From Chemistry Lab to Biotech Business Development
From the chemistry lab to the biotech startup world, Antonella Tsoukala has built her career at the intersection of science and business. She studied Chemistry at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and went on to complete an MSc in Bioentrepreneurship at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Her experience spans from research and non-profits to venture capital and early-stage biotech startups. Today, she works at Anodyne Nanotech, focusing on business development, partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. In this interview, she talks about the path that led her into biotech and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Q: You started out in chemistry. How did that turn into a career in biotech entrepreneurship?
I’ve always been fascinated by the human body—my mother is a speech-language pathologist, and as a child I loved hearing how each body function is connected. Those early conversations planted a seed: I wanted to understand how systems work, why they’re built a certain way, and whether they could be improved.
That curiosity led me to study Chemistry at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with a focus on biochemistry and organic chemistry. While studying, I had this urge to explore what was out there after graduation. Almost by accident, I stumbled into the world of entrepreneurship by creating a multilingual board game. What began as a creative side project evolved into a startup and later on a non-profit that helped refugees socially and linguistically integrate in their new countries.
This experience opened my eyes to the power of building something from scratch to address a real need. At the same time, while pursuing academic research in the organic chemistry lab, I kept wondering: Why don’t more scientific discoveries become real-world solutions? Many innovations never make it to patients—not because the science isn’t sound, but because they’re not built with actual needs in mind, or researchers aren’t equipped to navigate commercialization. That realization pushed me to the intersection of science and business—towards bioentrepreneurship. I wanted to work where patient needs, business viability, and scientific innovation meet.
Q: What was your first real step into that intersection?
I joined an early-stage biotech startup in Berlin, incubated within the Merantix AI Venture Builder ecosystem. It was a deep dive into the business side of science—I worked directly with the founders on shaping the go-to-market strategy, conducting market analysis, and developing business opportunities. What helped me land that role was a combination of my background and prior experiences: my thesis work in natural products, which connected directly to the company’s focus on using natural product substrates to discover new pharmaceutical modalities using AI; and my early exposure to entrepreneurship, where I had seen firsthand what it takes to take a project from 0 to 1. The role was fast-paced, high-pressure, and incredibly rewarding. Seeing how decisions in those early days could define the company’s trajectory confirmed that I wanted to build my career in this space.
Q: How did you decide to formalize this career path?
I wanted a structured way to bridge my chemistry background with entrepreneurial skills, so I moved to Stockholm to pursue an MSc in Bioentrepreneurship at Karolinska Institute. What attracted me to this program was the flexibility to take on multiple internships and explore the biotech ecosystem from different angles.
I deliberately chose roles in venture capital—first at Industrifonden in Sweden, then at Brandon Capital in New Zealand—because I wanted to understand how investors think, what they look for, and the decision-making process behind biotech investments. My master’s thesis focused on information asymmetries between investors and entrepreneurs in the early preclinical stages, which gave me a deeper appreciation for the communication gaps that can make or break a startup.
Q: And that journey ultimately brought you to Anodyne Nanotech?
Yes. Joining Anodyne felt like the perfect next step. Anodyne Nanotech is a Boston-based clinical-stage biotech developing HeroPatch™, a microneedle-based transdermal delivery platform for biologics and complex formulations. My role covers market analysis, business development, managing existing or potential partnerships with pharma, and supporting fundraising efforts. Day to day, that can mean evaluating which drug candidates are best suited for transdermal delivery, shaping business cases for potential partners, or preparing materials for investors.
What excites me most is turning complex science into strategic insights—tracking pipelines, monitoring industry trends, and positioning our innovation in the broader market. It’s where scientific curiosity meets business strategy, and that intersection is what drives me.
Q: Finally, if you could share one piece of advice with someone interested in following a similar career path, what would it be?
I’d say: don’t be afraid of movement – especially in the early stages of one’s career. Over the past few years, I’ve moved across countries and industries—chemistry labs, non-profits, venture capital, and startups. At first, it felt like I was constantly starting over, but each step added a new layer of perspective. Changing environments forces you to adapt, to question assumptions, and to see problems through different lenses.
In biotech especially, that breadth matters. The field sits at the intersection of science, business, and patient needs, so having experienced it from multiple sides has been invaluable. My advice is to embrace that variety—geographical, professional, or disciplinary—because it often shapes the insights and opportunities that will define your career.
Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonella-tsoukala/