A Founder's Dilemma: Separating Your Identity from the Business and Technology
Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Samir Patel, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Moonlight Therapeutics, about a challenge many entrepreneurs face, but few openly discuss: separating your identity from the technology and company you build.
Throughout his career, Samir has worked at the intersection of engineering, drug delivery, scientific innovation, and biotech entrepreneurship. He co-founded Clearside Biomedical after inventing the suprachoroidal drug-delivery technology that helped launch the company, which later completed an IPO and brought an FDA-approved therapy to market. Today, as co-founder and CEO of Moonlight Therapeutics, he is helping advance a patient-friendly dermal platform for treating food allergies, with its lead program currently in clinical trials for peanut allergy.
In this session, Samir will explore the evolving role of a founder in developing a technology and building a company, as well as the importance of separating personal identity and growth from the venture itself. Drawing on his experiences building two biotech companies, he will discuss how a founder's relationship with a company can change over time, how to think about your role as the organization evolves, and one of the most difficult questions entrepreneurs may eventually face: when is it time to step away, regardless of whether the company succeeds or fails?
This event is designed for students, postdocs, researchers, aspiring founders, entrepreneurs, and early-career professionals interested in biotech entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, and company building. Attendees will gain a candid perspective on the personal and professional realities of entrepreneurship and the challenges that can arise when an inventor or founder becomes deeply connected to the technology and company they helped create.
Whether you are considering translating your research into a startup, currently building a company, or simply interested in understanding the founder journey beyond fundraising and company formation, this session will provide valuable perspectives on founder identity, personal growth, leadership, and knowing when your role in a venture may need to evolve.
Meet the Host
Berkeley Pharma Tech Foundation is a nonprofit committed to expanding biotech understanding and improving access to the industry through education, mentorship, and networking. We host roundtables, speaker panels, and community events to connect aspiring scientists and entrepreneurs with industry leaders. Our goals: launch a funded research program within two years and build a state-of-the-art lab in the Bay Area within five. Follow us on LinkedIn or reach out to Vanloan Nguyen to get involved!