In this episode, I talked with Catello Somma, Partner at Seroba, to learn about his nonlinear journey from academia and biopharma into venture capital—and the realities behind building funds, backing biotech founders, and surviving industry downturns.

Catello shares the turning points that shaped his career: walking away from his PhD to get closer to patients, breaking into VC after years in biotech operations, and the hard decision to leave a fund when partnership opportunities weren’t on the table. He also gives an insider’s view on what people get wrong about venture capital—the pressure of fundraising cycles, the competition for partnership seats, and why the job is far from the traditional perception of “writing checks from a couch.”

And to round things off, he takes on some quick-fire questions, from his daily coffee intake to the advice he wishes he’d heard earlier in his career.

(Find out more in the episode.)

Here’s What You’re In For

• The skills biotech professionals often lack when they first enter VC
• The hard truth about career progression in VC—why few ever make partner
• How the biotech funding downturn is reshaping investor behavior

Timestamps

1:45 – Leaving academia, dropping a PhD, and first steps into industry

4:02 – Pros and cons of entering VC from biotech vs finance-only backgrounds

8:13 – What differentiates Seroba: flat structure, collegiality, and no egos

10:02 – How the biotech recession and closed IPO window reshaped strategies

13:11 – The biggest misconceptions about venture capital work

16:14 – The insecurity of VC careers: five-year fund cycles and job risk

17:29 – Hard lessons: breaking into VC and walking away when promotion wasn’t possible

19:35 – Quick-fire round: coffee habits, books, family life, funniest dinner with Kevin

About Catello

Catello Somma is a Partner at ROA Ventures, where he invests in early-stage life science companies across Europe and North America. His path into venture wasn’t straightforward: after leaving a PhD program to get closer to patients, he built his career in CROs and biotech operations, later completing an MBA to bridge the gap between science and finance.

Before joining Seroba, Catello worked on both sides of the biotech ecosystem, from building operational teams to structuring deals. Currently, he focuses on supporting founders through the toughest parts of the journey: scaling companies, navigating funding cycles, and preparing for exits. Known for his pragmatic approach and emphasis on culture, Catello brings a long-term mindset to venture—balancing the pressures of short-term market shifts with the resilience needed to build enduring biotech businesses.

Connect with Catello:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catellosomma/
• Website: https://serobavc.com/

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

• LinkedIn:

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Kevin Heller, former biotech CMO and now advisor to VCs and funds, who’s built his career at the intersection of science, leadership, and investment. Kevin started out as a pediatric hematologist–oncologist before joining BMS, where he worked on one of the first checkpoint inhibitor programs. Since then, he’s held senior roles across biotech and now works closely with companies and investors on strategy.

Kevin opened up about the habits that nearly held him back early in his career, how a colleague’s honest feedback changed the way he leads, and why the quiet moments in meetings often say more about culture than the loud ones.

He also shared about today’s funding climate—why raising money feels tougher than ever, what investors really look for, and why every company needs a clear plan for when things don’t go as expected. And outside of biotech, Kevin’s focus is on mentoring the next generation of scientists through the Society for Science, an organization he’s been deeply involved with for years.

Here’s What You’re In For

• The subtle warning signs of a weak culture (and why silence is the biggest one)
• The kind of questions investors ask now that many companies aren’t ready for
• How mentoring young scientists through the Society for Science has become Kevin’s way of giving back

Timestamps

00:58 – How Kevin moved from academia into industry

06:00 – The colleague who bluntly told him to be quiet

10:20 – What Kevin has seen change in biotech fundraising over the past few years

12:34 – The advice he gives to early-stage companies heading into investor meetings

16:15 – What most outsiders don’t realize about being on the investment side

17:54 – What “culture” actually means to him, and why bad leadership kills it

20:14 – The subtle early signs of a broken culture: silence in meetings

26:48 – Kevin’s involvement with the Society for Science and mentoring future scientists

About Kevin

Kevin Heller is a former biotech CMO and a current advisor to funds and VCs. He serves as Investment Team Advisor at an equity fund investing in biotech. He is a Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, and began his career at BMS where he contributed to the development of YUR-VOY.

He has held CMO roles at several biotech companies, worked on numerous early-stage programs (including at Incyte), and continues to influence the field through his advisory roles.

Kevin serves as a mentor, judge, and council member of Society for Science, a nonprofit that promotes science literacy and runs major student science fairs worldwide, in his way of giving back to the mentors who guided him early in his career. For him, it’s about inspiring the next generation to see science as something they can own and shape.

Connect with Kevin:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-n-heller-8bbb985/
• Society for Science:https://www.societyforscience.org/

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment, I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Carl Deutsch, Chief Scientific Officer at NBE Therapeutics, where he shared about his path from chemistry into pharma and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Carl recalls how difficult it was to secure his first role when jobs were scarce, the pressure of multiple interview rounds, and how a non-linear career path led to both opportunities and doubts about fitting the expected mold.

He discussed the differences between biotech and big pharma cultures, what it means to lead in a “cultural sandwich” role, and why accountability and agility look different depending on the environment. Carl also spoke about age bias in hiring, the importance of curiosity during interviews, and the kind of toxic hiring process that made him withdraw his application early in his career.

He explained why he looks for “band members” instead of “rock stars” when building teams, how character matters more than buzzwords or tick-box credentials, and why blinded CVs often miss the real story behind a candidate. And, in a lighter moment, Carl answered a series of quick-fire questions—from his habit of quoting movies, to the kinds of conversations he avoids, to the advice he’d give to someone starting out in the industry.

Here’s What You’re In For

• The benefits and challenges of a non-linear career path
• Why networking often matters more than a “tick-box” CV
• Why blinded CVs fail to capture the real story behind a candidate

Timestamps

02:20 – Scarcity and the First Job Hunt

05:10 – Non-Linear Careers and Self-Doubt

07:00 – The CV Tick-Box Trap

14:00 – Leading in a Cultural Sandwich

17:00 – What Biotech Culture Really Means

20:00 – Hiring for Accountability and Fit

23:00 – Age Bias in Pharma Hiring

30:00 – Band Members vs Rock Stars in Building a Team

32:00 – Why Blinded CVs Miss the Story

33:30 – Quick-Fire: Movie Quotes, Habits, and Career Advice

About Carl

Dr. Carl Deutsch, Chief Scientific Officer at NBE Therapeutics. A chemist by training, Carl earned his PhD in Dortmund, Germany, and went on to broaden his scientific horizons in the U.S. and Japan. He later added a business edge to his profile with an MBA from Mannheim Business School and ESSEC Paris.

Carl played a key role in the development of Mercks first in-house antibody-drug conjugate, M9140, and also helped drive innovation as an intrapreneur, launching an award-winning project under Merck Life Science. Since 2022, he has been leading scientific strategy at NBE Therapeutics.

Outside the lab, Carl has a creative side, he once took the stage as a member of an acting group and joining wild podcasts like mine.

Connect with Carl:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-deutsch-phd-mba-82ba28168/
• NBE Therapeutics: https://nbe-therapeutics.com/

About me

My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment, I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.

In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.

Connect with me:

• LinkedIn: