." "... What you're doing is massively, massively consequential. A mundane thing, but that could have huge consequences..." The Spouse as an Unofficial Co-Founder "... When I say that my dad, my family, taught me perseverance, I think that he didn't teach me computer vision, he didn't teach me AI, but he taught me the ability to get over those moments..." Learn More at vistapath.ai Topics: biotech, discovering entrepreneurship, robotics/AI

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More Greg Geehan is co-founder of Carna Health, a connected health startup. Carna is removing friction from blood testing with an at-home kit for patients unable to go to a lab for a draw. Great chat with an interesting entrepreneur. Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson. Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Greg Geehan What Carna Health is Solving "... You guys aren't actually doing the testing or anything like that. You're basically integrating these devices, you're doing the software around these devices..." What Stage Carna Health is At Carna Health's Founding Story Greg Geehan's Backstory “...We'll go back and forth a couple of times and see if it's worth investing in, and then if we all agree that there's something there, then I'll bring it to the core fund under NextGen Venture Partners and put it up for pitching and see if it goes through the process…” Advice to the Audience Topics: discovering entrepreneurship, biotech, founding story, robotics/AI

Angel Scale Biotech: Learn More Lisa Frusztajer is Investor in Residence at The Capital Network, where she supports founders in raising angel money more effectively. We discussed some exciting startups that have benefitted from Lisa’s wisdom, skill and network. A powerful episode! Sponsored by Purdue University entrepreneurship and Peter Fasse, patent attorney at Fish and Richardson. Highlights: Sal Daher Introduces Lisa Frusztajer "... What we're doing is we're breaking down how early-stage funding works, but we're also expanding the definition of what constitutes early-stage funding..." "... We're seeing the potential of digital health really exploding into all new areas that are both patient-friendly, and provider friendly..." "...The leadership training series creates a cohort where it's one of the few places where founders can really get together and let their guard down. Because one of the things with entrepreneurs, one of the things with founders is that you're under a lot of scrutiny, and you've got a lot of accountability..." How Lisa Came to Entrepreneurship "... I think there is potential for the number of women angel investors to increase even more than it has. You'd be surprised, the younger generation of angel investors that there are a lot more women among them than the older generation..." Sal's View of the Change in Investment Practices Advice to the Audience Topics: angel investing strategies, discovering entrepreneurship, management