🧬 Non-Traditional Leadership & Knowledge Sharing: The New Edge in Biotech | Aaron Edwards (Part 3/4)

The Biotech Startups Podcast

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“This isn't just one gene edit—this is multiple edits, working in concert. It’s a fundamentally different chassis.”

In part three of The Biotech Startups Podcast, host Jon Chee and Aaron Edwards dive into the realities of biotech entrepreneurship, spotlighting the power of non-traditional career paths, self-awareness, and creative knowledge sharing. They unpack how embracing new tools, fostering open debate, and democratizing information through platforms like Notion, ELNs, and social media can drive both personal growth and startup success.

The conversation highlights the importance of capital efficiency, authentic community engagement, and building a culture where diverse perspectives fuel innovation in today’s fast-evolving life sciences landscape.

Key topics covered:

• Non-Traditional Paths to Leadership: Diverse backgrounds spark fresh biotech innovation.
• Institutionalizing Knowledge: Notion, ELNs, and Loom keep team wisdom accessible.
• Capital Efficiency & Execution: Build lean, use what works, skip reinvention.
• Democratization of Information: Open platforms put insights within everyone’s reach.
• Authenticity & Community: Self-awareness and real talk drive growth and connection.

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.

Subscribe to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast

Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/

Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/

Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/

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:

Notion: https://www.notion.com/

ELN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_lab_notebook

Loom: https://www.loom.com/

Pillar VC Startup Guide: https://www.pillar.vc/playlist/topics/getting-started/

PLOS One: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/journal-information

Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:

Kiragen Bio: https://www.kiragenbio.com/

Benchling: https://www.benchling.com/

Nucleate: https://nucleate.org/

Ryan Murray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-murray-phd-7b488142/

Sajith Wickramasekara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajithw/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:19 Non-Traditional Paths to Leadership: Aaron’s Journey

02:31 The Value of Diverse Experiences in Biotech

03:48 Creativity and First Principles Thinking

05:53 Leadership, Self-Awareness, and Therapy

08:09 Building a Safe Space for Debate and Growth

12:37 Institutionalizing Knowledge: Tools and Practices

14:05 Notion, ELNs, and Modern Documentation

16:04 Democratization of Information and Community

23:15 Capital Efficiency and Execution in Startups

26:27 Authenticity, Community, and Digital Engagement

38:07 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.