In this episode, Zoé sits down with Dr. Mark Springel, a venture capital senior associate at Vida Ventures in Boston. Mark discusses his experiences during his PhD at Harvard Medical School, his venture capital career so far, and offers advice for those interested in the field. He highlights the importance of curiosity and drive over business knowledge and encourages listeners not to be overly fixated on a single career trajectory, as he believes there are many rewarding opportunities for those interested in biotech.
“The idea that business experience is required for jobs in industry is really probably not so correct”
“[PhD students are…] bright, motivated, ambitious, and those qualities go further in my view … than any resumé you might have established by working at a company for a few years”
“Don’t be so set on a particular path.... there are lots of things you could do which you would probably love and be successful doing."
Mark’s email address: Mark@vidaventures.com
Mark’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-springel
Time stamps:
00:40 Dr. Mark Springel Introduction
01:50 Mark’s PhD experience
04:25 Extracurricular activities during Mark’s PhD
06:55 Experience at Harvard office of technology development
10:00 How Mark was deciding his next steps at the end of PhD
15:05 Mark’s fellowship at Vida Ventures and how he got it
18:25 Staying at Vida Ventures after fellowship
20:50 Different roles and career progression at a venture capital
24:00 Day-to-day as a VC investor
28:10 Roses and thorns of the job
30:45 Mark’s advice to young researchers
33:30 Mark’s advice for getting into Venture capital
41:30 How to connect with Mark Springel.
