The Biotech Startups Podcast

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.“It's the partnership all the way down, and everyone needs to be around the table to enable the ecosystem.”In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Johnny Hu reflects on his path to becoming a Principle at Menlo Ventures, what it's been like returning to gene editing after years away, and how he's thinking about unlocking true platform potential in life sciences. He also shares his outlook on early-stage biotech, the importance of mentorship, intellectual range and curiosity, and what's ahead as he continues building at the intersection of biology, computation, and company creationKey topics covered:Firm building: Building a venture firm from the ground upAI & Bio: Looking at the intersection of AI and BiologyGene Editing: The clinical success of gene editingMentorship: The importance of mentors and advisorsCareer Advice: Tips and common pitfalls to avoid when starting a career in venture investingIf you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:Institute for Protein Design: https://www.bakerlab.org/Merck’s PCSK9 Program: https://www.merck.com/news/merck-initiates-phase-3-clinical-program-for-oral-pcsk9-inhibitor-candidate-mk-0616/RF Diffusion Paper: https://www.bakerlab.org/2023/07/11/diffusion-model-for-protein-design/Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/Genentech: https://www.gene.com/Vilya: http://vilyatx.com/Synthego: https://www.synthego.com/Recursion Pharmaceuticals: https://www.recursion.com/Beam Therapeutics: https://beamtx.com/Protein Data Bank: https://www.rcsb.org/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:14 Building Boston Office at Omega Funds03:34 Move to West Coast and Joining Menlo Ventures13:34 Current State of Life Sciences Venture Landscape15:00 Focus on AI and Life Sciences Intersection18:26 Most Fun and Least Fun Aspects of Venture Investing20:04 Advice for Aspiring Venture Investors23:19 Future Plans and Return to Gene Editing25:01 Clinical Success and Market Challenges in Gene Editing30:01 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self: Intellectual Curiosity35:58 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. And frankly, this is a journey that's long, and you'll learn a lot of things along the way. A lot of things, it's the first time you'll be doing that thing. Your job as an entrepreneur is to ultimately listen, then decide, and own that decision.”In this episode, Johnny Hu, Principle at Menlo Ventures, takes us inside his journey from scientist to venture capitalist, revealing how adapting to new mindsets, operational discipline, and calculated risk-taking are crucial in biotech. He breaks down the differences between the lab and the investment world, shares lessons from mentors at Omega Funds, and explains how founder-first investing and clear communication drive his approach at Menlo Ventures. Johnny also explores the challenges of fundraising, the realities of board dynamics, and how AI is reshaping biotech, all while emphasizing the value of curiosity and adaptability in a field defined by complexity and constant change.Key topics covered:Navigating the transition from scientist to venture capitalist: Adapting to new mindsetsThe importance of operational discipline, capital efficiency, and decision-making in biotech startups: Stretching every dollarLessons learned from mentors and experiences at Omega Funds: Start with the end in mindThe value of founder-first investing and building intentional, transparent relationships with entrepreneurs: Build trust and clarityThe impact of AI and technological innovation on biotech, and the unique challenges of risk assessment in life sciences: Managing risk in complex systemsIf you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/Website: https://menlovc.com/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:The Odd Lots Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/odd-lots/id1056200096Protein Data Bank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Data_BankAlphaFold: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/Human Genome Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_ProjectJanelia Research Campus: https://www.janelia.org/CRISPR and Genome Engineering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR_gene_editingBehavioral Economics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_economicsCompanies, Universities, & People mentioned:Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/Genentech: https://www.gene.com/Gilead Sciences: https://www.gilead.com/Bio-Rad: https://www.bio-rad.com/Omega Funds: https://omegafunds.com/Richard Lim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-j-lim/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:16 Credit vs VC Mindset: Finding Opportunity in Complexity07:07 Operational Discipline and Capital Efficiency in Biotech Startups16:26 Board Dynamics and Decision-Making in Startups19:23 Challenges of Risk and Complexity in Life Sciences22:45 AI's Role in Biotech and Investment25:42 Johnny Hu's Career Path and Mentorship at Omega Funds28:12 Working Backwards: Strategy and Product-Market Fit31:25 Risk Management and Personal Tolerance in Venture Investing35:23 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."Every technology has a shelf life. It’s just true, right? And, so, is that shelf life years? Is it months? Is it weeks? Is it days? You know, has it actually already been surpassed? That’s just progress, right? That’s great”In this episode, Johnny Hu, Principal at Menlo Ventures, unpacks his journey through neuroscience research at Genentech and Cambridge, the electrifying early days of CRISPR, and the fast-moving Boston biotech scene, revealing how academic culture, tool-building, and intentional company culture fuel breakthrough innovation. He offers a candid look at bridging academia and industry, the realities of risk and execution in biotech startups, and the collaborative and competitive dynamics of venture investing—showing what it really takes to thrive where science, startups, and investment meet.Key topics covered:The Value of Academic Culture: Cambridge’s traditions and cross-disciplinary thinking fueled Johnny’s passion for building tools and deep scientific exploration.The Rise of CRISPR: Inside the early, high-energy days of gene editing’s rapid ascent.Boston Biotech Ecosystem: How a dense, connected community unlocked opportunities in startups and venture capital.Company Culture & Team Dynamics: Why setting culture early shapes how teams execute and succeed.Investing in Biotech: The real work of weighing risk, building strong boards, and making tough calls in venture.If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:DNA Origami:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_origamiGeorge Church Lab: https://churchlab.hms.harvard.edu/David Liu Lab: https://www.liugroup.us/Editas Medicine: https://www.editasmedicine.com/Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/Genentech: https://www.gene.com/Vida Ventures: https://vidaventures.com/RA Capital: https://www.racap.com/Beam Therapeutics: https://beamtx.com/University of Cambridge: https://www.cam.ac.uk/Harvard University: https://www.harvard.edu/Harvard Medical School: https://hms.harvard.edu/MIT: https://www.mit.edu/George Church: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-church-2b86301/David R. Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-liu-465394185/Peter Kolchinsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkolchinskyRajeev Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeevmshah/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:23 UK Academic Ecosystem and Cambridge Experience04:10 Focus on Tool Building in Neuroscience08:00 DNA Origami and Early CRISPR Exposure10:57 Technology Shelf Life and Progress16:05 Boston Biotech Ecosystem and Company Incubation20:00 Importance of Company Culture in Startups24:00 Team Dynamics and Organizational Structure29:15 Venture Capital Culture and Collaboration32:22 Investment Decision-Making and Risk35:50 Board Role and Execution in Biotech Startups36:14 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.“Every startup starts the journey at zero, and you’re just building from scratch. Day by day, you do a little bit better, and eventually, you look back and realize how far you’ve come.”In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we dive into the formative journey of Johnny Hu, Principal at Menlo Ventures, tracing his path from a childhood spent on a UK university campus to the heart of biotech investing. Johnny shares how early exposure to academia, a move to Alabama near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and a deep curiosity for science and business shaped his worldview. He reflects on pivotal moments—from hands-on research in structural biology at Harvard and a summer at Genentech, to witnessing the evolution of biotech tools and infrastructure. Throughout, Johnny offers candid insights on the power of mentorship, the non-linear nature of discovery, and the incremental progress that fuels both scientific breakthroughs and startup success.Key topics covered:Academic Roots: Early immersion in campus life sparked a passion for science and discovery.Transatlantic Perspective: Moving from the UK to Alabama, NASA’s influence broadened his horizons.Interdisciplinary Curiosity: Juggled chemical biology, economics, and programming at Harvard.Research Evolution: Experienced the grind of structural biology and witnessed AI revolutionizing the field.Startup Realities: Saw firsthand how mentorship and modern infrastructure now supercharge biotech innovation.If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnyhhu/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:The Odd Lots Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/odd-lots/id1056200096Protein Data Bank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Data_BankAlphaFold: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/Human Genome Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_ProjectJanelia Research Campus: https://www.janelia.org/CRISPR and Genome Engineering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR_gene_editingBehavioral Economics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_economicsCompanies, Universities, & People mentioned:Genentech: https://www.gene.com/Gilead Sciences: https://www.gilead.com/Bio-Rad: https://www.bio-rad.com/David Jeruzalmi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjeruzalmi/Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:48 Early Life and Academic Roots08:30 Move to Alabama and NASA Influence11:11 Harvard Admission and Interdisciplinary Interests18:38 Undergraduate Lab Experience in Structural Biology31:07 Summer at Genentech33:57 Comparing Academic and Industry Labs36:17 Startup Realities and Biotech Infrastructure39:08 Incremental Progress in Biotech Startups42:08 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."If you really want to understand biology, you need to be able to represent it in the computer. If you can’t model it, you can’t really predict its behavior”In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, returns for the fourth installment of his series to share how his vision for holistic biological simulation evolved from Formic Labs into Deep Origin. Michael discusses the challenges of building a unified R&D platform for biotech, the current suite of Deep Origin’s products, and how the company is making advanced drug discovery tools accessible to organizations of every size. He also dives into the company’s philosophy, the lessons learned from previous ventures, and what’s next as Deep Origin continues to scale its impact on the life sciences sector.Key topics covered:The Evolution from Formic Labs to Deep Origin: Transforming a bold simulation vision into a focused biotech platform.Building a Unified R&D Platform: Tackling integration hurdles to streamline biological modeling.Deep Origin’s Product Suite: Delivering cutting-edge, accessible tools for drug discovery and research.Company Philosophy & Culture: Fostering innovation, impact, and research-driven teamwork.What’s Next for Deep Origin: Productizing novel tools, deepening partnerships, and expanding access.If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:AlphaFold: https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/Balto AI Assistant: https://www.deeporigin.com/balto-ai-assistant-for-drug-discoveryCompanies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFxBenchling: https://www.benchling.com/BioSim: https://biosim.pt/eMolecules: https://emolecules.com/Enamine: https://enamine.net/Garegin Papoian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garegin-papoian-9472a85/Matt Shlosberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dshlos/Ashot Papoyan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashot-papoyan-066b403/Henk Campher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henkcampher/Jonathan Karr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonrkarr/Benjamin Siranosian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsiranosian/Natalie Ma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliejingma/Tiago Luchini: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiagoluchini/Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:14 Formic Labs and Deep Origin Origins08:33 Early Team and Status Quo Disruption17:56 Challenges in Biotech Tool Ecosystem19:06 Deep Origin's Product Suite Overview24:31 Target Customers and Accessibility28:24 Company Philosophy and Fundraising34:53 Future Plans and Productization38:45 Shout Outs and Supporters39:25 Advice to Younger Self41:08 Closing Remarks and Thanks41:40 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."My mind is analytical – so I wondered ‘what is the most exciting, impactful thing I could do?’ I felt we’re all growing older, so where is the technology of aging? How well do we understand the biochemistry of us as humans?"In this episode, Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, shares his bold leap from pioneering virtual reality to tackling the complexities of human aging and biotech innovation. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about biology and the mysteries of longevity, Michael reveals how his software background inspired him to "debug" biology, build better research tools, and launch Formic Ventures to back high-risk, high-reward startups.He discusses his vision for integrating computational and biological approaches, the promise of cellular reprogramming, and his mission to create a new ecosystem that empowers researchers and accelerates breakthroughs in extending human healthspan.Key topics covered:From Oculus to Biotech: Michael Antonov’s leap from VR pioneer to longevity-focused founderDebugging Biology: Using software logic to unravel aging’s complexityInvestment Philosophy: Formic Ventures’ bold bets on transformative biotechCellular Reprogramming: Rejuvenating cells to fight aging at its coreBuilding Deep Origin: Unifying platforms to supercharge drug discovery and researchIf you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:Cellular Reprogramming: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167779922000257Longevity.Technology: https://www.longevity.technology/PyTorch: https://pytorch.org/Carmel Browser and React VR: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/carmel-developer-preview-launches-today/?locale=pt_PTThe Michael Antonov Foundation: https://antonovfoundation.org/Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFxFormic Ventures: https://formic.vc/TileDB: https://tiledb.com/HKUST: https://hkust.edu.hk/Garegin Papoian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garegin-papoian-9472a85/Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:22 Joining Facebook and Acquisition Experience05:01 Resource Abundance and Internal Politics06:41 Working at Facebook and Priorities09:41 Early Fascination with Biology of Aging15:17 Studying Biology at Berkeley Extension17:39 Starting Biotech Investing21:57 Learning the Ins and Outs of Investing25:19 Challenges in Biotech Investing26:24 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."We were a small team, just a handful of people, trying to solve problems that had stumped the industry for decades. Every day felt like we were building the future from scratch."In this episode, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, Michael Antonov, shares the inside story of how he and a small, driven team transformed virtual reality from a niche dream into a billion-dollar industry. From his early days at Scaleform to the rapid growth of Oculus, Michael recounts overcoming daunting technical and business challenges, the thrill of their record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, and the relentless innovation that led to Oculus’s $2 billion acquisition by Facebook. Listeners get a rare look at the mindset and decision-making behind one of tech’s most remarkable startup journeys, packed with lessons for entrepreneurs everywhere.Key topics covered:The early days at Scaleform and the transition to founding Oculus: Game tools to VR visionariesOvercoming technical hurdles in VR hardware and software development: Solving tough VR challengesLaunching and scaling through the Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign: Crowdfunding breakthroughNavigating rapid company growth and organizational challenges: Fast growth, big changesThe acquisition process with Facebook and the future of virtual reality: $2B deal, new horizonsIf you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:The History of the Future by Blake Harris: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34017056-the-history-of-the-futureConsole Wars by Blake Harris: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18505802-console-warsAcquired Podcast: https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/episode-35-oculusVoices of VR Podcast: https://voicesofvr.com/745-the-history-of-the-future-book-on-oculus-role-in-the-modern-resurgence-of-vr/Oculus Rift Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1523379957/oculus-rift-step-into-the-gameCompanies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFxValve: https://www.valvesoftware.com/Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/John Carmack: https://x.com/id_aa_carmack?lang=enPalmer Luckey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palmer-luckey-21a16959/Nate Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemitchell/Gabe Newell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-newell-0721752bb/Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:08 Moving to Orange County & Joining Autodesk04:23 The Oculus Origin Story: Meeting Palmer Luckey11:46 Early Prototypes and the Power of Kickstarter16:31 Fulfilling Orders and Building the Team20:06 Funding Realities and Internal Seed Round23:08 Technical Breakthroughs: Tracking and Blurriness28:33 Collaboration and Competition with Valve29:43 Deciding to Build vs. Buy VR Tech32:10 Raising Capital & Facebook’s Interest34:01 First Acquisition Offer from Facebook35:15 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.“There was this moment when I was 13 where a family friend brought a computer and I really liked games. It was just so fascinating. And then I could learn and write simple statements and logic. So that was like a little precursor, anything electronics, anything computers excited me. And biology was something I would hear about, but not really pay a lot of attention to.”In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, we dive into the remarkable journey of Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, as he shares how growing up in post-Soviet Russia, surrounded by scarcity and a family of biologists, shaped his resourcefulness and ambition. A chance encounter with a borrowed computer sparked his lifelong passion for programming, steering him away from biology and into the world of software innovation. Michael recounts building foundational technologies in gaming and VR, co-founding Scaleform and Oculus, and navigating the challenges of scaling startups, forging pivotal partnerships, and eventually being acquired by Autodesk. His story is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and the power of seizing unexpected opportunities on the path from immigrant to influential entrepreneur in biotech and beyond.Key topics covered:Growing up in post-Soviet Russia: Scarcity, grit, and a family of biologistsDiscovering computers and programming: A creative escape and new directionBuilding and pivoting Scaleform: Dorm-room startup to game industry stapleSecuring major clients and networking: Landing deals through conferences and connectionsNavigating acquisition by Autodesk: Startup freedom meets corporate realityIf you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:Civilization IV: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_IVAdobe Flash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_FlashGame Developers Conference: https://gdconf.com/Crysis: https://www.crytek.com/games/crysisMaya: https://www.autodesk.com/asean/products/maya/overviewScaleform GFX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFxCompanies, Universities, & People mentioned:Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/BioWare: https://www.bioware.com/Autodesk: https://www.autodesk.com/Nintendo: https://www.nintendo.com/Brendan Iribe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaniribe/Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:47 Growing Up in Post-Soviet Russia04:33 Family’s Background in Biology06:56 First Encounter with Computers and Programming09:45 High School in Maryland and Early Programming Projects11:49 Choosing Computer Science and College Experience15:32 Meeting Cofounder and Starting Scaleform20:54 Building and Pivoting the Scaleform Product23:31 Landing First Customers and Early Growth28:16 Securing Big Clients and Gaining Industry Momentum32:23 Deciding to Sell and the Autodesk Acquisition36:35 Navigating Corporate Culture Post-Acquisition40:29 OutroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."It's not about avoiding failure. It's about avoiding every scenario where you look back and say, ‘I could have done this differently and we wouldn't be here.’"In this episode, host Jon Chee talks with Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, about how smart R&D infrastructure decisions can make or break biotech startups. Bogdan shares his journey from scientist to founder and explains how Kaleidoscope empowers teams to harness their data, streamline collaboration, and extend their runway. The conversation spotlights real-world examples of how operational efficiency and the right tools create compounding advantages, why time is the true currency in biotech, and how accelerating drug development can have a profound impact for patients. Bogdan also reflects on the importance of learning by doing and paying it forward in the entrepreneurial journey.Key topics covered:Building the “nerve center” for biotech R&D: Centralizing and streamlining operations.Why early infrastructure decisions are critical for biotech startups: Early choices shape growth.The compounding value of operational efficiency and smart tooling: Small gains drive big advantages.How saving time and capital can mean the difference between success and failure: Time and cash are everything.Personal lessons on mentorship, paying it forward, and learning by doing: Give back and take action.If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:Cash Runway 101 https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-cash-runway Tips for Managing Cash Runway After Seed or Series A Financing https://www.excedr.com/blog/managing-cash-runway-after-seed-or-series-a-financing Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/Notion: https://www.notion.com/AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/Creative Destruction Lab: https://creativedestructionlab.com/Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:02 Kaleidoscope’s mission and focus05:15 Real-world platform use and data management10:24 Early infrastructure decisions and tool adoption15:25 Incremental improvements and operational efficiency18:51 Time and capital as critical resources in biotech22:21 Extending runway with equipment leasing and software26:26 Kaleidoscope’s future and enterprise readiness32:21 Impact on patient outcomes and urgency38:15 Paying it forward and mentorship39:38 Advice to aspiring founders41:25 Closing remarks and outroThe 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.

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners."Until you experience a thing, you don’t know a thing. That’s something that bothers me a lot with the investor world-unless you’ve done it, you don’t really know what the grind feels like."In this episode, Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, unpacks how hands-on experience-from the grind at Frequency Therapeutics to launching the Rhodes Incubator-shaped his passion for biotech startups and team building. He shares the pivotal role of serendipity and authentic networking at Creative Destruction Lab and Entrepreneur First, which ultimately set the stage for founding Kaleidoscope. Bogdan dives into the challenges of innovating biotech R&D infrastructure, the importance of collaboration, and why tackling meaningful problems drives his mission in a rapidly evolving industry.Key topics covered:Experiential Learning: Nothing beats firsthand experience in understanding biotech’s real challenges.Building Teams: Founding the Rhodes Incubator showed what truly makes teams thrive.Serendipity and Networking: Authentic outreach and chance meetings unlock major opportunities.From Academia to Entrepreneurship: The leap means tackling real-world problems that matter.Innovating Biotech Infrastructure: Kaleidoscope is digitizing R&D to speed up breakthroughs.If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/ Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheeLearn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.comIntro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin Resources & Articles:Biotech Fundraising Milestones Resource: https://blog.kaleidoscope.bio/biotech-milestones-for-effective-fundraising/Exhalation: Stories: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41160292-exhalationStories of Your Life and Other: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223380.Stories_of_Your_Life_and_OthersCompanies, Universities, & People mentioned:Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/Creative Destruction Lab: https://creativedestructionlab.com/Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/Ahmed Elnaiem: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aelnaiem/David Yen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-y-e-n/Matt Clifford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcliffordef/?originalSubdomain=ukTimestamps:00:00 Intro02:00 Discovering a love for startups at Frequency Therapeutics06:13 Launching the Rhodes Incubator and learning what makes teams work08:01 Gaining startup know-how through student-run organizations10:51 Building strong co-founder bonds and the value of team chemistry13:38 Leading the AI stream at Creative Destruction Lab17:31 Embracing serendipity and authentic networking20:00 Helping launch Entrepreneur First’s Toronto program22:35 Committing to start Kaleidoscope with longtime friends25:41 Defining Kaleidoscope’s purpose and picking meaningful problems29:34 Tackling biotech’s digital transformation and leaving paper behind31:13 Shaping the future of biotech with next-gen product vision34:55 OutroThe 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.