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

Excedr, 100 Pine Street #1250, San Francisco, CA (2025)

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!

12/15/2025

"He lowered the sense of what is impossible because these guys, they did it in their generation. They accomplished the impossible. So I think that can-do attitude makes it a little easier to imagine things that haven't been done yet."

We’re revisiting some of our previous episodes over the holidays this year. Our next re-release is Part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with Centivax Founder, CEO & Chairman, Jacob Glanville, in which a big theme is how formative experiences shape an entrepreneurial mindset and the audacity to tackle humanity's biggest health challenges.

In this episode we cover:

– Growing up in Guatemala during a civil war, witnessing the transformative power of medicine firsthand, and how his grandfather's work on the Apollo moon mission instilled a belief that science can accomplish the "impossible"

– Running his parents' restaurant as a teenager, and the surprising parallels between hospitality and building biotech companies—from managing inventory and people to juggling priorities like "eggs and bouncing balls"

– Learning Mayan negotiation principles in village markets, the importance of win-win deals over extractive tactics, and building lasting relationships in business and life

– Cross-training in art, computer science, and molecular biology at UC Berkeley, and why following general principles with broad applicability creates unique career advantages

– The "lost opportunity of illness" and his vision for a post-pathogen humanity where people spend less time fixing broken bodies and more time creating new things

It's a fascinating look at how diverse life experiences—from civil war Guatemala to Berkeley's HLA Population Genetics Lab—forge the mindset needed to build transformative biotech companies.

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

12/11/2025

"If you're a master of your craft, you should be able to explain anything in a way that's conducive for everybody to understand. That's how I actually know if somebody doesn't know what they're talking about."

In Part 4 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with AIX Ventures Partner, Krish Ramadurai, a major theme is cutting through the noise to understand what actually creates value—whether you're building AI products, backing tech-bio companies, or simply trying to be a human being worth working with.

In this episode, they cover:

– The state of AI-native ventures, why efficiency gains haven't translated to enterprise value yet, and why the foundation layer is being commoditized while defensibility lives in full-stack applications

– The reality check for tech-bio founders: biotech is a drug business, and there's a massive difference between a $10 million software budget and a $10 billion drug budget

– Where AI is actually making material impact in life sciences, from Insilico's first AI-developed drug in human trials to why most founders confuse painkillers with vitamins

– The surprisingly simple competitive advantage in venture capital: being technically proficient and not an as***le (and why that combination seems like Mount Everest in this business)

– The importance of "tactical suffering," EQ alongside IQ, and why being the same person inside and outside the office is a massive edge

It's a refreshingly honest look at what it takes to succeed in AI-native biotech investing, with wisdom that applies far beyond venture capital.

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

12/08/2025

“VC is a very human-centric business. It's high touch and everything, and it's a very hyper-niche space, so everybody knows each other.” — Krish Ramadurai

In Part 3 of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Krish Ramadurai of AIX Ventures shares how being embedded in tight networks isn’t just a lifestyle—it’s a strategic edge that fuels breakthrough deals and rapid growth.

In this episode we cover

– The power of intentional relationship-building in venture capital and why “high touch” beats dry diligence

– The flywheel of deal flow: sourcing, diligence, and backing top founders to accelerate portfolio success

– Navigating the balance between speed, depth, and the opportunity costs of intense career moves

– Lessons from Krish’s Oxford and Harmonics experiences shaping a practical, ex*****on-driven approach

– How a boutique, AI-native focus creates durable value without chasing scale-at-any-cost

This episode illustrates how perspective, discipline, and the right people around the table can turn a niche into a lasting competitive advantage. It’s packed with actionable takeaways for founders and investors alike.

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

12/04/2025

"Does the evidence support the claim? I think this was something that carried on as a cornerstone of my diligence in venture. It's like, does the evidence support the claim? Just answering that question repeatedly."

In Part 2 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with AIX Ventures Partner, Krish Ramadurai, a central theme is applying rigorous, evidence-based thinking to building a career in venture capital—even when that means breaking all the conventional rules.

In this episode, they cover:

– Applying academic research fundamentals to venture diligence, and using evidence-based frameworks to identify alpha in emerging biotech companies

– Joining a Fund I firm during COVID as an analyst, market mapping the entire life sciences landscape, and discovering a new category of compute-driven biotech companies before "TechBio" was even a term

– Shot-calling deals and owning your wins: why many talented investors get stuck at Associate or Principal positions, and the importance of claiming credit for the work you do

– Completing an MBA at WashU in 16 months while working full-time (in two research positions), and breaking rigid academic rules out of necessity

– Advancing from analyst to partner in record time by doing the work required for the next role before being asked, and the delicate art of advocating for yourself without burning bridges

It's a masterclass in unconventional career building, conviction-driven decision making, and the power of treating every investment like an academic experiment.

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

12/01/2025

"The science people suck at speaking business, and business people are horrible at science. Why not be the in-betweener there?"

In part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with AIX Ventures Partner, Krish Ramadurai, a big theme is bridging the gap between scientific innovation and business ex*****on.

In this episode, we cover:

– Growing up inspired by the scientists behind superheroes, not the heroes themselves, and how that shaped his mission to advance real-world technologies

– Breaking his femur as a US Junior Olympic track athlete, losing his athletic identity, and pivoting to pursue bioengineering with an unconventional path

– Auditing Harvard classes before formal admission, working three jobs simultaneously to survive in Boston, and sending 500 cold emails to PIs—most of which were rejected

– Embracing rejection as the foundation for conviction, and how suffering through failure builds the resilience needed to execute when everything feels impossible

– Transitioning from think tank work with figures like Ash Carter and Mike Kremer to venture capital, applying the same critical analysis frameworks to investing in early-stage biotech

It's a powerful reminder that the messy, non-linear paths often lead to the most meaningful outcomes.

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

11/27/2025

"If you're efficient and disciplined and you make other things a priority, you're just going to be damn more efficient. You might clock back in at 8 or 9 after having dinner with your family because you have to."

We’re revisiting some of our previous episodes over the holidays this year. Our next rerelease is Part 2 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with K2 HealthVentures CEO & Founding Managing Director, Parag Shah, a big theme is building for the long haul—sustainably.

In this episode, we cover:

– Transitioning to Hercules Capital, establishing and scaling the life sciences practice to a multi-billion dollar public fund, and navigating the unique challenges of building an investment firm from the ground up

– Why constraints breed discipline—how limited capital in the early days formed the foundational habits and DNA of exceptional firms

– The reality of public company pressures versus private fund flexibility, and designing K2 with intention to be long-term partners with portfolio companies through an evergreen structure

– Work-life balance as a competitive advantage, not a luxury—setting boundaries early, never missing family moments, and why constraints on time actually increase efficiency and prevent burnout

– Co-founder relationships, the importance of values alignment and culture, and building a team you genuinely want to work with because motivation stems from belief, not just compensation

It's a masterclass in sustainable entrepreneurship and building with purpose alongside profit.

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

11/24/2025

"You have to balance ‘go with the flow’ with checking in and making sure that's really what you want to do… don't let inertia just take you down a certain path just because that's what presented itself."

We’re revisiting some of our previous episodes over the holidays this year. Our first rerelease is Part 1 of The Biotech Startups Podcast conversation with K2 HealthVentures CEO & Founding Managing Director, Parag Shah, a big theme is navigating intentional career pivots while staying open to unexpected opportunities.

In this episode, we cover:

– Growing up in NYC with parents who encouraged experimentation and healthy risk-taking, laying the foundation for an entrepreneurial mindset

– MIT's trial-by-fire education, learning to thrive in uncertainty, and discovering that struggling builds the confidence and persistence needed for entrepreneurship

– Transitioning from molecular biology research to finance, finding a serendipitous entry into credit through Bank Boston's training program in Buenos Aires

– Building Imperial Bank's life sciences practice from scratch by having the confidence to "put it out there" even without knowing everything, and learning to fail fast while extracting valuable lessons

– Translating traditional credit principles to venture debt for biotech companies, providing less dilutive capital alongside equity to help companies reach critical value inflection points

It's a fascinating journey that shows how diverse experiences in science, policy, and finance can converge into a unique career path.

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

11/20/2025

"We really want to contribute to staking longevity as a data-driven, evidence-based field and help combat all this snake oil that is out there."

In Part 4 of The Biotech Startups Podcast, LongeVC Managing Partner, Sergey Jakimov, shares his vision for transforming longevity investing through science-first principles and making the field accessible to the broader capital markets.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

– Fundraising from limited partners (LPs) and why they tell stories instead of selling—authenticity over pitching, and attracting like-minded investors who share the mission

– The realities of raising a first-time fund with 30% GP capital commitment, building trust without a track record, and achieving 3x returns in three years in a challenging market

– Why good science always raises money and good companies always get acquired—how big pharma's patent cliffs, massive liquidity pools, and urgency to replenish pipelines create opportunities for venture-backed innovation

– Making longevity investing accessible to generalist capital by translating complex science into universally understandable success stories and building an evidence-driven field that combats questionable supplements and harmful therapies

– The critical importance of team, being "the dumbest in the room," and why individuals are evaluated by the added value they create for society

It's a fascinating deep dive into the intersection of venture capital, longevity science, and building for long-term impact.

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

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