EP #491 - Simon Ittig: The CHF 450M Swiss Biotech Exit
Episode description
Timestamps:
3:51 - How T3 Pharma launched a clinical trial
15:44 - When a partner wants to acquire you
30:55 - Selling for more than you expected
44:56 - Why they publicly disclosed the acquisition cost
52:52 - How the company changed post-exit
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Simon Ittig:
Simon Ittig is the co-founder and CEO of T3 Pharmaceuticals, a company developing bacteria-based cancer therapies. With a background in molecular biology and a PhD from the University of Basel, Simon transitioned from academic research into the high-stakes world of biotech startups.
In this episode, Simon shares how he approached some of the most complex and sensitive aspects of his entrepreneurial journey: how to sell a startup without losing its soul, how to build trust in an industry where confidentiality is currency, and why he chose to stay after his company was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2023 for CHF 450M.
He also opens up about the emotional calculus founders make — the pressure to execute, the doubts that come with big decisions, and how staying grounded is what really lets you go far.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io
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