S4 E18 - Dr Stella Vnook, Chief Executive Officer of AVIVA VENTURES

Building a biotech company takes more than science.In this episode of She Leads Biotech, Dr. Stella Vnook, CEO of Aviva Ventures, shares her journey from arriving in the US with nothing to leading multiple biotech ventures and supporting the next generation of founders.We explore the realities of building in biotech, from self-doubt and uncertainty to navigating the business side of science, and why so many great ideas never get started.A practical and honest conversation about resilience, leadership, and what it really takes to turn science into impact.Chapters00:00 Introduction01:30 Stella’s Early Journey05:00 Building a Career in Life Sciences09:00 Self-Doubt and Leadership13:00 From Pharma to Entrepreneurship18:00 Starting Without Knowing How23:00 Common Mistakes Founders Make27:00 Building Multiple Companies32:00 The Story Behind Caerra36:00 Aviva Ventures and Supporting Founders40:00 Advice for Early-Stage Founders44:00 What Success Looks Like#SheLeadsBiotech #WomenInBiotech #BiotechLeadership #LifeSciences #CNAUSAExecutiveSearch