aHs podcast was born from hallway conversations and quiet moments — stories that deserved a mic. As a young person navigating spaces that often felt exclusive, I was drawn to voices that reflected brilliance, resilience, and heart. These conversations offer lessons in leadership, humility, and vision — reminding us that the journeys behind innovation are as meaningful as the outcomes.
amplifyHERscience Stories
I founded and produced aHs podcast in collaboration with Yale Ventures to explore the journeys of biotech innovators—the technologies they’re building, and the complex paths they've taken to pursue their goals and passions.
In this episode of AmplifyHerScienceStories, join us as we welcome esteemed guests Dr. Cyndi Green from CT Innovations and Tim Opstrum from Yale Ventures. Together, we delve into the fascinating world of life sciences entrepreneurship, gain insights into the vibrant landscape of Connecticut, and explore why it's poised to become the next biotech hub.
Prepare to be captivated as Cyndi and Tim share their wealth of knowledge on crafting successful pitches, mastering the art of networking, and navigating the treacherous pitfalls that entrepreneurs often encounter. Their expertise and experiences are invaluable, providing essential guidance for aspiring visionaries.
And that's not all! Stay tuned until the very end, where we unveil their personal recommendation for the top pizza establishment in Connecticut. You won't want to miss this exclusive insider tip!
In this pilot episode, we will hear Claudia Reuter's story before Roberts fund and Yale Ventures.
Introducing Roberts fund with Claudia Reuter.
In this episode Megha cohosts with seasoned IP professional Diane Harmon (Senior Director of Intellectual Property Administration, Yale Ventures) and is joined by esteemed guest Patrea Pabst of the Pabst Patent Group. The three discuss important topics for inventors looking to their technology innovations: importance of disclosures and IP, assessing the market potential of
discoveries, and designing practical, business-oriented solutions to achieve strategic patent goals. With a lot of laughs, and anecdotal stories, Patrea and Diane close out the episode with their best advice for an entrepreneur: define your product, map your customer journey, and most
importantly, believe in yourself.
In this episode, guest co-host Margaret Cartiera, PhD and Megha Unhelkar, PhD talk to the wonderful Indira Negi from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Indira talks about getting a sense of purpose from creating new technology and making existing technology more accessible to help eliminate suffering. Indira also talks about the importance of finding happiness in the things you do because "You can get dopamine from having a goal that you're making progress towards, but you can also get dopamine from like, just like having solved a hard problem. Like when you write software, you get dopamine after which you're like YES! I solved this really hard bug." Part educational, part philosophical, Indira and Margaret emphasize how having a sense of humor and a winning mindset will
make you both successful and happy.
In this episode, Megha H. Unhelkar and guest co-host, Michelle McQueen, chat with Jen Petter. In addition to declaring that RNA is the new black, Jen discusses her scientist-first approach to entrepreneurship, her experiences as a transgender women in business, and more about her journey from
Columbia to Biogen and Celgene to startup land .
Lots of interesting insights - and laughs - were had!
In this episode, Megha H. Unhelkar, PhD, and guest co-host, Michelle McQueen, chat with Josh Geballe, Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Managing Director at Yale Ventures. Josh discusses his own entrepreneurial journey, and we learned that his Yale roots are deep! As he tells it “I learned to walk and crawl on the steps of the Yale Law school.” Josh, Michelle and Megha discuss the newly announced details ahead of the upcoming Yale Innovation Summit on May 17th & 18th, from the 2 two powerhouse keynote speakers, a lineup of dynamic panels, and cool prizes such as the Golden Ticket. Josh also talks about the launch of Yale Ventures, the importance of building a strong entrepreneurial network within Yale and the New Haven community, and most importantly, mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs who want to make an impact on the world’s toughest challenges. A must listen!
In this episode, Dr. Megha H. Unhelkar and co-host Dr. Akansha Bhargava talk to the wonderful Dr. Rebecca Velez Frey who shares her experience as an executive running successful startups. Rebecca also talks about important skills to develop for a startup, how to pivot your career, and most importantly, finding a career that you are passionate about!
In this episode, our guest co-host Morag Grassie, PhD and Megha H. Unhelkar, PhD interview Amy Millman, a passionate advocate for women entrepreneurs. Of her many achievements, Amy shares her experience of founding Springboard Enterprises, running the organization for over 20 years and having an impact on over 800 companies led by talented women innovators. Amy also talks about the importance of being a connector, and building a strong network, learning to pivot your career and most importantly, mentoring the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs
In this episode, our guest co-host Melisa Lopez-Anton, PhD and Megha H. Unhelkar, PhD interview Amy Divaraniya, PhD, the Founder and CEO of Oova, where we chat about her experiences as an entrepreneur, the importance of picking good mentors and finding a supportive network, and most importantly, being a lifelong learner. As Amy says, keep redefining normal!
In this episode, Dr. Anurag Agarwal and Dr. Mitra Miri from OUP (Osage University Partners) chat about the importance of translating academic research, licensing and evaluating technologies and current trends in the healthcare space from a VC standpoint. An exciting episode for anyone interested in taking their technology off the bench!
amplifyHERscience Stories has new episode out! In this episode, Dr. Bill Wiesler and Dr. Morag Grassie explain the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale and the application process. We are also joined by the past awardees, Prof. Barbara Ehrlich and Prof. Anjelica Gonzalez who share their experiences being Blavatnik award recipients.
amplifyHERscience Stories podcast has launched their first episode with Yale Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Angel Investor, and Medtech executive Kristin King. In this episode, Kristin chats with podcast hosts, Megha and Akansha about the importance of understanding the healthcare customer, how to network successfully, and perspectives on fundraising and technology de-risking from an angel investor
"The women who go first and speak out help shape a better world for all of us, yet all too often their stories are lost. I was not going to let that happen to this story." - Excerpt from Anne Gardiner Perkins's Yale Needs Women.
In this pilot episode, you will meet the founding members and hear from the entire team about the mission, their motivations to join the cause, and the goals of this recent initiative within Yale OCR.