What does minestrone soup and biomanufacturing have in common?
The below is an excerpt from my LinkedIn newsletter (The BioRevolution). To see the complete newsletter (and signup!) simply click here.
"We are making minestrone soup and then pulling out only the green lentils to eat." 🍲
This metaphor perfectly captures one of the biggest challenges in biomanufacturing today: waste and side-stream valorization. It’s also one of the first things Jason Whitfield, an investment associate at Main Sequence VC, shared with me during our initial conversation. From the get-go, we dived into biomanufacturing opportunities in Australia, and Jason’s ability to clearly articulate complex challenges like this one was striking.
The “minestrone” refers to cell cultivation, fermentation, or molecular farming processes, where we produce a single product—the “green lentils”—and discard the rest of a potentially valuable soup. Fifteen minutes in, I realized we hadn’t even touched on Jason’s career journey because we were so engrossed in discussing solutions to these challenges.
Having spoken with Jason a few times now, my key takeaways are: he’s incredibly humble, deeply passionate about synthetic biology and biomanufacturing, and just a fantastic person to spend an hour with. 🙌
Jason’s Journey
Before diving into the world of innovation and VC, Jason was immersed in synthetic biology. He completed his PhD with Colin Jackson in 2016, focusing on developing optical biosensors and high-throughput screening tools. His PhD marked the start of a shift in his mindset:
"How can I make these tools as useful as possible?"
Initially, Jason saw himself as a protein engineer, building one biosensor to detect a single molecule. But he soon realized the limitations of this “one-at-a-time” approach. Instead, with the help of a fellowship from CSIRO he pivoted to creating toolkits that could detect multiple targets, unlocking broader applications. 🛠️
This mindset led to Jason’s first entrepreneurial experience: developing a test for performance-enhancing drugs. The project gained traction, and in February 2020, Jason secured his first significant funding. But COVID arrived a month later, halting the project indefinitely. Despite the setback, Jason was hooked on entrepreneurship, particularly the process of aligning customer needs with technical solutions. 💡
The COVID years became a turning point for Jason. Faced with a choice between med school in New Zealand and joining the UNSW 10× Founders Program, he chose the latter.
"I got a front-row seat to see these incredible companies, led by kickass founders." 🚀
As a program manager, Jason worked closely with founders like those at Psylo, Cauldron Ferm, and Number8 Bio. The role offered a masterclass in company building while transforming the lives of participants. One piece of feedback from a founder stuck with him:
"This accelerator has changed the way I will do academic research."
The shift? A more structured, milestone-driven approach to research, leveraging frameworks like OKRs and SMART goals. Something that absolutely resonated with me and my experience working in startups📊
In February 2023, Jason was seconded to Main Sequence Ventures, where he got his first taste of venture capital. By October 2023, he officially joined the team, bringing his unique blend of technical expertise and entrepreneurial experience.
Lessons for Founders
As our conversation turned to founder advice, Jason dropped a few gems:
1. Stop pitching your technology.
"Nobody cares about your science." 🧪
As painful as that might be for those of us with academic backgrounds, it’s true. Publishing in Cell, Nature or Science doesn’t guarantee VC interest. Instead:
"Unbridled ambition mixed with humility"
Ambition is hugely important. Aim for the stars, but understand the challenges of getting to them.
"We invest in people more than technology." 👥
Jason emphasized the importance of connecting the team to the technology and mission. Storytelling is critical in this, but it’s not just about charisma. Founders need a clear vision, the ability to inspire top talent, and a track record of execution.
2. Identify your target market early.
Technical founders often fall into the trap of creating elegant solutions for non-existent problems. The "build it and they will come" approach is risky—avoid it at all costs. 🎯
3. Embrace structured discovery.
"You’ve got two ears and one mouth. That’s the correct ratio for customer discovery." 👂
Understanding market needs requires listening more than talking. As a founder, you need to become customer obsessed. What are their needs, wants and desires? If you ever find yourself in a position of needing to ‘better educate’ customers about the benefits of your product, then you don’t have product market fit.
Why Biomanufacturing Matters
As we wrapped up, I wanted to get Jason's thoughts on biomanufacturing and the opportunity in the "advanced manufacturing" sector, so I’ll finish with this quote:
"Biology is just chemistry driven to speed by enzymatic acceleration. Biomanufacturing offers the opportunity to tap into the natural world and build products at unprecedented rates. I'm extremely bullish on biomanufacturing, but pragmatic that we won't be able to make everything" 🌱
As I do with every interview, I asked Jason if he had an 'ask' for this community. With the holiday season approaching, Jason has one simple request: embrace humility and empathy. 💛 Also, if you’re working in synthetic biology or biomanufacturing—especially on crazy, groundbreaking ideas—Jason is keen to connect.
