_edited.jpg)
Hello.
Over my 25 years in biotech operations, I’ve seen the same story play out across multiple startups. The science is different, the teams are unique, but the operational challenges? Nearly identical.
🚀 The mission is always to create differentiated value, stay on budget, and maintain optionality.
❌ The biggest hurdle? Finding operational and IT solutions tailored to the specific growth needs of a biotech startup.
Driven by the urgency that comes with scientific discovery and clinical milestones, many startups struggle to build efficient operations. IT solutions often default to legacy systems that are too burdensome, too rigid, and too costly. These choices can delay progress, waste resources, and hurt the very mission those companies set out to achieve.
That realization is what drove me—and my friends and colleagues, Jon Weiss and Chris Massaroco—to start Basis Bio.
The Challenge: Biotech Startups Deserve Better Than One-Size-Fits-All IT
Biotech startups operate on tight timelines with critical milestones. Whether it’s moving from research to clinical development or preparing for a funding round, operational readiness plays a huge role in a company’s ability to scale and succeed.
Yet, in many of the startups I helped build, too many aspects of IT and operational infrastructure were treated as "later" challenges. This reactive approach leads to a familiar set of problems:
Use of enterprise systems that don’t fit the startup model
Compliance gaps that create unnecessary corporate risk and delay
Disconnected tools that hinder collaboration and productivity
Mounting costs and data sprawl from rushed solutions and last-minute fixes
Jon experienced these issues firsthand during his journey from organic chemist to biotech Informatics & IT leader. “A little technology strategy in the early days of a biotech goes a long way,” Jon said.
“Without alignment to corporate objectives, systems which should accelerate progress instead become roadblocks.”
Chris often received calls only after something had gone wrong—a data breach, infrastructure failure, or system downtime.
“By the time we’re brought in, milestones are at risk, and costs are piling up,” Chris shared. “The right planning early on could’ve prevented it.”
What we all realized was simple: Most of these problems are preventable—if startups align their operations and IT infrastructure with their growth plans from day one.
The Inspiration: Can We Scale Our Operational Expertise to Help More Startups?
At EQRx, where Jon, Chris, and I worked together, we faced these challenges head-on. We navigated rapid growth, implemented right-sized solutions, and kept compliance top of mind. That experience underscored something we’d all been thinking:
What if we could apply these operational insights across the biotech startup landscape?
Every company we worked with encountered similar issues. Why not build a platform to solve them proactively—rather than stepping in as the fix-it team after problems arose?
That question was the catalyst for Basis Bio.
The Solution: Building Basis Bio to Solve Biotech’s Most Common Operational Pitfalls
We founded Basis Bio with a clear mission: To be the trusted IT and operational partner for resource-smart biotech startups.
What makes us different? It’s not just about providing IT solutions. It’s about understanding the biotech lifecycle—how research evolves into clinical development, how funding rounds hinge on milestones, and how compliance can’t be an afterthought.
Here’s how we approach it:
Aligning IT with Business Milestones
Your IT infrastructure should enable—not hinder—your growth. We ensure systems are built to be ready to address your company’s needs, from seed stage to IPO.
Proactive, Not Reactive Support
We don’t wait for things to break. By prioritizing compliance, security, and operational efficiency upfront, we help clients avoid costly disruptions down the road.
Tailored Solutions for Unique Biotech Challenges
No two startups are the same. We work closely with founders and VCs to understand specific needs, ensuring solutions are right-sized and fit for purpose.
Why It Matters: Operational Readiness Can Make or Break a Biotech Startup
Every day lost to system issues or compliance delays is time not spent on what truly matters: advancing your science and delivering medicines to patients.
When IT infrastructure is overlooked, the consequences are serious:
❌ Missed milestones
❌ Slower clinical trial starts
❌ Increased costs
❌ Lost investor and partner confidence
With Basis Bio, we aim to flip that script. We believe startups deserve operational systems that support agility and efficiency—so your team can focus on innovation, not IT headaches.
As I often say:
Operational readiness isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Looking Ahead: Partnering With Startups to Improve Patient Outcomes
At the end of the day, it’s about more than systems and software. It’s about enabling biotech companies to achieve their missions without unnecessary roadblocks. By supporting operational readiness, we’re not just helping startups—we’re contributing to faster scientific breakthroughs and better patient outcomes.
👉 Is your startup scaling with the right operational foundation?
Are you prioritizing IT-Readiness and compliance early enough?
If those questions have you thinking, let’s talk. We built Basis Bio to help startups like yours navigate these challenges and focus on what matters most—your science and the patients..
Final Thoughts: Why Wait for Something to Break?
When biotech startups wait to address operational readiness, they risk delays, lost funding opportunities, and, most importantly, time that patients can’t afford to lose.
We started Basis Bio because we believe there’s a better way. A way to build at speed, on budget, and with solutions that fit your growth.
💭 What’s the biggest operational hurdle your company has faced? How did it impact your milestones?
We’d love to hear your story—and help you avoid those hurdles moving forward.
Cheers,
Ken
Comments