The Biotech Startups Podcast

Part 2 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Sandy Paige, co-managing director of the Seabright Ventures Fund, a search fund investing in the US middle market, with a focus on life sciences and cleantech. Sandy is an expert CEO, most recently leading and scaling Explora BioLabs before its acquisition by Charles River Laboratories for $295 Million. Prior to Seabright, Sandy led The Jackson Laboratory as a Site Director and a Director of International Distribution from 2008 to 2018. Before The Jackson Laboratory, Sandy spent time as a general manager, consultant, and financial analyst, gaining extensive experience in a wide range of industries outside of the life sciences.Join us as we sit down with Sandy to talk about his experience practicing corporate entrepreneurship after getting his MBA. Sandy also discusses how his time as a general manager of a paper mill taught him life lessons about people and led to his commitment toward treating them in a way he’ll never regret. We cover his move from the East Coast to the West Coast, where he took up a position at The Jackson Laboratory, and where he learned to scale a non-profit aggressively. Lastly, Sandy touches on when to be frugal and when to spend, the 3-5 important decisions per year that CEOs make, and how crucial a good team is to running a successful business. Please enjoy my conversation with Sandy Paige.Find Our Guest, Sandy Paige, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielsandypaige/ https://seabrightventuresfund.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comTimestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:04 Episode starts, joining CIANBRO after getting his MBA, practicing corporate entrepreneurship05:18 Starting consulting, becoming a general manager of a paper mill10:10 Life lessons taken away from his experience, treating people in a way you’ll never regret13:08 Finding an industry that has margin and growth instead of being a commodity16:07 Moving from the East to the West coast and joining The Jackson Laboratory, managing a very different team of people18:40 Managing employee churn, understanding cultural differences after the move21:33 Hiring and scaling effectively at an enormous non-profit company24:45 Choosing when to spend vs when to be frugal, over-capitalizing things that are mission-critical 27:23 Making the most important decisions, a good team is a critical component for success29:42 CEOs make 3-5 important decisions per year, most of those are hiring people, pattern recognition34:11 Outro Social & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:CIANBRO https://www.cianbro.com/Knight-Celotex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celotex Employment Agreements https://www.excedr.com/resources/understanding-employment-agreements How & When to Fire Someone https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-and-when-to-fire-someoneThe Jackson Laboratory https://www.jax.org/Staffing Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/blog/staffing-your-startup Leasing & Financing https://www.excedr.com/category/leasing-financingCost of Capital https://www.excedr.com/blog/cost-of-capital Loan Covenants https://www.excedr.com/resources/loan-covenants-and-their-effects Understanding Debt & Equity Funding https://www.excedr.com/resources/debt-equity-options-funding-startup Equipment Lease vs Loan https://www.excedr.com/blog/equipment-lease-vs-loan Explora Bio https://ir.criver.com/news-releases/news-release-details/charles-river-laboratories-acquires-explora-biolabs Intellectual Property Strategy https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-strategy-for-biotechs People Mentioned:Chuck Hewett https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckhewett/ 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.

Part 1 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Sandy Paige, co-managing director of the Seabright Ventures Fund, a search fund investing in the US middle market, with a focus on life sciences and cleantech. Sandy is an expert CEO, most recently leading and scaling Explora BioLabs before its acquisition by Charles River Laboratories for $295 Million dollars. Prior to Seabright, Sandy led The Jackson Laboratory as a Site Director and a Director of International Distribution from 2008 to 2018. Before The Jackson Laboratory, Sandy spent time as a general manager, consultant, and financial analyst, gaining extensive experience in a wide range of industries outside of the life sciences.Join us as we sit down with Sandy to talk about his childhood watching his father as a CEO, and how he learned to leverage his hustle and found value as a team player. Sandy also discusses the benefits of multifaceted education and how a wide range of experiences can lead to more opportunities. Lastly, we cover his time going from politics to industry, his journey to getting an MBA, and his path into corporate entrepreneurship.Find Our Guest, Sandy Paige, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielsandypaige/ https://seabrightventuresfund.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:56 Episode start, Sandy’s childhood growing up in Maine, watching his father as a CEO04:53 Deciding not to become a zero-to-one entrepreneur, the value of hustling and being a team player07:05 The benefits of a multi-disciplinary liberal arts education and of having a varied background of experiences09:41 Taking the opportunities provided and taking things job-by-job, how a letter led to a job opportunity13:20 Working for Angus King, following up on things people recommend and saying yes at critical moments18:42 Moving into industry, going to Fairchild Semiconductor, getting an MBA23:16 Benefits of exposure to broader business operations, corporate entrepreneurship as a career path26:43 Entrepreneurship as risk aversion, managing risk-return profiles to find a path28:35 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:Entrepreneurship https://www.excedr.com/category/entrepreneurship Liberal Arts Education https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts_education Laboratory Management https://www.excedr.com/category/laboratory-managementMinimize Overhead Costs https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-minimize-overhead-costs Managing the Impact of Rising Interest Rates & Inflation https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-manage-the-impact-of-rising-interest-rates-and-inflation Explora Biolabs https://ir.criver.com/news-releases/news-release-details/charles-river-laboratories-acquires-explora-biolabsSalzburg Seminar for American Studies https://www.salzburgglobal.org/multi-year-series/american-studies Bath Iron Works https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Iron_Works Fairchild Semiconductor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Semiconductor VC Term Sheet Glossary https://www.excedr.com/resources/vc-term-sheet-clauses-and-termsWriting a Startup Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-a-business-plan-for-biotechsBusiness Entities & Their Differences https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-are-the-differences-between-business-entities Babson College https://www.babson.edu/ Funding an R&D Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-steps People Mentioned:Buzz Fitzgerald https://www.c-span.org/person/?36913/BuzzFitzgerald Angus King https://www.king.senate.gov/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.

Part 3 of 3. My guest for this week’s episode is Maneesh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Mirvie, a life science company that predicts pregnancy complications before they happen by revealing the underlying biology of pregnancy health. Mirvie is dedicated to shaping the future of pregnancy health through simple, personalized blood tests. Before Mirvie, Maneesh was a founder, CEO, or executive of five successful start-ups, which include Parallele Bioscience, Auriphex Bioscience, Ion Torrent, Butterfly Network, and Cirina. All of the businesses successfully exited or commercialized to the likes of Affymetrix, Illumina, Life Technologies, the FDA, and GRAIL, respectively. Join us as we sit down with Maneesh to talk about how finding the biggest unmet need led to the founding of Mirvie after leaving GRAIL. Maneesh also discusses the maternal health crisis and the state of the market for pregnancy health. We also cover his thoughts on how to create an empathy-centric culture that balances being collaborative and understanding with achieving aggressive goals. Lastly, Maneesh discusses the intricacies of fundraising during recessions and the critical importance of hitting milestones, especially the ones investors value most. Please enjoy my conversation with Maneesh.Find Our Guest, Maneesh Jain, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneesh-jain-2509388/https://www.mirvie.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:43 Episode start, founding Mirvie after leaving GRAIL, finding the biggest unmet need04:08 Detecting abnormal developments during pregnancy, the state of the market for pregnancy medicine07:23 The maternal health crisis and working to resolve it, finding safe methods of diagnosis09:04 Creating a collaborative and supportive environment with aggressive goals, empathy as a core value11:55 Fundraising during recessions, hitting your milestones, and creating/proving your own value14:08 Finding milestones investors value most, the importance of asking “why” for prioritization17:16 What’s in store for Mirvie in the next year or two, shifting paradigms for pregnancy health20:20 Shoutouts to people who have supported Maneesh over the years22:29 Advice to a 21-year-old self, self and team success are the same thing24:37 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:GRAIL https://grail.com/ Mirvie https://www.mirvie.com/ Hematology Analyzers https://www.excedr.com/clinical-equipment/hematology-analyzerMedical Imaging https://www.excedr.com/blog/medical-imaging-and-radiology-overview New Drug Applications https://www.excedr.com/blog/ind-application-processFDA Drug Approval Process https://www.excedr.com/blog/fda-drug-approval-process-guideClinical Trials https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trialPrincipal Investigator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principal_investigatorSeries A, B, & C Funding https://www.excedr.com/resources/series-funding-explainedFunding Options for Startups https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-optionsWhat Is a Seed Round https://www.excedr.com/resources/seed-round-funding-explainedBootstrapping Your Biotech Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup Invert (Charlie Munger Model) https://modelthinkers.com/mental-model/inversion Stanford Genome Technology Center https://med.stanford.edu/sgtc.html Affymetrix https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affymetrix People Mentioned:Charlie Munger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_MungerMaya Angelou https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou 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.

Maneesh Jain, CEO of Mirvie, shares insights on learning outside comfort zones, leveraging semiconductor supply chain for innovation, maintaining culture in M&A. Liquid biopsies' power in success at Cirina and Mirvie discussed.

Maneesh Jain, CEO of Mirvie, discusses his entrepreneurial journey and the societal impact of his work in pregnancy health. Topics include curiosity, perseverance, scalability, differentiation, and the importance of humility in challenging environments.

Part 3 of 3. My guest for this week’s episode is Alok Tayi, Founder of Vibe Bio, a life science company that funds and guides high-potential drug programs through value inflection points. Vibe Bio’s core comprises a community of scientists, patients, and partners dedicated to helping biotechs find the promising treatments that patients deserve. Prior to founding Vibe Bio, Alok started and ran several life science-focused software companies, including PreScouter, TetraScience, and the Life Sciences division at Egnyte. Join us as we sit down with Alok to talk about the origins of the Biotech2050 podcast, how serendipity has played a role in his career, and how he does his best to create those opportunities for others. Alok also discusses how medical conditions in his family led to Vibe Bio’s creation, and how Vibe’s goal is to pinpoint diseases with unmet needs, leveraging AI to find medicines with the highest chances of providing cures. Lastly, learn how Vibe Bio can offer newly spun-out biotechs benefits at every inflection point. Please enjoy my conversation with Alok Tayi.Find Our Guest, Alok Tayi, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aloktayi/ https://www.vibebio.com https://www.biotech2050.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:44 Episode start, starting the Biotech2050 Podcast, biotech innovation and facilitating those conversations05:20 Fostering connections, serendipity’s effect on Alok’s journey and creating those opportunities for others08:26 Diseases in the family and how they sparked Vibe Bio’s mission, the challenge of funding cures rather than finding them10:47 Developing medicine from outside the industry, democratizing the drug development domain12:54 Exponential scaling in expenses leads to medicines gravitating toward economic potential, recency bias 14:34 “Activation energy”, pinpointing unmet needs in industry and leveraging AI to find highest potential cures17:26 Key inflection points to know, what Vibe Bio brings to those inflection points20:58 Vibe Bio’s plans during the next couple of years22:37 Alok’s shout outs, giving advice to a younger self, growth is non-linear, think long term25:18 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:Biotech2050 Podcast https://www.biotech2050.com/ Clora https://www.clora.com/ JPM Conference https://www.jpmorgan.com/about-us/events-conferences/health-care-conference Biotech Podcasts to Listen To https://www.excedr.com/blog/biotech-podcasts-to-listen-to Vibe Bio https://www.vibebio.com/ What Is Capital Outlay https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-capital-outlay Venture Capital https://www.excedr.com/category/venture-capital Angel Investors https://www.excedr.com/resources/angel-funding-and-angel-investorsSeed Round https://www.excedr.com/resources/seed-round-funding-explained Series A, B, & C Funding https://www.excedr.com/resources/series-funding-explained Activation energy https://www.britannica.com/science/activation-energy Slush Fund https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slush_fund Tech Transfer https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transfer Spinning Out of Academia https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup People Mentioned:Rahul Chaturvedi https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulchaturvedi/ Sam Stupp https://stupp.northwestern.edu/cv/ George Whitesides https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-whitesides-7ba1189/John Kelty https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kelty-96926885 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.

Part 2 of 3. My guest for this week’s episode is Alok Tayi, Founder of Vibe Bio, a life science company focused on funding & guiding high-potential drug programs through value inflection points. Vibe Bio’s core comprises a community of scientists, patients, and partners dedicated to helping biotechs find the promising treatments that patients deserve. Prior to Vibe Bio, Alok started and ran several life science-focused software companies, including PreScouter, TetraScience, and the Life Sciences division at Egnyte. Join us as we sit down with Alok to talk about his transition into entrepreneurship from academia and how that experience led to PreScouter. Alok also covers his experience navigating the tech transfer ecosystem and offers some key takeaways from his time as a serial founder. Alok also discusses founding TetraScience, his time at Egnyte hyperscaling its life sciences division during Covid, and tips for managing people during that rapid growth. Please enjoy my conversation with Alok Tayi.Find Our Guest, Alok Tayi, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aloktayi/ https://www.vibebio.com Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Episode start, Alok’s transition into entrepreneurship, the origins of PreScouter03:35 Learning the go-to-market aspect of building business, the importance of doing sales06:14 Enterprise sales and its duality, PreScouter takeaways for founders, the power of a .edu email address09:28 Navigating the tech transfer ecosystem, taking tech from one industry to an adjacent one11:13 How TetraScience came about, efficiency and data capture for science, 16:17 Moving on to Egnyte, building out the life science business unit, scaling from 1 to 60 employees18:22 Experience working through Covid, biotech’s rapid growth and building something large quickly22:11 Managing personnel during hyperscaling, importance of keeping your people on the same page25:40 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:Entrepreneurship https://www.excedr.com/category/entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechsPrincipal Investigator (PI) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principal_investigator PreScouter https://www.prescouter.com/home/ Enterprise Sales https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/enterprise-sales Tech Transfer https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transfer Spinning Out of Academia https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup TetraScience https://www.tetrascience.com/ Machine Learning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning Egnyte https://www.egnyte.com/ Capital Outlay https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-capital-outlayBootstrapping & Scaling Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup Creating a Budget for Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-create-budget-biotech-startup What is CapEX https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-capex Lattice Mismatch https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/lattice-mismatch People Mentioned:Vineet Jain https://www.linkedin.com/in/vineetkjain/Rajesh Ram https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramrajesh/ Amrit Jassal https://www.linkedin.com/in/amritjassal/ Kris Lahiri https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-lahiri-135bb2/ David Spitz https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidspitz/ 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.

Part 1 of 3. My guest for this week’s episode is Alok Tayi, Founder of Vibe Bio, a life science company focused on funding & guiding high-potential drug programs through value inflection points. Vibe Bio’s core is a community of scientists, patients, and partners that are dedicated to helping biotechs find the promising treatments that patients deserve. Prior to Vibe Bio, Alok started and ran several life science-focused software companies, including PreScouter, TetraScience, and the Life Sciences division at Egnyte. Join us as we sit down with Alok to talk about how his experience at SUNY as a teenager sparked his journey into science and showed him the combination of software and science that has been a common trend throughout his career. Alok also speaks to the importance of mentors, especially those he found at Cornell, Northwestern, Tokyo, and Harvard. Alok also covers how his time as a postgraduate working with George Whitesides changed his outlook on how to think, focusing on how to make an impact. Please enjoy my conversation with Alok Tayi.Find Our Guest, Alok Tayi, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aloktayi/ https://www.vibebio.com Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/Timestamps:00:00 Intro 01:45 Episode start, Alok’s early journey into science, the combination of software and science03:41 Serendipitous timing and its influence on Alok’s trajectory, the intersection of tech and biotech, the importance of good mentors06:33 Experience at Cornell, the growth of materials science after the dot com bubble burst, motivation to get a PhD09:45 Choosing Northwestern for a PhD, the benefits of working in Sam Stupp’s lab14:27 Equipment in labs not being utilized, the difficulty of keeping people in the scientific discipline18:33 Being a JSPS Fellow at University of Tokyo, Japan’s culture of hard work and other differences23:33 Time at Harvard, pursuing a postdoc with George Whitesides25:55 George Whitesides’ view on how does one think, working on things that have an impact, solving problems28:17 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:University at Albany, SUNY https://www.suny.edu/ Materials Science https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materials_science General Lab Equipment https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment Liquid Handlers https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/liquid-handler Industrial Robots https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/industrial-robots High Content Imaging https://www.excedr.com/blog/an-introduction-to-high-content-imaging What Are Immunoassays https://www.excedr.com/resources/what-are-immunoassays Cell Imaging Systems https://www.excedr.com/microscopes/cell-imaging-system Bioanalyzers https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-does-a-bioanalyzer-work Nanotechnology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology Molecular Biology https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-molecular-biology X-Ray Crystallography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_crystallography Organic Electronics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_electronics Northwestern University https://www.northwestern.edu/ Science Exchange https://ww2.scienceexchange.com/s/ Scientific Equipment Leasing https://www.excedr.com/leasing Staffing Your Startup https://www.excedr.com/blog/staffing-your-startup “Todai” University of Tokyo https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/JSPS Fellowship https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-fellow/ Harvard University https://www.harvard.edu/ Li Ka Shing Center https://bds.berkeley.edu/lks Quad Chart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quad_chart First Principles https://fs.blog/first-principles/ People Mentioned:Michael Carpenter https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-carpenter-a6705a142/George Malliaras https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgemalliaras/ Sam Stupp https://stupp.northwestern.edu/cv/ George Whitesides https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-whitesides-7ba1189/ Stephen Sass https://www.mse.cornell.edu/news/memorial-stephen-l-sass Elizabeth Iorns https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethiorns/ Fraser Stoddart https://stoddart.northwestern.edu/fraser-stoddart/ Aida Takuzo https://www.linkedin.com/in/aida-takuzo-b38672150/ 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.

Part 3 of 3. My guest for this week’s episode is James Evans, Founder and CEO of PhenoVista Biosciences, a contract research organization that works with biopharma clients of all sizes, from start-ups to established global companies. Before starting PhenoVista, James spent a decade at MIT’s Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research as a Postdoc, a Research Scientist, and finally, Director of the Bioimaging Center. Join us as we sit down with James to talk about how important it is to be scrappy as an entrepreneur, and how it is critical to adapt to change, as plans rarely remain unaltered. James also speaks to the importance of professional business development and how acquiring that skillset was a huge unlock for PhenoVista. JJames also covers the importance of setting client expectations, and discussing what is coming in the next year for PhenoVista. Please enjoy my conversation with James Evans.Find Our Guest, James Evans, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesgevans/ https://phenovista.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Timestamps:00:00 Intro 01:45 Episode start, finding first lab space, incubator/shared space vs standard lab lease04:10 Being scrappy, having a plan versus having a strategy, adapting to change07:08 Phases of company growth,  in-house business development, professionalizing operations for scale and outside investors08:34 Tips for improving sales and marketing, always trying new things10:30 Difference between working with large and small clients, setting expectations with clients12:49 PhenoVista’s coming year, new services in cell & gene therapy, functional assays, toxicology, fundraising for future growth14:00 Shout-outs to people who helped along the way15:47 Advice to James’ younger self, dealing with stress, physical and mental health17:23 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:Lab Equipment https://www.excedr.com/category/lab-equipment First Set of Equipment https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipmentAutoclave https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/autoclave CO2 Incubator https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/co2-incubator Centrifuge https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-a-centrifugeLab Automation/Robotics https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/industrial-robots Lab Balance https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/lab-balance  Lab Shaker https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/lab-shakerLiquid Handler https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/liquid-handlerUltra Low Temp Freezer https://www.excedr.com/general-lab-equipment/ultra-low-temperature-freezer Biotech/Life Science Equipment https://www.excedr.com/biotech-life-sciencesCell Counter/Analyzer https://www.excedr.com/biotech-life-sciences/cell-counterFlow Cytometer/Cell Sorter https://www.excedr.com/biotech-life-sciences/flow-cytometerMicroplate Reader https://www.excedr.com/biotech-life-sciences/microplate-readerRT-PCR https://www.excedr.com/biotech-life-sciences/pcr-systems Used Lab Equipment https://www.excedr.com/blog/buying-used-equipment Refurbished Lab Equipment https://www.excedr.com/blog/refurbished-lab-equipment Startup Bootstrapping https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup Writing a Lean Business Plan https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-lean-business-plan Marketing, Sales, & Business Development https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechs Reducing Costs & Improving Efficiencies https://www.excedr.com/blog/startup-costs-and-expenses Cell Painting & High Content Imaging https://www.excedr.com/blog/an-introduction-to-high-content-imaging Biotechnology Funding Options https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-options People Mentioned:Alan McNeilly https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-mcneilly-a497a025/?originalSubdomain=uk Pamela Brown https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-brown-a8140a1a/?originalSubdomain=uk Paul Matsudaira https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-matsudaira/ Ivan Correia https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-correia-mba-phd-9b026576/ Sanjoy Ray https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjoy-ray-1236051/ PhenoVista Advisors: https://phenovista.com/advisorsPhenoVista Team: https://phenovista.com/our-team 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.

Part 2 of 3. My guest for this week’s episode is James Evans, Founder and CEO of PhenoVista Biosciences, a contract research organization that works with biopharma clients of all sizes, from start-ups to established global companies. Before starting PhenoVista, James spent a decade at MIT’s Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research as a Postdoc, a Research Scientist, and finally, Director of the Bioimaging Center. Join us as we sit down with James to talk about his choice to leave MIT and the job that initiated his move to San Diego where he met his co-founder. James also offers insight into what the early days at PhenoVista were like, and how important it is to learn to tackle miscommunication early. Hear firsthand about the difficulties of running a bootstrapped business, how company growth leads to recurring issues that need solving, and how James forged a business model in the real world. Please enjoy my conversation with James Evans.Find Our Guest, James Evans, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesgevans/ https://phenovista.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comSocial & WebsiteLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@excedr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excedr_inc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcedrInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excedr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@excedr Podcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Timestamps:00:00 Intro 01:44 Episode Start02:37 Choosing to leave MIT, the hard way of learning how to defend your data04:53 Moving to San Diego, meeting PhenoVista’s co-founder (Tony), early days of the company06:28 Gathering momentum, making the first outside hire (Erika), learning how to handle miscommunication09:19 Hard lessons learned from moving from academia into a startup11:06 Experience moving from East Coast to West Coast, creating a truly diverse company culture13:34 Running a business is incredibly hard, solving recurring problems as the company grows 15:54 Biggest driving factor for creating PhenoVista, democratized access to phenotypic screening17:40 Being bootstrapped vs. venture capital backed, forging a business model in the real world20:35 Outro Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:High-Content Imaging https://www.excedr.com/blog/an-introduction-to-high-content-imaging Phenotypic Screening https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenotypic_screening Spinning Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startup Creating a Budget for Your Startup (VC or Bootstrapped): https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-create-budget-biotech-startupA Guide to Grant Funding: https://www.excedr.com/resources/grants-public-funding-biotech-startups Financing Options for Your Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/debt-equity-options-funding-startup How to Limit Co-Founder Disputes: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-limit-co-founder-legal-disputes How to Write a Lean Business Plan: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-write-lean-business-plan How to Bootstrap Your Biotech Startup: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-bootstrap-biotech-startup Fuji Film https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en EBITDA https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/ebitda.asp People Mentioned:Paul Matsudaira https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-matsudaira/ Anthony “Tony” Essex https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-essex-ph-d-85671846/ Erika Martin https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-martin-b357327/ 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.