Nandita Shangari didn’t plan to end up in venture capital. She was a toxicologist at Novartis, and said yes to one unplanned opportunity after another, until she’d worked on Kymriah (the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved CAR T therapy), ran the Novartis Venture Fund, and ultimately landed at RA Capital Management, where she’s now managing director.
In the latest episode of the NextGen VC Podcast, hosts and Wilson Sonsini partners Mike Hostetler and Jen Fang trace that path with Nandita and discuss what she’s learned along the way about the “performance equity” that opens doors, how RA’s incubator builds companies fast, and the real story behind Capstan Therapeutics’ pivot from oncology to autoimmune disease. They also ask her what separates scientists who thrive in venture from the ones who struggle.
Before her time at Novartis Venture Fund, Nandita held several roles across Novartis, including positions in Business Development and Licensing and as a key member of the Kymriah® Global Program Team. She also held strategic and group head roles in the Novartis Preclinical Investigative Toxicology organization.
The NextGen VC Podcast unpacks the opportunities, challenges, and breakthroughs shaping life sciences investing. It is curated by Wilson Sonsini and LaunchBio with hosts Michael Hostetler and Jennifer Fang. The podcast episodes feature interviews with successful venture capitalists, allowing listeners to gain wisdom from their experiences and learn how the pros have navigated challenges, made strategic decisions, and achieved remarkable success.
The NextGen VC Podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. Subscribe and never miss an episode: https://launchbio.org/nextgen-vc-podcast/.
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