Forging Ahead and the odd roadblock

Behind the scenes of building a biotech: Tearing my hair out over cold shipping logistics & kicking off Round #2 of external testing for FBS Replacement Solution (FRS). Highs/Lows of the month ⤵️

The highs 🎉

1️⃣ Round #2 of external testing has started! It felt like I visited every major scientific research institute in Melbourne so a huge shoutout to our collaborators and everyone who offered an introduction. Startups and children both take a village!

Cell culture media is cool because it underpins so many research areas - from improving our fundamental understanding of biology to creation of new therapeutics - and round #2 covers all of that ground.

2️⃣ Import licenses were approved & supply chain is on track.

3️⃣ New cells & minor technical breakthroughs! Our FRS product information sheet will soon include the growth curves for a wide variety of common immortalised cells - in addition to the nutritionally demanding primary cells we’ve already tested.

4️⃣ While we are sticking to our “lean, mostly bootstrapped biotech” philosophy, the 2024 efforts we put towards grants are paying off. Will share our learnings after the final signatures are sorted 😊

The lows 🙃

1️⃣ Cold shipping logistics are tough, especially if you’re located in a regional area of Australia. We had a few FRS deliveries for pilot testing which weren’t as smooth as we’d have liked. You might think “external testing” is mostly for product validation…and it is, in part. But it’s also the time to iron out shipping processes, instruction manuals, and other user-facing interfaces.

2️⃣ Getting paid by overseas folks can be unexpectedly complicated…also important to sort this out now versus later.

3️⃣ I got sick. It slowed us down. The ugly reality of a small company.

Overall feeling?

Momentum is so energising. Still, I’ve found founder life is a lot like managing a big team; you could be doing an objectively excellent job but there is still inevitably something which is a little bit on fire. Managing that emotional roller coaster is key and I’m grateful for the support system around me (though advice in this area is always welcome!)