78. From Petri to Pillar: Culturing Entrepreneurship with Tony Kulesa

Episode Description: Karl and Erum welcome Tony Kulesa, an engineer, investor, and entrepreneur in biotech. He’s sharing his insights on the future of biotechnology, discussing how advancements in reading and writing biology are driving significant changes in the field. Tony recounts his journey from academia to founding Petri, an incubator for biotech startups, and later integrating it into Pillar VC to support a global community of scientist-entrepreneurs. Tony emphasizes the importance of a supportive culture for transitioning academic research into practical, impactful solutions. The discussion covers the challenges and opportunities in biopharma, the potential of biotech in addressing global issues, and the growing interest in animal healthcare. Tony's perspectives are both inspiring and practical, providing valuable guidance for aspiring biotech entrepreneurs. Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything from sustainable ingredients to high performing materials. Biology is the oldest technology. What are we growing? JOIN OUR BIOCOMMUNITY. BECOME A PATREON.  START HERE. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Unlocking the Power of Biology: A New Era 00:00:15 - Summer Vibes and Outdoor Adventures 00:02:19 - Biotech Events and Networking in the Summer 00:03:00 - Dissecting Biopharma Events and AI in Drug Discovery 00:05:11 - The Future of AI and Drug Discovery: Insights and Disappointments 00:09:17 - Investment Trends and Opportunities in Biopharma 00:15:51 - Building a Community: The Grow Everything Podcast Patreon 00:17:36 - Introducing Tony Kulesa: From Research to Venture Capital 00:23:00 - Tony Kulesa on Microbial Therapeutics and Drug Discovery Platforms 00:26:22 - Tony Kulesa's Journey from Research to Venture 00:32:39 - Entrepreneurship at MIT: A Cultural Shift 00:34:42 - COVID-19 and Its Effect on Global Startups 00:37:50 - Tony Kulesa on Scientist-Founders: The New Wave in Biotech 00:40:15 - The Role of Culture in Startup Success 00:42:45 - Insights on Team Building and Leadership in Biotech Startups 00:44:00 - Navigating Regulatory Pathways for Biotech Innovations 00:45:15 - Importance of Networking and Advisory Support in Biotech 00:46:40 - Exploring New Frontiers: Biotech Beyond Medicine 00:47:52 - The Potential of Animal Healthcare in Biotech 00:49:37 - Global Expansion and the Future of Biotech Entrepreneurship 00:50:55 - Addressing Global Challenges Through Biotech Innovations 00:57:03 - Reflections and Future Directions in Biotech Entrepreneurship Episode Links: Tony Kulesa on LinkedIn (link) Pillar VC (link) Synbiobeta (link) Ayana Bio (link) Concerto Biosciences (link) Traitomic (link) OpenBiome (link) Amber Bio (link) Thymmune (link) Topics Covered: biotech funding, biopharma, venture capital, biology, startup, entrepreneurship, synthetic biology, MIT, Harvard Have a question or comment? Message us here: Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowEverything website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: [email protected] Music by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media