The Biotech Startups Podcast

Part 1 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Neela Patel, Chief Business Officer at Bonum Therapeutics who are developing protein therapeutics to be used to treat a wide range of diseases. Neela is a seasoned scientist and business development executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in drug discovery and development.Before her time at Bonum Therapeutics Neela worked as the CBO at Good Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops cutting-edge protein-based drugs. Her impressive career also includes pivotal roles at Seattle Genetics, AbbVie, Abbott, and Genentech. Her extensive experience as both a scientist and business person give her unique insights you won’t want to miss. Join us this week to hear about:How a college biology class lead to a Genentech internshipGetting inspired to pursue her PhD Working with influential scientists at DNAXJoining an investment club and pursuing the intersection of science and businessTransitioning out of DNAX and cold calling people for her next opportunityPlease enjoy Jon’s conversation with Neela Patel!Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Neela Patel, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neela-patel-84b144/ https://bonumtx.com/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & 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:Bell Labs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Labs Genentech: https://www.gene.com/ AMGEN: https://www.amgen.com/ C. Elegans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans Mutagenesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutagenesis DNAX Research Institute: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dnax-research-institute/Leptin Receptor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin_receptor How to Get Funding for Lab Research: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-to-get-funding-for-lab-research Microbiology Lab Equipment & Instruments List: https://www.excedr.com/blog/microbiology-lab-equipment-list-to-open-your-new-lab Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportPeople Mentioned:Sherie Morrison https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherie-morrison-8736217/ Bob Coffman: https://investors.dynavax.com/management/robert-coffman Martin McMahonn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-mcmahon-8643796/ Lewis Lanier https://lanierlab.ucsf.edu/node/3033 Timestamps:00:28 Intro02:31 Growing up in an intellectual household with engaged, socially aware parents07:08 How a college biology class lead to an internship at Genentech10:06 Finding that lab work at Genentech was a perfect balance of togetherness and independence13:05 Similarities between drug discovery and Neela’s cross disciplinary undergrad studies16:18 Getting inspired by Genentech to pursue her PhD at UCLA19:22 Choosing a lab focused on studying C. Elegans 20:48 Looking at the progress of technology and the overall business environment over her career25:18 Dealing with the steep learning curve of a PhD program and learning to not give up27:24 Contemplating her next steps into her professional life and finally settling on DNAX30:14 Working with influential scientists at DNAX Research Institute32:18 Joining an investment club while pursuing the intersection of science and business35:41 Transitioning out of DNAX and manually going through a directory searching for her next opportunity40:02 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.

eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, is an accomplished scientist with a PhD in Neurobiology who blends AI and healthcare. He discusses Ecotone's innovative use of AI to decode human genomes and target rare diseases. The conversation highlights the adoption of diffusion transformers to model genomes and create synthetic data. eMalick emphasizes intentional company building and shares insights on sustainable growth in biotech. The discussion also touches on the importance of mentorship and self-care in navigating a career in the industry.

The Biotech Startups Podcast is brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.Part 3 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.Join us this week to hear about:Founding Genetic Intelligence and its mission to combine AI and geneticsChallenges of founding a company, personal sacrifices, and breakthroughs leading to NSF recognitionHow company culture and leadership shifts led eMalick to leave Genetic IntelligenceThe importance of building teams aligned with the original visionDiscovering population genetics through AI and the birth of EcotonePlease enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie!Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & 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:Genetic Intelligence (now Genetic Leap): https://www.genetic-leap.com/Neurostorm: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neurostorm-inc/Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/OpenAI: https://openai.com/National Science Foundation (NSF): https://www.nsf.gov/McKinsey & Company: https://www.mckinsey.com/Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/Andreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.com/Population Genetics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/population-genetics/C. Elegans Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20086/AI’s Impact in Genetic Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10856672/Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportUnderstanding Tech Transfer: https://www.excedr.com/blog/what-is-tech-transferIP & Patents in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/intellectual-property-rights-for-biotechsPeople Mentioned:Bertrand Adanve, PhD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertrandadanve/Nathan Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-clark-4b850134/Timestamps:00:28 Introduction01:58 Founding Genetic Intelligence03:23 Early struggles, learning from challenges, and staying lean08:32 The universal approximator and the role of AI at Genetic Intelligence11:56 Early adoption of AI and growing momentum16:30 AI and paradigm shifts18:00 Scaling and growing a team, and the pitfalls of doing so28:38 Building culture and hiring for vision33:38 Launching think-tank Neurostorm and learning from failure37:09 Transition to independent research44:11 Discovering population genetics through AI47:30 The birth of Ecotone and AI transformers51:54 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 brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.Part 2 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a healthcare company that is using AI to find cures for inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.Join us this week to hear about:Answering the question “What is memory?”How playing “Stump the Professor” led eMalick to ColumbiaStudying C Eligans in a sandals-wearing labThe wide applicable uses for AI and ML in researchWanting to help people at scalePlease enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie!Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & 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:Alzheimer’s Disease: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers Neprilysin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2329843/ Amyloid Plaques: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyloid_plaques CAR T Therapy: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/immunotherapy/car-t-cell1.html C Elegans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans Amyloid Hypothesis for Alzheimer’s https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/alzheimers-new-study-supports-amyloid-hypothesis-suggests-alternate-treatment AlexNet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlexNet Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportPeople Mentioned:Dr. Wolfgang Streit: https://neuroscience.ufl.edu/profile/streit-wolfgang/ Dr. David Borchelt https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borchelt-42474623/ Martin Chalfie https://chalfielab.biology.columbia.edu/people/martin-chalfieTimestamps:00:28 Intro01:52 Moving to Florida and dealing with massive shifts in weather and culture04:48 Experience working to answer the questions, “What is memory,” 06:21 Studying the other extreme edge of memory, Alzheimer’s disease10:43 Investigating possible plaque busting proteins13:43 Benefits of having more freedom and other differences between MIT and Borchelt's Lab16:25 Playing “Stump The Professor” with Martin Chalfie 20:06 Getting both invited and challenged to write a proposal to study at Columbia25:47 Learning to love the constant surprises and level of people in New York29:46 Going from a lab coat lab to a sandals lab to study C Eligans at Columbia 34:25 Researching neurons responsible for touch sensitivity in C Eligans38:30 Martin Chalfie’s mentorship brilliant mentorship style allowing his students to grow43:43 How a data deluge stemming from one of his experiments started his AI/ML journey 49:53 Choosing the entrepreneurship path and wanting to help people at scale54:27 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 brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.Part 1 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, eMalick Njie, CEO of Ecotone AI, a company that is looking to use AI to find cures for rare inherited diseases. eMalick is an experienced scientist and entrepreneur who has focused on blending his expertise in neuroscience with his knowledge of AI. In addition to founding two AI companies, Ecotone and Genetic Intelligence, eMalick received his PhD in Neurobiology and Neuroscience from the University of Florida. His extensive and diverse experience from being a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia university to being the CEO of the AI thinktank NeuroStorm makes our conversation with him one you won’t want to miss.Join us this week to hear about:Growing up with hippie parents in the GambiaBeing in the first neuroscience class in the country at Northeastern UniversityLessons learned in one on one conversations with a CEOExperience working with Dr. Alice Ting while at MITSticking to his principles and leaving MITPlease enjoy Jon’s conversation with Dr. eMalick Njie!Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emalick-njie-ph-d-ab82348/ https://ecotone.ai/ Find Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & 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:Ecotone AI: https://ecotone.ai/ Genetic Leap: https://www.genetic-leap.com/ Northeastern University: https://cos.northeastern.edu/behavioral-neuroscience/ Millennium Pharmaceuticals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeda_Oncology Eli Lilly Joins Forces with AI Startup Genetic Leap in $409M Deal https://www.geneonline.com/eli-lilly-joins-forces-with-ai-startup-genetic-leap-in-409m-deal-centered-around-rna-targeted-drug-discovery/ Biotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportPeople Mentioned:Dr. Alice Y. Ting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-ting-a7689835/ Dr. Wendy Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-smith-80663714/ Mark Howort https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-howarth-763112b1/Dr. Eric Kandel: https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/profile/eric-kandel-md Dr. David Bruchelt https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-borchelt-42474623/ Dr. Wolfgang Streit: https://neuroscience.ufl.edu/profile/streit-wolfgang/ Timestamps:00:28 Intro02:12 Early upbringing in the Gambia, early childhood, and how his unusual hippie parents shaped him into the scientist and entrepreneur he is today04:32 Following his curiosity to his undergrad program Northeastern University to study the “unending book” of neuroscience06:51 Being part of the first neuroscience class in the country and starting the trend of working under Nobel Prize winners, and/or those trained by Nobel Laureates 11:17 First exposure to professional scientists while interning at Millennium Pharmaceuticals 14:03 Lessons learned during his humanizing one-on-one conversations with the CEO17:52 Comparing and contrasting his industry experience with his academia experience19:58 Getting to MIT after graduating from NEU and working with Dr. Alice Ting23:24 Dealing with challenging periods in your life and learning to persevere25:28 Memorable and humbling challenge while working in Dr. Ting’s lab30:18 “How do you lose your recommendation letter to MIT: 101” 32:38 Choosing to moving on to University of Florida36:51 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 brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization.Know anyone that needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program: Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.Get your unique referral link by going to: refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.Part 4 of 4: Jon Chee hosts our latest guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, the Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. Barbara brings a wealth of experience as a former researcher, entrepreneur, and industry veteran. She has worked extensively with startups and early-stage ventures. Her scientific background is in Telomeres and DNA Repair research. Prior to her role at J.P. Morgan, Barbara advised biotech and medtech companies at Manos Accelerator, served as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, and co-founded BioChron, an AI-driven biological aging tracking company. Her unique combination of scientific knowledge, business acumen, and investment/finance expertise makes her an invaluable resource for founders in the biotech space.Join us this week to hear about:Barbara’s unexpected pivot into bankingHer transition from SVB to J.P. MorganHer unique life sciences and entrepreneurial backgroundsThe importance of mentorship, resilience, and seizing unexpected opportunitiesNavigating the challenges of building a career in both science and financePlease enjoy Jon’s conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva!Subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/https://www.jpmorgan.com/globalFind Our Host, Jon Chee, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheehttps://www.excedr.comExcedr Socials & 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:SVB: https://www.svb.com/J.P. Morgan: https://www.jpmorgan.com/globalNucleate: https://www.nucleate.xyz/Women in Bio: https://womeninbio.org/How to Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startupPatent Licensing for Biotechs: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-patent-licensing-worksBiotech Startup Support: https://www.excedr.com/resources-category/biotech-startup-supportPeople Mentioned:Timestamps:00:28 Intro02:18 Pivoting from Life Sciences Angels to SVB10:24 Joining the Life Sciences practice and establishing the Early-Stage division13:22 Transitioning to Private Equity and J.P. Morgan16:16 The power of mentorship and mentor networks17:46 Barbara Reflects on her pivot from Life Sciences Angels to J.P. Morgan19:17 Why J.P. Morgan stands out and the impact of Barbara's group23:58 The importance of business partners who understand the Life Sciences27:55 How J.P. Morgan supports Growth-Stage companies30:57 Barbara’s 2-year vision34:34 Barbara’s shoutouts and advice to younger self37:00 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 brought to you by Excedr. Excedr provides life science startups with equipment leases on founder-friendly terms to accelerate R&D and commercialization. Lease the equipment you need with Excedr. Extend your runway, hit your milestones.Know anyone who needs lab equipment? Join Excedr’s referral program.Give Your Friends $1,000, and Earn $1,000 for Each Qualified Referral 💸.Get your unique referral link by going to refer.excedr.com/ZTHETY.Part 3 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Barbara Alcaraz Silva, Executive Director of Early Stage Life Sciences and Healthcare, Startup Banking at J.P. Morgan. Barbara is a former researcher and entrepreneur, and an accomplished industry veteran. Her career has revolved around startups and early-stage ventures. As a graduate student, she focused on Telomeres and DNA Repair. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Barbara was an advisor for biotech and medtech companies at the Manos Accelerator, where she provided mentorship in business development, fundraising, and other key areas. She also served as a Senior Investment Fellow at Life Science Angels, where she invested in emerging biotechs and managed investor relationships. Additionally, Barbara co-founded BioChron, a company that leveraged AI and machine learning to track biological aging.Barbara’s dedication to fostering a strong community in the biotech space, combined with her expertise in science, business, and investing, makes her conversation invaluable for founders.Join us this week to hear about:Barbara’s transition from academia to entrepreneurship and industry Her experience co-founding Biochron, which built technologies to track biological aging using AI/MLThe challenges of early-stage company buildingHer time as a mentor at the Manos Accelerator, and investment experience in early-stage ventures as a Senior Fellow at Life Science AngelsAdvice for improving your investor pitch and connecting with the right peoplePlease enjoy my conversation with Barbara Alcaraz Silva.Find Our Guest, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasilvaucsf/https://www.jpmorgan.com/globalFind 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/ Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:Harvard: https://www.harvard.edu/UCSF: https://www.ucsf.edu/Kaiser Permanente, Division of Research: https://divisionofresearch.kaiserpermanente.org/Manos Accelerator: https://manosaccelerator.com/Life Science Angels: https://www.lifescienceangels.com/The Column Group: https://www.thecolumngroup.com/How To Spin Out of Academia: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-spin-out-of-academia-and-into-a-startupHow to Fund an R&D Lab: https://www.excedr.com/resources/rd-startup-funding-first-stepsTop Accelerators in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-acceleratorsTop Incubators in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-incubatorsAccelerator vs. Incubator: https://www.excedr.com/resources/accelerator-vs-incubatorTop VCs in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/top-vc-firms-for-biotechBiotech Funding Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-optionsGrant Funding in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/resources/grants-public-funding-biotech-startupsTimestamps:00:00 Intro01:54 The story behind Barbara’s decision to create a startup07:33 Experience as a Program Manager at UCSF10:43 Key lessons learned from running a startup and working as a PM16:03 Landing investment and advisory roles at the Manos Accelerator, Life Sciences Angels21:49 Crash course in investing and company assessment26:21 Advice for improving your investor pitch, connecting with the right people33:33 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.

Barbara Alcaraz Silva, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan and co-founder of BioChron, shares her journey from academia to biotech. She discusses her experience selecting the right research lab and the pivotal role mentorship played in her career. Barbara highlights her transition to global opportunities through fellowships and the importance of lab culture. She also addresses funding challenges in research and offers insights into networking strategies for aspiring scientists in the competitive biotech landscape.

In this conversation, Barbara Alcaraz Silva, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan, shares her inspiring immigrant journey from Mexico to the U.S. at just 17. She discusses overcoming educational challenges and the pivotal role of mentorship in her success. Barbara also recounts her unique experience of presenting in Spanish at a national conference, reflecting her growth and connection to her roots. With a rich background as a scientist-entrepreneur, she emphasizes resilience and the power of seizing transformative opportunities in the biotech sector.

Part 4 of 4. My guest for this week’s episode is Derek Hennecke, a veteran biotech entrepreneur and board member with over 30 years of experience in the CDMO industry, whose mission is to support the biotech revolution and create value for patients, customers, and investors.In addition to his Board work, Derek previously held leadership positions at DSM and was the Founder and CEO of Xcelience, a Florida-based CDMO specializing in preformulation, micronization, analytical services, formulation development, cGMP manufacturing, and more. Derek eventually sold Xcelience to Capsugel (now Lonza) in 2016. His extensive pharma and cell therapy expertise makes for an insightful conversation that founders can learn from.Join us this week and hear about:The process of building and scaling Xcelience, from leveraging innovative technology to disrupt the market to navigating the impact of the 2008 RecessionDerek’s experience with strategic buy-side and sell-side transactions His commitment to continuous learningHis transition into investing and work as a board memberPlease enjoy my conversation with Derek Hennecke.Find Our Guest, Derek Hennecke, at these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennecke/https://kincellbio.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/ Enriched Notes:Topics Mentioned:Xcelience: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xcelience-llc/MicroSize: https://www.microsize.com/Capsugel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CapsugelLonza (Capsugel’s Parent Company): https://www.lonza.com/Austin Px: https://www.austinpx.com/Micronization: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MicronizationBiotech Partnerships: https://www.excedr.com/blog/how-biotech-partnerships-support-researchM&A Strategies in Biotech: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/life-sciences-m-and-a-shows-new-signs-of-lifeBiotech Funding Options: https://www.excedr.com/resources/biotech-startup-funding-optionsMarketing and Sales Strategies in Biotech: https://www.excedr.com/blog/marketing-sales-strategies-for-biotechsHow To Run an Efficient Board Meeting: https://www.excedr.com/resources/how-to-run-an-effective-board-meetingElephant Slides: https://rapport.bio/all-stories/elephant-in-boardroomTimestamps:00:28 Intro01:48 Disrupting the market with Xcelience03:34 Derek’s M&A experience and acquisition strategy on the buy-side04:36 Financing Xcelience’s acquisition of another micronization company06:32 Derek’s sell-side experience with Capsugel12:03 Challenges of work and life post-acquisition; Working with Lonza14:32 Going back to school, starting as an investor, and transitioning to board work17:35 Bringing confidence and decision-making skills to board member roles20:21 Running effective board meetings and finding CEO mentorship26:53 Final reflections and Derek’s advice for founders30:11 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.