(Carmen Segovia) 

Three Biotech Game Changers

Even in the most favorable of times and circumstances, creating a biotechnology company is a daunting prospect. So what is it like to take on the challenge without models or mentors, and with no infrastructure or funding support? Here, three biotech entrepreneurs who built successful companies from scratch in Brazil, China and India, and who continue to lead the sectors in their home countries reflect on their experiences.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s company, Biocon, has blossomed from a garage based–enzyme manufacturer into a diversified biotech company with an accent on R&D. Under Ge Li’s guidance, WuXi AppTec developed, in the space of a decade, into a large integrated company that services clients from discovery to commercialization. After launching Brazil’s most successful biotech company, Guilherme Emrich turned venture capitalist. His company, FIR Capital Partners, delivers strategic investment and managerial expertise at regional, national and international scales.

As much as Emrich, Li and Mazumdar-Shaw differ in their culture, education and individual pathways to success, the three share a great number of traits, not least an entrepreneurial can-do spirit. The following profiles tell their individual stories, and question-and-answer sections explore their opinions and advice on a diverse range of subjects.