🧬Immigrant Grit & Athletic Discipline: Building a Biotech Legacy | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 1/4)

The Biotech Startups Podcast

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"You have to do what you have to do to get to where you want to be, and work under the constraints you have. That means swallowing your ego and just realizing that's just the reality of it. You have to grind away if you're going to hit that success."

In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, shares how his family’s escape from war-torn Serbia to Canada forged his relentless work ethic and sense of purpose. He recounts adapting to a new culture, the foundational support of family and mentors, and how his passion for science and math flourished in Canada’s diverse schools.

As an elite swimmer and academic standout, Bogdan learned discipline and balance, skills that now drive his mission to make scientific research more collaborative and impactful. The conversation highlights his commitment to paying it forward by building supportive ecosystems in science and business for future generations

Key topics covered:

• The Immigrant Experience: Family’s move from Serbia to Canada fueled drive and determination
• Building Resilience & Grit: Learned perseverance from parents’ sacrifices and adapting to change
• Early Academic Influences: Sparked love for science and math in a diverse setting
• Discipline Through Athletics: Juggled elite swimming and studies, forging lasting discipline
• The Power of Mentorship & Paying It Forward: Mentors shaped his path; now he empowers others

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Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/
Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/

Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee

Learn more about Excedr:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/

Website: https://www.excedr.com

Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:

Website: https://flow.page/kyojin

Resources & Articles:

Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology by Bryan Kolb: https://students.aiu.edu/submissions/profiles/resources/onlineBook/d7t3G4_0716795868_Fundamentals.pdf

The University of Calgary Neuroscience Program: https://www.ucalgary.ca/future-students/undergraduate/explore-programs/neuroscience

Rhodes Scholarship: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/

Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:

Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/

Ken Lukowiak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-lukowiak-2b9a689/?originalSubdomain=ca

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

03:38 Bogdan's Upbringing in Serbia and Family's Immigration to Canada

05:40 Parents' Sacrifices and Building Resilience

10:30 Adapting to Canada: Culture Shock and Language Barriers

16:19 Early Schooling in Canada and Discovering Science/Math

21:24 Choosing Neuroscience and University Path

24:20 Balancing Elite Swimming with Academics

28:23 The Demanding Discipline of Competitive Swimming

34:23 Undergraduate Lab Experiences and Foundational Research Skills

38:31 The Power of Mentorship: Working with Ken Lukowiak

40:10 Paying It Forward in Science and Entrepreneurship

43:31 Outro

The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.