BioVenture VoiCes with Chris Garabedian

With an immigrant upbringing that took him to Australia, where he practiced medicine, and the UK, where he went to graduate school, before coming to the U.S. for a startup he co-founded and Harvard Business School, Arjun Goyal describes learnings along the way. He discusses his extensive experience in the venture world, first at 5AM Ventures and then Vida Ventures, before more recently founding Vianti Capital.

the early days of the biotech sector before it was common, the founding of Third Rock Ventures, and the unique culture at Third Rock that has produced so many investors and company builders who have achieved great things in their careers.

Jason Hafler shares an overview of the corporate side of the venture world. He describes the unique value that he believes a corporate based VC can bring to the companies it invests in. Plus, his description of cases where investments might ultimately be a good fit for BD and/or M&A within the company, and why an investment might ultimately land at a different suitor.

Blackstone's Senior Managing Director Kiran Reddy describes his early life and education, and the impact that patient care has had on his approach to investing. He describes notable investments in neuroscience, and a stop at Biogen, before returning to investing at Clarus, which was acquired by Blackstone. He recalls the unique opportunity he saw when a company with the resources of Blackstone decided to go big into life sciences.

Andrew Lam describes his career journey that started with a Doctor of Pharmacy education before working in industry, the investment world, back in industry, and then settling at Ally Bridge. He discusses the successful investments Ally Bridge has made in biotech, including in technologies like radiopharmaceuticals and ADCs, and the concept of being a bridge to China innovation.

BT Slingsby describes his education and career abroad, which ultimately led him to found and manage the largest life sciences VC firm in Japan, Catalys Pacific. He describes the dual role of taking assets from Japan and building companies around them internationally., and also in-licensing assets approved elsewhere and doing the clinical work in Japan to get them approved there. Plus, the story of the GHIT Fund, which is meant to bring Japanese innovation to neglected diseases around the world.

George Petrocheilos describes going to school at Hopkins and the relationships formed there that would ultimately lead down the road to specializing in healthcare investing. He discusses starting in life sciences investing at Camden Partners, and then co-founding Catalio. Over a short period of time, keys to success have been empowering academics and entrepreneurs and expanding into multiple strategies.

Adam Koppel describes his career path, which included a stop at McKinsey, Biogen, and twice at Bain (where he is now). He descrbies the private equity model they have been on the leading edge of, and his take on where we are in the biotech cycle. Plus, the critical importance of mentors.

Mike Carusi describes his early life and career, how gaining an appreciation for sales made an impression on him early on, and his philosophy of investing in medical devices - and the similarities and differences between that and investing in therapeutics.

Having been an early investor in many recent successes such as Revolution Medicines, Peloton, and Parabilis Medicines, he describes his investment philosophy and focus on precision oncology companies. Plus, his early life, getting hands on experience in biotech at Micromet, and learning from some of the top investors and scientific advisors in the industry.

Nanna Luneborg discusses hear career and joining Forbion. She describes the firm's investment approach, and her experience with everything from seed, to private, and to public investing in life sciences. Plus, thoughts on China and AI in biotech.

He describes his well-rounded background of studying and working in both software in Silicon Valley and Medicine in Boston, and the start of GV. He describes a conservative start to investing at GV, but also today how Alphabet's scale and cash gives them the ability to ride cycles and make concentrated bets on companies the team has conviction on.

Kate Bingham describes her early life and a serendipitous opportunity to work at Vertex in the early 1990's. She then discusses joining SV Health and describes its investment approaches, the Dementia Discovery Fund, being on the UK's Vaccine Taskforce during Covid, and more.

He discusses his education and joining the Langer Lab at MIT, early experiences in venture, including at Third Rock and NEA, and gaining operational experience at Jounce before joining Deerfield. Plus, areas that interest him today and how he thinks about AI.

Simeon George discusses his early days at SR One while it was part of GSK, and the transition to making the firm independent in 2020. Plus, the importance of peer-to-peer collaboration, and his how he thinks about investing in different indications and modalities.

He discusses learnings from his decades in venture at Sofinnova Investments including 'products vs platform', therapeutics areas of interest, modalities, and how he utilizes board seats and thinks about management teams.

Jessica Owens discusses the many experiences she has had in her career, including working on the venture side at Kleiner Perkins and Versant Ventures and on the operating side at Genomic Health and Grail. She highlights the value of VCs being able to understand how operators like CEOs think, and describes the type of investing INITIATE focuses on.

Brett Zbar describes his early career, including working at Aisling Capital and Foresight Capital, and now managing the healthcare strategy at General Atlantic. He describes how he sees the difference between private equity and venture capital, and discusses which themes in biotech and healthcare appeal to him today.

Art Pappas describes his early career, which involved numerous overseas posts for large companies, and how it let him to eventually found Pappas Capital. He discusses the various ways the firm invests, and how having corporates partners as LPs and co-investors has been a recipe for success.

While describing his early life in Washington and formative years at the University of Chicago that led to the founding of ARCH, he shares his thoughts on leadership, risk taking, changes he thinks are need to keep the United States competitive in life sciences, and his belief in AI's promise to transform our industry.