Episode E106 - Keara Sauber - Sauber Capital

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Hi Impactful Listener!

In this insightful episode of the Female VC Lab Podcast, we interviews Keara Sauber, the CEO of Sauber Capital. Keara shares her two-decade journey in healthcare and technology, her focused investment thesis, and her passion for female founders. The conversation dives deep into the nuances of biotech investments, the future of venture capital, and how it's evolving. They also discuss the importance of collaboration among venture funds, private equity, and investment bankers.

🎧 Listen to the Episode

Key Points Discussed

• Keara's Inspiration and Background: Journey from big pharma to venture capital, driven by a commitment to healthcare innovation.

• Investment Thesis: Focus on biotech diagnostics and women's health, along with growth capital for revenue-generating companies.

• Longevity and Healthcare Trends: Differentiating between health span and lifespan and the role of biotech in preventative healthcare.

• Future of Venture Capital: The importance of specialization, supporting women founders, and integrating alternative financial instruments.

• Current Focus: Continuous learning through evaluating company decks, studying balance sheets, and reading on longevity and biohacking.

🎧 Watch the Episode

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Kira Sauber

• 02:08 Longevity and Health Span

• 04:23 Future of Venture Capital

• 09:13 Ecosystem Collaboration and Risk Mitigation

• 13:41 Excitement for Future Technologies

• 19:06 Understanding Venture Capital

• 24:21 AI Integration in Venture Capital

Full Topic Guide

The Inspiring Journey of Keara Sauber: From Big Pharma to Venture Capital

Keara Sauber, CEO of Sauber Capital, joined host Barbara Bickham on Female VC Lab to share her incredible journey from big pharma to becoming a prominent figure in the venture capital world. With over 20 years of experience, Keara has always maintained a strong passion for healthcare and technology, striving to make impactful changes in the sector. Her commitment is reflected in her investment choices, focusing on diagnostics, life sciences, and femtech - areas she believes are paramount to addressing critical healthcare needs.

Investing with a Purpose: Sauber Capital’s Thesis

Sauber Capital's investment thesis centers on biotechnology diagnostics and women's health. Keara details the two arms of her investment strategy: providing seed and series A funding for early-stage companies and offering growth capital for revenue-generating firms. Her motivation stems from witnessing numerous opportunities, especially for female founders addressing pivotal healthcare issues. Keara emphasizes her goal of enabling women CEOs to secure capital and make significant strides in the industry.

Navigating the Longevity Space: Health Span vs Lifespan

One of the fascinating aspects of Keara's current focus is the distinction between health span and lifespan. She critiques the misconception that organic food alone equates to health, highlighting the underlying inflammatory markers as critical risk factors. With her background in developing monoclonal antibodies, Keara is keen on investing in biotech diagnostics aimed at preventative healthcare. She believes that understanding and addressing these inflammatory markers can significantly improve health outcomes and reduce mortality rates.

The Future of Venture Capital: Specialization and Collaboration

Looking ahead, Keara predicts venture capital will become more specialized, with a stronger emphasis on sectors like diagnostics and biotechnology. She foresees an increased focus on supporting women founders, driving both financial and societal impacts. Furthermore, Keara advocates for better collaboration between venture funds, private equity, and investment bankers. She suggests that integrating structured financial instruments and alternative lending solutions, alongside traditional venture capital, could offer more robust support to portfolio companies, ultimately benefiting both the investors and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Continuous Learning: Navigating Modern Challenges

Keara remains dedicated to continuous learning, primarily through evaluating company decks, studying business models, and understanding the nuances of IP. Balancing her time between evaluating investment opportunities and reading about longevity and biohacking trends, she stays ahead of the dynamic landscape. Keara underscores the importance of studying balance sheets and financial statements to ensure companies are in a strong position for funding.

Notable Quotes from the Guest

Fun Facts or Interesting Tidbits

1. Keara has a unique perspective on longevity, seeing it as a blend of biotechnology and lifestyle changes.

2. She evaluates 2-3 company decks daily, ensuring she stays informed of the latest trends and opportunities in her focus areas.

3. Keara humorously critiques the term "biohacking" despite its popularity, believing it sounds too much like a shortcut.

Episode Resource: Learning, Reading, and Listening

In the episode, Keara Sauber shared various resources she is currently learning from, reading, or listening to. Here are those resources:

Reading Decks of Companies

• No specific names or links provided, but this typically entails reviewing pitch decks from startups and established companies seeking investment.

Books on Longevity and Biohacking

• No specific titles mentioned, but you might explore popular books in these genres on platforms such as Amazon or Goodreads. Notable authors in these fields include David Sinclair, Peter Attia, and Tim Ferriss.

Pro formas, Balance Sheets, P&L Statements

• These are standard financial documents used to assess the viability and financial health of companies. Resources for learning more about these can be found on financial education websites like Investopedia:

  • Pro Forma Financial Statements

  • Balance Sheet

  • Profit and Loss Statement (P&L)

Keara Sauber emphasized a strong focus on financial evaluations and investment readiness, so the majority of her current learning materials appear to be practical and work-related documents and books within her field of interest.

Featured Guest Bio

Keara Sauber is a high-energy strategist, investor, and master global networker with nearly two decades of experience in pharmaceuticals, finance, and biotechnology. She specializes in driving transformative growth through innovative financing strategies, capital raising, and building strategic partnerships, particularly in healthcare, wellness, and biotech

• LinkedIn

Fund Information

Debt focused and Female Founded

• Sauber Capital Website

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Best,
Barbara