Key insights

• ⚡ Founded company without traditional qualifications
• 💪 Overcame self-doubt and health challenges
• 💰 Sold company for $275 million
• ⚕️ Early experience with ovarian cysts
• ⏳ Choosing to wait instead of risking invasive surgery
• 🌐 Utilize personal network to connect with industry professionals
• 🚫 Emphasizing the need to find the right people to work with and ignore biased individuals
• 🎉 Received an acquisition offer from Boston Scientific for $275 million after years of rejection and dedication

Q&A

• How did the entrepreneur's experience after selling her company shape her future path?

  Selling the company gave the speaker a sense of security for the product's future, leading her to become inspired to join YC Healthcare and bio partner at YC. She emphasizes the importance of addressing real needs, being passionate about solving big problems, and finding joy in helping founders bring their technologies to market.

• What were the key steps in the entrepreneur's journey to success?

  The entrepreneur started a company at 24 to develop an early detection mechanism for ovarian cancer. She realized the importance of talking to gynecologists to validate the concept and utilized her personal network to connect with industry professionals. Despite fundraising challenges and facing bias from investors, the entrepreneur found the right people to work with. Eventually, the company received a $275 million acquisition offer from Boston Scientific after raising substantial venture capital and achieving FDA clearance.

• How did the entrepreneur overcome self-doubt and health challenges?

  Despite success in engineering and facing unsatisfactory feelings, the entrepreneur committed to starting a women's health company to improve the experiences of other families. Additionally, she chose to wait for surgery instead of risking invasive surgery, which paid off when the cyst was determined to be noncancerous.

• What inspired the entrepreneur to start a women's health company?

  The decision to wait for surgery due to a noncancerous cyst on the ovary prompted the creation of a women's health company. This experience led to the founder's vision for a better approach to women's health.

• 00:00 A young, non-traditional biotech entrepreneur shares her journey of resilience and success despite initial self-doubt and health challenges.
• 01:52 A personal story about a cyst that prompted the creation of a women's health company. The decision to wait for surgery paid off as the cyst was noncancerous. This experience led to the founder's vision for a better approach to women's health. Despite success in engineering, she felt unsatisfied and had an uncontainable energy.
• 04:00 At 24, I started a company to develop early detection mechanism for ovarian cancer. I initially overlooked the importance of talking to customers but eventually connected with gynecologists who validated the concept. Utilize your personal network for industry connections.
• 05:44 Facing challenges while fundraising for a women's health concept, but found investors who believed in the idea. Emphasizing the importance of finding the right people to work with.
• 07:22 After raising significant venture capital and achieving FDA clearance, the company received a $275 million acquisition offer from Boston Scientific, providing validation for their life-saving device.
• 09:33 After selling her company, the speaker met Jared Friedman at YC and was inspired to join YC Healthcare and bio partner. She emphasizes the importance of addressing real needs and being passionate about solving big problems. Her journey has led her to find joy in helping founders bring their technologies to market.