From starting and selling companies across three continents to backing the next wave of European biotech, Dr. Andreas Schmidt now sits at the intersection of founder, operator, and investor. In this episode, he explains why "venture capital is the most expensive money" and when founders should reach for it last, what most investors miss when evaluating early-stage biotech, and the "diving platform" decision rule he uses at life's intersections — the only move that never works is staying still.
Dr. Andreas Schmidt is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Springboard Health Angels, a Munich-based angel network and venture fund investing in early-stage health and life sciences companies. He holds a PhD in immunology from UC Berkeley and has founded biotech companies across Singapore, the US, and Germany — including AYOXXA Biosystems — before turning his operator experience into capital and mentorship for the next generation of biotech founders.
📥 We distilled the sharpest lessons from our first 7 guests into one free guide — the Insider Biotech Career Starter Pack. Get it at https://transcribedpod.com
Andreas explains:◼️ Why "venture capital is the most expensive money" — and the underused alternatives (early customer revenue, family offices, public-funding matches) most biotech founders never explore◼️ The "accidental marathon runner" mindset: why biotech takes twice the time and resources you plan for, and why grit beats brilliance◼️ Why immigrants make exceptional founders — and how "swim or sink" environments unlock creativity people never tap when life is comfortable◼️ His honest take on AI-only life science startups: why he prefers companies with "hard assets" — labs, molecules, IP, clinical data — over pure-software bets◼️ The "diving platform" rule for life's decisive decisions — jump in or step down, but standing still is the only option that never works
00:00 Welcome to Transcribed00:48 What Is Springboard Health Angels? Investing with a Founder's Mindset01:27 The Jugend forscht Moment That Opened the World of Science02:21 Why Build a Company Instead of Staying in Academia04:55 The Hidden Network: How a Founder Convention Changed His Path05:45 The First Company in Singapore: Subletting Rooms to Pay Employees07:10 Serial Entrepreneurship: What the Glossy Stories Leave Out08:11 What Makes Biotech Different: The Accidental Marathon Runner09:07 Can Entrepreneurship Be Learned? Why Immigrants Make Great Founders10:14 AI in Biotech: Why Hard Assets Still Matter11:37 Inside a VC's Due Diligence: What AI Can't Tell You About Founders13:22 Mentoring Founders: Seeing Your Younger Self Across the Table15:22 Beyond Venture Capital: Mapping All the Ways to Fund a Biotech17:07 Building vs. Investing: Why Andreas Loves the Hybrid Life18:25 A Day in the Life of a VC: Fundraising, Trust, and Coffee Chats21:03 The Sparring Partner Role: Opening Doors and Sharing What Went Wrong22:59 The AYOXXA Lesson: Why the Last 0.01% Decides Everything24:06 The Most Underrated Influences: Mentors, Family, and the Boy Scouts26:12 Advice for Young People: Take Responsibility Early27:07 The Diving Platform: How to Make Life's Decisive Decisions28:32 Exponential Hype vs. Biological Reality: Will We Cure All Disease?30:00 Advice to His 25-Year-Old Self: Don't Stay on the Rails31:00 ClosingFollow Andreas:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-schmidt-phd-80259a/ [VERIFY: confirm LinkedIn URL from episode folder]---Transcribed Podcast — in-person interviews with scientists, founders, and industry experts shaping the future of biotech and pharma.🎙️ Watch all episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@TranscribedPod📥 Free Biotech Starter Pack → https://transcribedpod.com🌐 https://transcribedpod.com📸 Instagram: @transcribedpod📧 thetranscribedpod@gmail.com🎵 Jingle composed by Tembeh → https://open.spotify.com/artist/4s9JmadJjVdYQ6YxYtJgja#TranscribedPodcast #Biotech#Science #VentureCapital #Startups #AngelInvesting #SpringboardHealthAngels #Munich
