Kevin N. Heller, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Advisor to Funds and VCs, on Culture Shifts, Tough Lessons In Leadership, And The Reality Of Biotech Fundraising

About this episode

Dr. Kevin Heller discusses leadership, biotech fundraising, and mentoring young scientists.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Charles Spence

Guest: Kevin N. Heller, MD

Topics covered

• biotech fundraising
• leadership lessons
• investor strategies
• company culture
• mentoring scientists

Keywords

• biotech
• fundraising
• leadership
• investors
• mentoring
• company culture
• science

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BMS, Society for Science

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