🧬 The Shelf Life Of Innovation: CRISPR, Biotech Culture & Winning Teams | Johnny Hu (Part 2/4) The Biotech Startups podcast

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🧬 The Shelf Life of Innovation: CRISPR, Biotech Culture & Winning Teams | Johnny Hu (Part 2/4)

2d ago 38:05

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🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.

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"Every technology has a shelf life. It’s just true, right? And, so, is that shelf life years? Is it months? Is it weeks? Is it days? You know, has it actually already been surpassed? That’s just progress, right? That’s great”

In this episode, Johnny Hu, Principal at Menlo Ventures, unpacks his journey through neuroscience research at Genentech and Cambridge, the electrifying early days of CRISPR, and the fast-moving Boston biotech scene, revealing how academic culture, tool-building, and intentional company culture fuel breakthrough innovation.

He offers a candid look at bridging academia and industry, the realities of risk and execution in biotech startups, and the collaborative and competitive dynamics of venture investing—showing what it really takes to thrive where science, startups, and investment meet.

Key topics covered:

The Value of Academic Culture: Cambridge’s traditions and cross-disciplinary thinking fueled Johnny’s passion for building tools and deep scientific exploration.
The Rise of CRISPR: Inside the early, high-energy days of gene editing’s rapid ascent.
Boston Biotech Ecosystem: How a dense, connected community unlocked opportunities in startups and venture capital.
Company Culture & Team Dynamics: Why setting culture early shapes how teams execute and succeed.
Investing in Biotech: The real work of weighing risk, building strong boards, and making tough calls in venture.

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Find our guest, Johnny Hu, at these links:

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

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menlo-ventures/

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:

DNA Origami:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_origami

George Church Lab: https://churchlab.hms.harvard.edu/

David Liu Lab: https://www.liugroup.us/

Editas Medicine: https://www.editasmedicine.com/

Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:

Menlo Ventures: https://www.menlovc.com/

Genentech: https://www.gene.com/

Vida Ventures: https://vidaventures.com/

RA Capital: https://www.racap.com/

Beam Therapeutics: https://beamtx.com/

University of Cambridge: https://www.cam.ac.uk/

Harvard University: https://www.harvard.edu/

Harvard Medical School: https://hms.harvard.edu/

MIT: https://www.mit.edu/

George Church: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-church-2b86301/

David R. Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-liu-465394185/

Peter Kolchinsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkolchinsky

Rajeev Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeevmshah/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:23 UK Academic Ecosystem and Cambridge Experience

04:10 Focus on Tool Building in Neuroscience

08:00 DNA Origami and Early CRISPR Exposure

10:57 Technology Shelf Life and Progress

16:05 Boston Biotech Ecosystem and Company Incubation

20:00 Importance of Company Culture in Startups

24:00 Team Dynamics and Organizational Structure

29:15 Venture Capital Culture and Collaboration

32:22 Investment Decision-Making and Risk

35:50 Board Role and Execution in Biotech Startups

36:14 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.

150 episodes

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