What Biotech Investors Look For: The Real Checklist For Funding Your Drug or Device

From pitch decks to de-risking strategies — how to turn promising research into an investible opportunity

You’ve got strong data and maybe even a breakthrough idea, but can you convince an investor or pharma partner that it’s worth their millions?

🔍 What You’ll Learn: In this second part of the Drug Discovery Roadmap series, we move from the bench to the boardroom. If you’re a STEM researcher or biotech founder wondering what turns great science into an investible opportunity, this episode unpacks it straight from investors, pharma veterans, and researchers who’ve been through the process. You’ll learn: • How to pitch your science to investors — what to include, what to leave out, and how to get a second meeting. • Why a realistic, conservative market size matters more than billion-dollar dreams. • The smart ways to de-risk your project — from alternate indications to veterinary and agricultural applications.

🎯 Play this episode to learn how to make your science fundable and credible in the eyes of those who write the cheques.

🧠 About the Guests: Recorded live at the 2025 ARCS Drug Discovery Forum, this episode features insights from industry investors and researchers who’ve lived the highs and lows of drug translation: Mike Lamprecht, Investment Manager at Tenmile, on what catches his eye in a biotech pitch (and what sends red flags). Dr Wolfgang Jarolimek, Head of Drug Discovery at Syntara, on why you should never bet everything on one indication. Dr Daniel Beard, Founder and CSO of Shearflow, on how feedback from the Forum reshaped his strategy for stroke therapy. Tim Boyle, CEO of ARCS Australia, on why collaboration and “asking the right questions early” are key to commercial success.

📌 Episode Highlights: 00:00 Welcome back — what makes a project investible 02:00 Tim Boyle on building the bridge between research and industry 03:45 The number one startup killer: running out of capital 04:00 Mike Lamprecht on how to pitch science to investors 06:00 Market size myths — why “$10B market” slides backfire 08:00 The antibiotic paradox: when life-saving drugs still fail commercially 10:00 Diagnostics, payers, and the hidden gap between science and buyers 11:00 Daniel Beard on differentiating his stroke therapy 14:00 How to reframe your science for clarity and investor appeal 16:00 What clinicians need to see before trials 17:00 De-risking your project: alternate indications and sectors 19:00 The case for parallel applications — human, veterinary, agriculture 20:00 Why every biotech needs backup plans 21:00 Closing takeaways: the intersection of science, strategy, and story

♻️ Share this episode with researchers and biotech scientists and anyone trying to get their science to market.

Want to craft a career story that opens doors? I help STEMM professionals speak with clarity, confidence, and purpose and show up as thought leaders —so the right opportunities find you. 📬 Let’s connect: angeliquegreco.com.au | LinkedIn

⭐️ Help More People Reinvent Their Careers If you enjoyed this episode, please: ✅ Leave a quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🙏 ♻️ Share it with a friend who's questioning their path in STEM Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.