The NextGen VC Podcast is aimed at venture capitalists who want to sharpen their skills and stay current in life sciences investing. It explores the opportunities, challenges, and breakthroughs shaping the sector today. The show is curated by Wilson Sonsini and LaunchBio and hosted by Michael Hostetler and Jen Fang. It also points listeners to related in-person NextGen VC events and life sciences community resources from LaunchBio.
Episodes
The Scientist Who Said Yes to Everything — and Ended Up in VC
Nandita Shangari didn’t plan to end up in venture capital. She was a toxicologist at Novartis, and said yes to one unplanned opportunity after another, until she’d worked on Kymriah (the first FDA-approved CAR T therapy), ran the Novartis Venture Fund, and ultimately landed at RA Capital Management, where she’s now Managing Director.In this episode, Jen and Mike trace that path with her and get in
Why the Future of Biotech Starts With the Brain
What does neuroscience have to do with venture capital? Quite a bit, according to Jason Pitts.In this episode of the NextGen VC podcast, Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang sit down with Jason, Principal at General Atlantic, to talk about the winding path that took him from studying the brain at Cornell to evaluating some of the most promising companies in biotech.Jason shares how a series of unexpected o
The $2.25B Exit That Changed Lumira's Investment Strategy
Jen and Mike sit down with Dr. Suman Rao, Principal at Lumira Ventures, to discuss her path from academic science to healthcare venture capital and why she believes the best investors lead with mission before money.Rao shares Lumira’s approach to investing beyond traditional biotech hubs, the firm’s sidecar fund model with partners like Merck and the Terry Fox Foundation, and the story behind Hist
Aimee Raleigh (Atlas Venture): Building Biotech Companies from Day One
What does it actually take to turn an idea into a biotech company?Aimee Raleigh, PhD, Principal at Atlas Venture, joins Mike and Jen as she walks through how companies get built before they’re even companies. From evaluating early science to forming a real point of view, Aimee shares how investors build conviction at the earliest stages.We get into the pace of early-stage venture, how to juggle mu
From Scalpel to Term Sheet: Rich Gaster on Building Conviction, Backing Winners, and Fighting for Claire
What does it take to go from performing reconstructive plastic surgeries at Harvard to becoming a managing partner at one of biotech's most focused venture firms? Rich Gaster, Managing Partner at venBio Partners, joins Mike and Jen to trace a career path that runs through Stanford MD-PhD training, two grad school startups, the company-building engine at Third Rock Ventures, and the founding te
Anna French on Building Qiming in the States and the Global Future of Biotech
Dr. Anna French, Managing Partner at Qiming Venture Partners USA, joins the NextGen VC Podcast to trace her nonlinear path from an Oxford DPhil and BCG boardrooms to becoming employee #1 at one of biotech's most globally connected venture firms. Anna shares what it's really like to build a fund from the ground up, why she championed Umoja Biopharma's bold bet on in vivo CAR-T and in-ho
Risk, Rigor, and Reality: Suan Tuang on Investing Across Private and Public Biotech
Suan Tuang didn’t take a traditional path into biotech investing, and this journey shapes how he evaluates risk today. Now at TCG Crossover, and with prior experience at Foresite and Eventide, Suan brings a clinician-scientist lens to investing across private and public markets. In this episode, Suan shares how his immigrant journey and academic challenges at MIT and Harvard have shaped his unique
The Science of Company Building: A Conversation with Third Rock’s Noreen Rizvi
What does it take to turn breakthrough science into a breakthrough company? In this episode of the NextGen VC Podcast, we sit down with Noreen Rizvi, Principal at Third Rock Ventures, whose journey from chemical engineering to venture creation offers a rare look inside the art and science of biotech investing. Noreen discusses how she bridges science and strategy, what she’s learned from building
Breaking Barriers: Dr. Tia Lyles-Williams on Biotech Innovation and Mentorship
Join us on the NextGenVC Podcast as we dive into the inspiring journey of Dr. Tia Lyles-Williams, a trailblazer in the biotech industry. Discover how mentorship shaped her path, the challenges she overcame, and her vision for inclusive biotech innovation through her accelerator, HiveBio. Dr. Tia shares insights on building a community-driven biotech ecosystem and the importance of perseverance in
Unlocking Biotech's Full Potential: A Conversation with Excedr's Jon Chee
Hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang are joined by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr and host of The Biotech Startups Podcast. Jon shares insights from his work with early-stage life science companies, trends he's observing in biotech, and what he’s learned from interviewing founders and industry leaders on his own podcast. He also reflects on the importance of company culture, capital structure, and resil
Exploring Venture Capital Investing in China with OrbiMed's Ran Geng
In this episode, hosts Jen Fang and Mike Hostetler welcome guest Ran Geng, a Principal on the Private Equity Team at OrbiMed. The discussion covers the unique opportunities and challenges in the Chinese market, including government policies, the rise of tech startups, and more. They also explore the influence of China's rapid technological advancements, current investment trends, and strategie
The Intersection of Venture Capital and Biotech Innovation: A Conversation with Chris Garabedian
In this episode of the NextGenVC podcast, hosts Jen Fang and Mike Hostetler are joined by Chris Garabedian, founder of Xontogeny and biopharma veteran, to discuss the transformative impact of early-stage biotech investment. Chris shares his journey from biotech corporate leadership to venture capital, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful drug development and the value of nurturing early-stage
Building Biotech from the Ground Up with Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera
On this episode of the NextGen VC Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera, the president and CEO of NImmune Biopharma and founder of The NIMML Institute, a nonprofit research organization. A scientist turned entrepreneur, Josep shares his journey from academia to launching multiple biotech ventures, including Lando Biopharma (acquired by AbbVie). He reflects on the pivotal moments that
Unveiling the Future of Biotech VC with Felix Breyer: Insights and Innovations
In this episode of the Next Gen VC podcast, hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang sit down with Felix Breyer from J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital. Felix, with a background as a molecular and cellular biologist, dives deep into the critical role of private capital in life sciences and biotech. He shares his journey from academia to venture capital, emphasizes the importance of mentorship, and
Enrique Lin Shiao: Navigating Science, Venture Philanthropy, and Genetic Medicine
In this episode of the NextGenVC podcast, Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang sit down with Enrique Lin Shiao, a venture investor and fellow podcaster, to discuss his fascinating journey from earning a PhD at the University of Pennsylvania to becoming a key player in venture philanthropy, especially in the realm of cystic fibrosis research and treatment. Enrique shares his experiences with his podcast ‘Ca
Exploring the Intersection of Biotech and Corporate VC with Danjuma Quarless
In this episode of the NextGen VC podcast, hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen sit down with Danjuma Quarless from AbbVie Ventures to delve into the world of corporate venture capital. Danjuma shares insights on how corporate VCs like AbbVie differ from traditional VCs, particularly in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Listeners will learn about the strategic focus of AbbVie Ventures, the import
A Deep Dive into MedTech VC, Part 2: Jeff Chu
The NextGen VC Podcast's next episode highlights Jeff Chu, founder and managing partner of Features Capital, an early-stage medtech venture capital firm. Hosted by Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang, partners at Wilson Sonsini, the discussion explores Jeff's journey from owning a consulting firm to co-founding a venture fund, the unique approach that Features Capital takes towards investing in medtech st
A Deep Dive into MedTech VC, Part 1: Jenny Barba
This episode features an in-depth conversation with Jenny Barba, founder and managing partner of Features Capital, an early-stage medtech venture capital firm. Hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang explore Jenny's journey from neuroscience and finance to founding her own VC firm, her passion for supporting diverse and first-time founders in MedTech, and the unique challenges and opportunities in ventu
Data-Driven Decisions: Unpacking VC Compensation with Jody & Morgan Thelander
In this episode of the NextGen VC Podcast, we explore the intricacies of venture capital compensation with Jody and Morgan Thelander of Thelander Consulting. With a deep background in executive compensation and a unique understanding of the biotech industry, Jody shares how Thelander Consulting’s real-time compensation survey has become an essential resource for over 5,000 investment firms. Jody a
Journey to Venture Capital: Insights with Jeni Lee
In this episode of the NextGenVC podcast, hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang engage in an in-depth discussion with Jeni Lee, a partner at Pivotal bioVenture Partners, which invests in transformative therapeutic-focused healthcare companies. They cover a range of topics, from the announcement of Pivotal's second fund to specific investment strategies and the unique aspects of investing in life s
Navigating Board Governance in Biotech Ventures
This episode introduces the 'Venture Ed' series aimed at biotech investors. Hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang, partners at Wilson Sonsini, as they talk with Amy Simmerman, a corporate governance expert from the firm's Wilmington, Delaware office. They discuss legal nuances of serving as a biotech company board director, exploring duties of care and loyalty, conflict of interest managem
Career Insights and the Future of Biotech with Katie Spielberg of 5AM Ventures
Hosts Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang enjoy an in-depth conversation with Katie Spielberg, a senior associate at 5AM Ventures. In Katie's role, she stays current on innovations in academia and the biotech industry to help her team identify emerging fields suitable for investment. In this episode, Katie offers insight into her career path, highlighting the significance of intellectual curiosity and
Innovating at the Intersection of Academic Medicine and Venture Capital: A Conversation with Hyung Chun
On the latest episode of the NextGen VC Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Hyung Chun, Director at Foresite Capital Management. As a seasoned physician-scientist and cardiologist, Dr. Chun brings a unique perspective to the investment landscape, evaluating opportunities and understanding how to drive early discoveries to the clinic. Join us as he shares insights into his steps to become an investor fro
From MIT Chemistry to VC: Navigating the Biotech Startup Landscape with Neena Kadaba
Neena Kadaba, an entrepreneur in residence at Apple Tree Partners, shares her journey from studying chemistry at MIT to becoming a venture capitalist in the biotech industry. She discusses her initial attraction to science, her experience as a Kauffman Fellow, and her role at Apple Tree Partners, a life science venture fund that creates biotech companies to translate emerging science into new ther
Trailer
Welcome to the NextGen VC Podcast!
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