https://www.excedr.com/, https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/

Excedr, 100 Pine Street #1250, San Francisco, CA (2026)

01/26/2026

"Trust is like collecting raindrops in a bucket. It's collected one drip at a time and a single tip can break everything. You just can never let that happen, that one single tip and the whole bucket's gone."

In Part 3 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with AltruBio President & CEO, Judy Chou, building trust—and earning it under extraordinary circumstances—is a central theme that shaped her remarkable career.

In this episode, Judy shares:

– Walking into an empty 50,000 square foot facility as employee number one at Tanvex, calling the billionaire founder to ask what to do, and getting told "Why are you calling me? That's your job."

– Facing 32 FDA agents alone in a pre-IND meeting (answering questions on CMC, regulatory, clinical—everything) and convincing them to skip all preclinical animal studies—a first in biosimilar development

– How her medical school friend's death from metastatic lung cancer opened her eyes to drug accessibility, transforming her understanding that helping patients isn't just about innovation, but making therapies available

– Following passion over money when leaving Tanvex before maximizing IPO gains—and how that decision paradoxically led to greater financial success and career fulfillment

– Joining Bayer Pharmaceuticals to lead over 2,000 employees across six sites as the first Asian woman in leadership at a 153-year-old German organization, and the delicate balance of earning trust while driving change

This episode offers profound lessons on leadership, breaking barriers, and building trust in environments where everything is stacked against you.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/22/2026

"Innovation in biotech is to innovate the product. It's not to innovate the technology itself. You look at Apple—they don't create or invent chip technology, but they know how to produce the iPhone, iPad."

In Part 2 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with AltruBio President & CEO, Judy Chou, a major theme is shifting from technology innovation to product-driven innovation—and how that mindset change accelerates drug development.

In this episode, they cover:

– Pioneering high-throughput screening for biologics when everyone thought she was crazy, earning the nickname "High-Throughput Lady," and becoming the first to generate 10 grams per liter antibody production

– Rolling up her sleeves to master new disciplines so she can truly appreciate her team's work, not just manage from a distance

– Creating Genentech's groundbreaking cross-functional department in Oceanside—a "startup within a startup" that broke the vertical silo model and generated much of the pipeline Genentech develops today

– The mindset shift that changes everything: "Your goal is I'm going to get this product to the finish line as fast as possible"—not perfecting individual technologies

– Navigating headwinds in larger organizations when introducing radical change, and why acceleration matters for patients

It's a fascinating look at how one leader's product-first philosophy transformed biomanufacturing and continues to shape the industry today.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/19/2026

"Multidisciplinary is key. It's where the innovation really comes from. I always have this multidisciplinary thing. Maybe in the U.S. it's nothing strange, but it was extremely strange growing up."

In Part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with AltruBio President & CEO, Judy Chou, a big theme is how crossing boundaries between disciplines, cultures, and traditional paths fuels groundbreaking innovation.

In this episode, we cover:

– Growing up in Taiwan's conservative environment, finding her inner rebel, and how her parents (professors in English literature and library sciences) inadvertently set the stage for her to become the family's only scientist

– The pivotal moment an uncle challenged her: "Do you think you're smarter than Einstein?" – redirecting her passion from physics to biology's unsolved problems

– That devastating walk from the emergency room back to the lab after collecting blood from a dying leukemia patient, and the young boy's plea that fundamentally changed her mission from treating one patient at a time to finding solutions

– Earning five honors in her first semester at Yale (when students typically need years to earn two), then choosing neuroscience to tackle the "biggest problem" – using our brain to understand our brain

– The "Home Alone" experience when her PhD advisor left Yale mid-program, forcing her to roll a cart between labs like a "homeless scientist" and developing the fierce independence that defined her career

It's a fascinating journey from medical school in Taiwan to Nobel Prize-adjacent research to breaking barriers as the first Asian woman to lead Bayer's global biotech organization.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/13/2026

"We don't pipette faster. We don't have magic. But it's the entire approach to how we work with biotechs and how we create the right incentives."

In Part 4 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with CTMC Chief Business Officer, Amy Hay, a major theme is rethinking partnership models to accelerate cell therapy development and democratize access to lifesaving treatments.

In this episode, they cover:

– CTMC's mission to bridge academic research and industry by providing end-to-end manufacturing, regulatory, and clinical support—getting early-stage biotechs into the clinic in under 100 days

– Disrupting traditional deal structures by focusing on milestone-based contracts and equity stakes rather than maximizing price per batch, creating true alignment between manufacturers and biotech partners

– Why the patient is literally part of the supply chain in cell therapy, and how that fundamental difference requires regional manufacturing to reduce cost, complexity, and time—especially for patients who don't have time to wait

– Building CTMC's Network Alliance to transfer knowledge and manufacturing capabilities globally, starting with Albert Einstein in Brazil and targeting high-need regions like Australia for TIL therapy in melanoma

– The importance of investing in regulatory expertise upfront to avoid financially crippling mistakes later, and how business model innovation matters as much as scientific innovation

It's a fascinating look at how aligning incentives and thinking differently about partnerships can unlock access to transformative therapies on a global scale.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/12/2026

"You should seek out different opinions. That's either going to make you more firm in your belief or it's going to force you to think of alternatives."

In Part 3 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with CTMC Chief Business Officer, Amy Hay, a big theme is embracing diverse perspectives and adapting to the reality in front of you.

In this episode, we cover:

– Raising $125 million for MD Anderson's Proton Therapy Center and pivoting from Wall Street investors to firefighters' and police officers' pension funds after September 11th

– The hard lesson that you can't plug and play human beings—building Einstein's oncology clinic in Brazil, demolishing it, and redesigning it to fit the culture, not just the blueprint

– Navigating the painful departure from MD Anderson after 20 years and the realization that complacency is the enemy—"the moment that you stop being curious in your job is the moment you need to run out the front door"

– Meeting people where they are, from working with a physicist in Nigeria running scans on a backup generator to understanding that achieving value matters more than the method

– Founding Evolve, selling it to Varian right before the pandemic, and full-circling back to MD Anderson's ecosystem through her work with CTMC on cell therapy

It's a powerful conversation about adaptation, resilience, and the importance of cultural intelligence in healthcare innovation.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/08/2026

"There are incredible people everywhere, and the human part of them is always trying to do good. It's not about what your lab coat says—it's about how you treat that patient."

In Part 2 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with CTMC Chief Business Officer, Amy Hay, a powerful theme emerges: impact transcends institutional prestige, and true excellence in healthcare lies in accessibility and compassion.

In this episode, we cover:

– Landing MD Anderson's first-ever internal administrative fellowship by differentiating herself through ground-level experience—from patient advocacy to running clinics—and showing how that understanding translates to C-suite impact

– The audacious plan to build MD Anderson's proton therapy center with zero budget, raising $125 million, and how 9/11 forced a complete pivot from Wall Street to local firefighters' and police officers' pension funds

– Opening MD Anderson's first satellite clinic in Bellaire, Texas, meeting patients where they were, and proving that convenience and world-class care aren't mutually exclusive (even after being told three times it wouldn't work)

– The power of alignment: surrounding yourself with people who fill your gaps, and creating partnerships where purpose and incentives are so aligned that "you can put the contract in the drawer and never look at again"

– Transitioning from US-centric academic medicine to global oncology work, and recognizing that only 20% of cancer patients access top academic centers—leading to her mission of providing excellence regardless of where patients live

It's a masterclass in persistence, pivoting through adversity, and building healthcare solutions that truly serve patients.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/05/2026

"The research teams think they define the organization because of their research. The clinical patient delivery side thinks they define the organization. They're both right because they need each other to exist."

In Part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with CTMC Chief Business Officer, Amy Hay, a central theme is bridging the gap between competing priorities and recognizing the connective tissue that makes innovation thrive.

In this episode, we cover:

– Watching her grandparents navigate dementia, early exposure to crisis care, and the foundational lesson that you can't let a good crisis go to waste – focus on growth, not negativity

– Her father's career-defining advice: "behave as if you're in your next job," and how always saying "how" instead of "no" as a receptionist at MD Anderson made her indispensable from day one

– Blending her mother's artistic creativity with her father's business acumen to build novel collaborations and partnerships that shouldn't work on paper – but become a 10 when executed

– Starting as a patient advocate, learning every touchpoint of the clinical experience, and recognizing the symbiotic truth: "no margin, no mission" – business sustainability enables better patient care

– Giving yourself grace to gain real-world experience, from answering phones to waiting tables, because those skills become invaluable when applying knowledge in healthcare leadership

It's a powerful look at resilience, strategic thinking, and the art of building bridges in complex healthcare organizations.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

01/01/2026

"The Bill Gateses, Mark Zuckerbergs, Elon Musks—the guys that are 'zero to one' but also '1 to 5,000' employees—are more rare than unicorns. Know yourself. Figure out what you're good at, where you can add value, and focus there."

In Part 2 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with Ori Biotech CEO and Executive Director, Jason Foster, a central theme is understanding your unique strengths and building businesses that match your zone of genius rather than chasing the Silicon Valley founder archetype.

In this episode, we dive into:

– Landing in London with no network, learning to listen more than speak, and navigating the cultural complexities of building a business across 37 countries from zero to 1,100 employees

– Why culture eats strategy for breakfast—the power of autonomy, mastery, and purpose over KPI-driven bonuses, and how mission-driven teams do incredible things against the largest odds

– The reality that cures for cancer existed but patients couldn't access them because they were too expensive and too hard to make, and why that became Jason's mission at Ori

– Designing the business you always wanted to work for, refusing to put values on the wall where they become performative, and living culture in the hard meetings and at the water cooler

– Moving beyond vendor relationships to trusted advisor status, making decisions for long-term business continuity over short-term profit optimization, and building an ecosystem around next-generation cell therapy manufacturing

Jason's journey from startup operator within a large pharma to angel investor to CEO is packed with hard-won insights on leadership, commercial viability, and what it really takes to scale life-saving therapies.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

12/29/2025

"If you think about what we do as human beings, the vast majority of the value we create is through communication. Oral, written, increasingly through email, text message, website, marketing copy, social media."

In Part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with Ori Biotech CEO and Executive Director, Jason Foster, a central theme is the power of communication in building value and driving entrepreneurial success.

In this episode, we cover:

– Early lessons in creativity and communication from growing up as an only child surrounded by adults, and the entrepreneurial ethic developed through paper routes, lawn care, and door-to-door sales

– Finding the healthcare spark during policy work at the House Commerce Committee on FDA reform, and the realization that private sector innovation drives patient impact faster than the public sector

– Columbia MBA lessons that still resonate: working with diverse international teams, choosing the "least worst option" when there's no perfect answer, and understanding that people aren't rational beings making rational decisions

– Making decisions without complete information, avoiding analysis paralysis, and why the worst choice is indecision itself

– The human side of sales and business development – understanding that every transaction is simply one human being talking to another, and building relationships based on matching value to real needs

It's a fascinating journey filled with practical wisdom for scientists, first-time founders, and anyone navigating the biotech startup world.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

12/25/2025

"There's a reason that throughout history, people have invested so much time in art as a method of communication of ideas... You're convincing them in two separate routes to reach a part of the mind that detects images."

We’re revisiting some of our previous episodes over the holidays this year. Our next re-release is Part 4 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with Centivax Founder, CEO & Chairman, Jacob Glanville, where a big theme is the power of effective communication in fundraising—and why visual storytelling matters just as much as the science.

In this episode, Jake and Jon Chee dive into:

– The culture shift from pitching antibody discovery to venture capital, finding mentors willing to share their time, and learning what VCs really care about (simplicity, ex*****on, and massive inflection points)

– Why graphic design isn't superficial—art communicates to a different part of the brain and establishes truth in ways words alone cannot

– The dating game of fundraising: being respectful, handling rejection gracefully, not being clingy, and understanding that life is long

– Choosing the right VCs based on their networks, expertise, and who you actually want in the boardroom for the next few years (not just who writes the biggest check)

– Negotiating with balance—don't get played, but don't waste energy fighting over a couple points when the real difference is between amazing success or nothing getting done

It's a masterclass in navigating the venture capital world with authenticity, strategic thinking, and a healthy dose of perspective.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

12/22/2025

"Nobody wants to fold the laundry. But that's an important step on business growth."

We’re revisiting some of our previous episodes over the holidays this year. Our next re-release is Part 3 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with Centivax Founder, CEO & Chairman, Jacob Glanville, where a central theme is the unglamorous reality of building and scaling a successful biotech—it's not just innovation, it's obsessive attention to operational excellence.

In this episode, we cover:

– Building Distributed Bio with no traditional venture capital, starting with a napkin business plan and bootstrapping through licensing revenue before scaling to 36 people and 35+ programs

– The critical importance of protocol discipline and avoiding "drift" as teams grow—even the best people's processes can drift over time, and catching it requires constant vigilance

– Managing founder dynamics when risk tolerance differs, being present during critical ex*****on phases, and knowing when to pull the Band-Aid if team members aren't aligned

– The "Respiration Model" of leadership: encouraging open debate and ideas during planning, but demanding unwavering ex*****on once decisions are made—balancing innovation with operational discipline

– Strategic leasing and thoughtful instrumentation to scale at inflection points, growing from half a JLABS bench to a 7,500 sq ft facility, and knowing when to transition from scrappy to strategic

It's a masterclass in the practical, often boring work that transforms a promising idea into a thriving business.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

12/18/2025

"If you're doing something you're excited about, you're naturally going to exceed all the other people around you, and you're gonna become exceptional."

We’re revisiting some of our previous episodes over the holidays this year. Our next re-release is Part 2 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with Centivax Founder, CEO & Chairman, Jacob Glanville, where a big theme is how following your excitement leads to extraordinary results—in both career advancement and groundbreaking science.

In this episode, we dive into:

– Landing at Pfizer's Rinat site post-Berkeley, turning a garbage laptop into antibody(.)pfizer(.)com, and using bioinformatics tools as a "passport to knowledge" across teams

– The innovation paradox: why hierarchical organizations are efficient but terrible at innovating, while organic biotech cultures excel at breakthrough discoveries despite the chaos

– Rising from entry-level to Principal Scientist with just a BA through four rapid promotions—by solving real problems and publishing cutting-edge work on phage display libraries

– Taking the entrepreneurial leap: launching Distributed Bio before starting his Stanford PhD, balancing church and state, and why timing matters when you have "an idea burning a hole in your pocket"

– The critical distinction between finding work that fascinates you versus doing what you love, and why industry experience provides a "more sane" perspective than jumping straight into a PhD

It's an inspiring look at how passion, strategic risk-taking, and cross-disciplinary thinking can accelerate both scientific innovation and career trajectories.

Head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for this episode and more stories only a biotech exec can tell!

Excedr

01/26/2026

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01/08/2026

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12/29/2025

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