Joe joined Madrona in 2022. He focuses on sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities across Madrona’s investment themes with a focus on the intersection of life and computer sciences. He also supports the growth and strategy of current portfolio companies. Joe is a scientist at heart and is particularly interested in working with founders combining AI/ML and high-plex multi-omics to uncover unique biology.
Journey to Madrona
Before joining Madrona, Joe worked in business development at Roche, focusing on accelerating DNA sequencing. Joe came to Roche through the acquisition of Stratos Genomics, where he led business development, wearing many hats to advance Stratos’s single molecule, nanopore sequencing technology. Earlier in his career, Joe worked at NanoString commercializing multi-omic technologies and was an associate at the W Fund, investing in early-stage startups in Washington.
Lessons learned
Do hard things. Learn something new every day. Embrace being wrong.
When you’re building, don’t fall in love with hypotheses. Run the killer experiment without being afraid of what the result may be. These values are why I became a scientist, but the same philosophy applies to building great early-stage companies.
When he’s not in the office…
Outside the office, Joe is usually exploring the great outdoors of the PNW. Climbing mountains in the summer and skiing down them in the winter. He is also an avid runner, biker, and coffee drinker. He shares this passion for getting outside by volunteering with the Washington Alpine Club teaching alpine climbing and backcountry skiing.
Noteworthy
Joe holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Washington, where he studied the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to H2S. As an undergrad, Joe attended the University of San Diego, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in biochemistry. While at USD, Joe competed in track and field for four years.