The Great Escape

In this episode, we’re joined by Björn, CEO & Co-Founder of the precision immunology biotech, Iuvantium, to unpack his journey from PhD to leading a company tackling some of the world’s biggest healthcare challenges. From building Lego as a kid to engineering next-generation immune therapies, Björn shares how he navigated the transition from academia to industry, and why the real world often v...

In this episode, we’re joined by Sim: a biomedical science graduate who has founded two startups, scaled a diagnostic company from employee #8 to Head of Product, and worked across AI drug discovery and digital health. Sim shares what startup life is really like - from operating in constant ambiguity and moving fast, to burnout, bootstrapping, and watching your savings dwindle while building your...

In this episode, we sit down with Georgia Fleet , Co-Founder of Zonova and Young Entrepreneur of the Year at The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards : whose path began with dreams of the West End before unexpectedly leading to biotech innovation. Georgia shares the moment during her PhD that sparked Zonova’s mission to tackle life-threatening hospital infections, and what it’s really lik...

In this episode, we sit down with  Sara Holland , a patent attorney and biotechnology expert with deep experience guiding scientists, startups, and corporates through the complex world of Intellectual Property (IP). Sara has spent her career helping innovators protect and translate their ideas, from early-stage academic discoveries to market-ready biotech products. With a background bridging scien...

In this episode, we speak with Pierbruno Ricci: a molecular biologist turned strategy consultant, author, and biotech leader. During his PhD, Pierbruno realised the lab bench wasn’t where he wanted to stay. Curious about how the world worked beyond the microscope, he set his sights on life science consulting , and after a two-year transition, landed a role that opened doors to biotech, pharma, hos...

Join us for a conversation with Tobias Wingbermühle: a multi-time founder with a background in sport science and international business. Tobi is the founder of the Science Entrepreneur Club (SEC), Green Digital Consulting, and co-founder of Clustermarket. In this episode, we dive into his journey from student to startup founder, what it really takes to bootstrap and scale an idea, the traits that...

Welcome to The Great Escape: the podcast for life science students and grads exploring careers beyond academia. In this short trailer episode, your hosts Georgia and Gio share why they created this podcast, what you can expect from upcoming episodes, and the types of guests you'll hear from. Whether you're feeling unsure about your next steps or simply curious about what’s out there, this...