PASSIONATE ABOUT INNOVATION

If you’ve met me, you'll know how much I love exploring new things. Throughout my career, I’ve always sought out the next project—something new that would allow me to grow and explore. That’s what I loved most about being a researcher: the thrill of being among the first (-ish) to study something new, pushing boundaries a bit further, and having the flexibility to pivot between projects.

I studied Chemistry at university because I loved how it could be applied to almost anything. Then, in one of the last (and non-compulsory!) courses of my master’s, I fell in love with proteins. That passion took me to England, where I did a PhD in Protein Biochemistry. Transitioning from a chemistry background to a biology lab was a steep learning curve — I didn’t even know how to use automatic pipettes(!). Like most PhD students, I had a love-hate relationship with my project that made me question my future in academia.

Yet, I didn’t have a clear idea of how I could change my path while still doing research, which I loved, so I decided to do a postdoc. It was a fantastic experience with a great PI and group, which reconciled myself with academic research. I even had my first daughter during that time, leading to plenty of funny moments (ask me sometime about the time I knocked over a box of sterilised tips with my bump!) while doing great science.

But then COVID hit. With a second child on the way, I found myself at a crossroads. Did I really want to uproot my life again for another project? And what about the less-than-great odds of one day being able to have my own research group? But what were my options outside academia? Eventually, I decided to take my chances, finding my way into a drug development startup.

I found myself, for the first time, in a non-academic research setting, working on projects intended for clinical application in the near future, while I had spent the previous nine years focused on fundamental science. It didn’t take long for me to realise how deeply interested I was in understanding what it takes to build startups and advance scientific projects beyond the discovery stage—transforming ideas into real solutions that could help patients and make a meaningful impact on society.

And so, you guessed it—I made another change! I transitioned into executive recruitment, an industry I knew little about at the time.

Before long, I joined a company specialising in early-stage company building for the Life Sciences sector. This role exposed me to VC investors, academic founders spinning out companies, and seasoned entrepreneurs bringing their ventures into the clinic—and it’s been fantastic!

However, I quickly recognised a significant challenge: scientists transitioning from academia enter a fundamentally different environment—one driven by market needs, regulatory requirements, and investor expectations. The shift in pace, structured milestones, and business-oriented decision-making can be daunting. Many underestimate their own ability to adapt and overlook the opportunities available in startups, where their expertise is highly valuable. More importantly, they are often underestimated despite the critical role they can play in translating scientific discoveries into real-world impact.

Yet, I firmly believe that startups are perfectly suited to academic minds—much more so than larger pharma companies. They focus on early-stage, high-risk innovation, working on breakthrough therapies or technologies. With greater agility, fewer bureaucratic layers, and more flexibility, researchers can contribute across multiple projects and take on diverse roles.

This realisation led to the creation of The Catalytic Site. What started as a simple idea has grown into a mission to provide scientists with the tools, knowledge, and awareness to thrive in the startup ecosystem.

After all, universities have Tech Transfer Offices to help academics spin out their projects. Well, consider me your TTO for academic talent!

PASSIONATE ABOUT INNOVATION

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