From Lab Space to Cyberspace: Lessons on Biotech and AI

Update: 2023-11-01

Description

Introduction

Drew Vo opens up about how he stumbled into the startup universe, ultimately finding his groove at Invisible—a trailblazing firm in the AI sector. Drew also shares his leap from biotech to the digital realm, underscoring the game-changing impact of AI.

Career Journey

Initially, Drew was deep in the trenches of biotech, working as a bioengineer specializing in cell culture. His days were filled with lab experiments, mostly dealing with proteins and biologics. But the allure of the startup scene soon caught his eye. His first taste of this new world was at Flexport, a decently-sized operation of 350 staff. He later shifted to a much smaller venture that had a tight-knit group of just 50. Drew admits feeling overwhelmed and disconnected in massive corporations—one had as many as 1,800 global team members. So, the remote-centric culture of Invisible was a breath of fresh air for him.

Joining Invisible

Drew stumbled upon Invisible while scrolling through a platform called Wellfound. The company's unique hiring process grabbed him instantly. Even more compelling was Invisible's forward-thinking approach to work culture, blending humanities and mindfulness into employee onboarding and training sessions.

Role and Responsibilities

During Drew's maiden week at Invisible, he was thrown into the deep end, swamped with tons of new learning materials. He was quickly plugged into an established team and went through an exhaustive training regimen. His role currently involves managing a couple of team leads, and he's keen on scaling that up to five, without feeling drained in the process.

AI Enablement

According to Drew, AI is more than just a technological fad; it's a vital part of embedding automation into a variety of workflows. He even dreams of a future where AI plays a pivotal role in complicated sectors like drug development, running clinical trials, and predicting pharmaceutical outcomes.

Personal Perspective on AI

Drew doesn't lose sleep over AI eating into jobs. For him, tech is a catalyst that redefines job markets rather than contracting them. He’s even put his money where his mouth is, leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT during his application process at Invisible.

Company Culture and Interactions

Drew finds the eclectic mix of backgrounds at Invisible to be exhilarating, and he’s all-in on the company's counter-cultural ethos. One of the most engaging dialogues he's had was with a co-worker named Fer, a person pushing the boundaries of tech innovation.

Conclusion

Thrilled to be a part of the Invisible family, Drew is looking forward to a future filled with possibilities. He’s raring to infuse his work with the same level of enthusiasm he has for life in general.

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