#174 CEO & Co-Founder Ginkgo Bioworks, Jason Kelly: Life Finds a Way
Grit22 Jan 2024

#174 CEO & Co-Founder Ginkgo Bioworks, Jason Kelly: Life Finds a Way

Guest: Jason Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks

Almost everyone in the second generation of biotechnology entrepreneurs, says Ginkgo Bioworks CEO Jason Kelly, works in that field because of one thing: Jurassic Park. The Michael Crichton novel-turned-Steven Spielberg movie captured both the wonder and beauty of bioengineering, and the challenges of bending DNA to your own ends. “You didn’t invent biology,” Jason says. “You need to have humility in the face of it ... because life will find a way. It will do things you don’t expect. It’s not a computer.”

In this episode, Jason and Joubin discuss the Wall Street rollercoaster, designer cells, the history of biotech, Herbert Boyer and Genentech, ChatGPT, extinct flowers, Sam Altman and YCombinator, first principles thinking, compounding risk, Patrick Collison, super-voting shares, capital intensive businesses, Pets.com, and why biology is like “freakishly powerful alien technology.”

In this episode, we cover:

  • Being private vs. being public (00:58)
  • How bioengineering works (04:27)
  • Jurassic Park (08:51)
  • Biotech breakthroughs (12:15)
  • Why this field is not well-known yet (16:57)
  • “The ChatGPT moment for biotech” (22:05)
  • Meaningful stuff takes forever (26:23)
  • Ginkgo’s first five years (29:02)
  • Why the company went public (36:20)
  • Short sellers, Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk (42:08)
  • Applying AI to DNA engineering (47:57)
  • The long-term future (55:57)
  • Who Ginkgo is hiring (58:39)

Links:

Episoder(279)

CBO Duolingo, Bob Meese: Carrying Culture Through Language

CBO Duolingo, Bob Meese: Carrying Culture Through Language

Language is without doubt the single most valuable tool we use, and in its use, it ironically builds barriers. Fortunately in recent years with the rise of companies like Duolingo, those barriers are ...

29 Nov 202155min

CRO Pendo, Jennifer Brannigan: Un-designing Your Leadership Path

CRO Pendo, Jennifer Brannigan: Un-designing Your Leadership Path

To make the leap from HR to sales may seem like a significant obstacle to surmount. For Jennifer Brannigan, CRO at Pendo, it was an easy choice to make. Her decision to pursue her own interests and pa...

22 Nov 20211h 7min

CRO Rubrik, Brian McCarthy: Embedding Missionary Values Into Company Culture

CRO Rubrik, Brian McCarthy: Embedding Missionary Values Into Company Culture

Integrity and humility barely begin to describe Brian McCarthy, CRO at Rubrik. Brian’s story is one of hard-won progress that is bound to inspire anyone who listens. Coming from a blue-collar househol...

15 Nov 20211h 7min

President and COO Coinbase, Emilie Choi: Rising Through the Crypto Ranks

President and COO Coinbase, Emilie Choi: Rising Through the Crypto Ranks

"Crypto" is a term that has recently re-shaped the way the world thinks about money. For Emilie Choi, President and COO at Coinbase, it has been at the forefront of her work and mind for quite some ti...

8 Nov 20211h 4min

COO Bloomreach, Christy Augustine: Thin Mints and Company Building

COO Bloomreach, Christy Augustine: Thin Mints and Company Building

Carving her own path is certainly one way to describe how Christina Augustine, COO at Bloomreach, has chosen to do her work. With a distinct set of experiences, beginning with a unique college thesis,...

1 Nov 202159min

CEO Alteryx, Mark Anderson: Transformation Starts with Leadership

CEO Alteryx, Mark Anderson: Transformation Starts with Leadership

Mark Anderson, CEO at Alteryx, joins Joubin to talk about how he crafted his leadership ethos, which he often compares to a great game of golf. While Mark is currently at Alteryx, it is his foundation...

25 Okt 202153min

CEO Relativity, Mike Gamson: Fueling the Next Technology Ecosystems

CEO Relativity, Mike Gamson: Fueling the Next Technology Ecosystems

Mike Gamson, CEO of Relativity, has joined the show this week to provide his take on leadership, sales, and the evolution of his career leading up to Relativity. Mike’s path into becoming a CEO is a v...

18 Okt 202156min

CRO Stripe, Mike Clayville: Building Tornado Companies

CRO Stripe, Mike Clayville: Building Tornado Companies

Mike Clayville, CRO at Stripe, joins this week’s conversation to discuss what it's like to turn companies into forces of nature, using Mike’s chosen metaphor, the tornado. While Mike might be the firs...

11 Okt 20211h 12min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
e24-podden
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
pengepodden-2
utbytte
finansredaksjonen
pengesnakk
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
okonomiamatorene
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
rss-sunn-okonomi
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
lederpodden
rss-fa-makro
rss-markedspuls-2
boligbobla