Archon's Jamie Lazarovits on Unlocking the Full Power of Antibodies With AI

What does it take to move from cutting-edge academic research to launching a biotech company that could transform medicine? In this week’s episode of Founded & Funded, Madrona Partner Chris Picardo sat down with Jamie Lazarovitz, CEO and co-founder of Archon Biosciences, to uncover the story behind their groundbreaking protein-based biologics and their unique Antibody Cages (AbCs).

From bootstrapping deep tech investments as a student to navigating the challenges of commercializing revolutionary science, Jamie shares the pivotal moments, tough decisions, and key lessons that led to Archon’s creation.

This isn’t just a story for biotech enthusiasts — every founder can take away valuable insights on:

1) Asking for help and building teams with complementary skills — no founder succeeds alone.
2) Applying AI thoughtfully — it’s a tool, not a magic wand.
3) Patience — ensure your foundation is strong before scaling.
4) Partnering with investors you trust and who align with your mission.
5) Setting a high bar for talent and culture — great people build great companies.
6) Communicating your differentiation — make your value clear to all stakeholders.

Full Transcript: https://www.madrona.com/archon-unlocks-antibodies-with-ai-jamie-lazarovits

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction
(00:55) Jamie Lazarovitz's Journey from Deep Tech to Biotech
(01:45) Early Ventures and Lessons Learned
(05:03) The Motivation Behind Jamie’s Biotech Passion
(07:40) Joining the Institute for Protein Design - David Baker
(09:40) Meeting Co-Founder George Ueda and the Birth of Archon
(12:46) Revolutionary Protein Design at Archon: Antibody Cages (AbCs)
(25:23) The Role of AI in Protein Design
(27:50) Building a Successful Biotech Company
(38:47) Future Prospects