Show Notes: Creating Your Own Path as a STEMM Professional with Dr. Anushi Rajapaksa

"If not me then who" - why you may actually be the one who should take the first step and how to get started.

What if your unique combination of STEMM degrees could solve a global health problem?

Are you a STEMM professional feeling that there is more that you can bring, wondering how to leverage your unique combination of skills and experiences?

In this episode, Dr. Anushi Rajapaksa shares how her diverse background in electrical, biomedical, and aerospace engineering led her to create Misty - an innovative portable humidifier mask that's transforming respiratory care for children and potentially changing how biological medicines are delivered to the lungs.

You'll discover:

• How to identify your unique "knowledge brokering" superpower and your purpose
• learn practical steps to start validating your ideas (even with Nobel Prize winners!),
• gain the confidence to take imperfect action because "scrappy progress is better than no progress."
• How to put together a roadmap that can get you started and later on grow

Listen now to transform your perspective from "I need more credentials" to "I already have everything I need to start."

In this episode we explore additional themes, including :

• How to recognise opportunities
• The financials of getting through the first 6 months
• How to get your opinion heard and why it matters
• Why being clear on your message is the foundation of creating opprotunities
• Why you don’t have to be part of the 5am club everyday

And much more

Episode Timeline:

• [00:00] Introduction to Multiple Hats and Dr. Anushi Rajapaksa
• [02:45] What is Misty and why it should exist
• [06:30] The two product lines: My Misty and Med Misty
• [13:00] Anushi's academic journey: from electrical to aerospace engineering
• [16:30] The undervalued superpower of "knowledge brokering"
• [21:45] Early career experiences and grant writing lessons
• [28:00] Giving your expertise a voice and platform
• [31:30] First steps in founding Misty during the pandemic
• [37:00] Morning routines and managing priorities
• [38:45] Building a roadmap with IP, regulatory and customer focus
• [45:00] The role of accelerators and mentors
• [49:30] Funding journey: from small experiments to product development
• [55:30] Overcoming the perfectionism trap in product development
• [57:30] Customer engagement strategies without marketing
• [1:01:30] Privileges and systemic issues faced as a founder

Resources Mentioned:

• Start Mate Accelerator
• Melbourne Center for Nano Fabrication

As always, some reflection time for you-

What pivot could your unique combination of STEMM skills make possible?

Discover how your apparently unrelated experiences might be your greatest superpower.

Learn more about Misti https://www.misti.com.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anushi/?originalSubdomain=au

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Challenging decade old processes and breaking Barriers in 3D Design: Engineering a Path from Mechatronics to Entrepreneurship

Imagine entering the workforce and onboarded with process that have not changed for decades.

That's where Sophia Kurianski, CEO and founder of Jinolo, found herself.

With a background in mechatronics engineering, Sophia didn't conform to the 'this is how it's always been done' mentality.

Instead, she built Jinolo, a platform bridging the gap between technical designers and non-technical stakeholders in 3D collaboration.

Dive into her journey from scrapping her first code attempt to launching a platform now serving 500+ customers worldwide.

Listen up for practical insights to learn about:

• problem-solving as critical source of idea,
• MVP development,
• customer discovery/ customer research - How to validate your business idea by talking to potential users before writing a single line of code
• grants and cashflow optimisation
• product adoption approach
• The power of accelerator programs to provide structure, mentorship, and community for early-stage founders
• Mindset change: Why embracing failure in sales is essential for STEMM professionals used to academic success

Listen now to learn how Sophia built a scalable tech product as a solo founder with limited resources and discover actionable strategies to turn your technical expertise into entrepreneurial success.

If you're a STEM professional eyeing entrepreneurship or curious about 3D design evolution, this episode is a must-listen.

Check out Jinolo at jinolo.com and transform your 3D design workflow!

00:00 Introduction to Multiple Hats

00:29 Meet Sophia Kansky: CEO and Founder of Jinolo

00:37 The Problem with Traditional Processes

01:21 Introducing Jinolo: Bridging Technical and Non-Technical Collaboration

02:22 Sophia's Journey into Engineering

03:34 Challenges and Solutions in 3D Design Collaboration

09:19 Sophia's Early Career and Work Experience

13:01 Starting Jinolo: From Idea to Execution

19:26 Building the Minimum Viable Product

22:30 Overcoming Challenges and Gathering Feedback

27:40 Approaching Sales and Adoption Strategies

34:37 The Importance of Customer Discovery

35:58 Solo Founder Journey Begins

37:37 Building the MVP and Early Challenges

40:07 Hiring Contractors and Team Dynamics

43:27 Customer Acquisition Strategies

46:34 Technical and Customer Scalability

55:00 Funding and Financial Sustainability

58:58 Sales and Personal Growth

01:06:57 Reflections and Future Vision

01:09:27 Conclusion and Call to Action

Hey, I hope you have enjoyed this interview and the career twists!

While you listen, can you see the pattern - Founders tend to go get their destiny and create their own luck.

And so can you!

Creating your own luck has a lot to do with how you put yourself out there and speak about what you want to do.

Send me a message if you want to start being at the right place, at the right time and make your own stars align.

visit my website angelique.greco.com.au or send me a message on LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Femtech revolution with Ida Tin, founder of Clue

Did Apple "forgot" to add a period tracker to the Apple Heath tracker at a time when Femtech was not a thing?

Imagine you’re pioneering a product in a completely new sector, carving out an entirely new market category.

That’s the journey of Ida Tin, the co-founder of Clue, one of the largest Femtech health apps serving 10+ million active users across 190+ countries.

Ida coined the term 'Femtech,' to provide a unifying banner for the sector dedicated to women's health technology.

We get to hear how it started from the ida of a home hormonal test ( a decade before home testing of anything was a thing) to taking a 100% digital approach to contraception.

Despite navigating the challenges of a male-dominated investment landscape and spearheading a deeply ethical approach to data privacy, Ida Tin shares how Clue rose to become a trusted app for women’s reproductive health.

This episode covers everything from the struggles of combating gender norms to finding innovative ways to fund and market a startup in a stigmatized area.

Ida's story is also a testament to why inclusive data and ethical business practices are paramount in creating lasting and meaningful products for women around the world.

00:32 Meet Ida Tin: The Mother of Femtech

01:45 The Journey of Clue

03:55 Data Privacy and Ethical Considerations

07:09 Challenges and Innovations in Femtech

17:55 Building the Clue Team

33:33 The Birth of the Term 'Femtech' , definition and a new unifying banner

39:41 Inclusivity in Femtech: Bridging the Gender Gap

40:57 The Duality of Periods: Normalization vs. Medical Attention

42:28 Creating a Supportive Work Culture for Women

44:11 Challenges in Femtech: Data Gaps and Funding Issues

51:31 funding , Ethics and Success in Femtech: A Comparative Analysis

56:24 Navigating Gender Bias in Venture Capital

01:07:14 Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship

01:09:23 Conclusion: Building a Unified Future

You can follow Ida Tin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/idatin/

Sign up for her Femtech book release https://femtechbook.com/

And check out Clue on your app store https://helloclue.com/

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

Follow Multiple hats https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6311fe9bae5d13001250521f

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special Christmas Book giveaway! Take the survey to get into the lucky draw https://ryg62jhnlbu.typeform.com/to/e8SoODEo.

Survey close on 19 Dec 2024

🎁 Book Giveaway

- Win a copy of "How I Built This" by Guy Raz

- To enter:

- Vote for your favorite Multiple Hats interview

- Share what topics you'd like explored in future episodes

The end of the year is always a good time to look back and take one action.

Look back at :

• Your gut! What project was your heart signing to this year?
• Your surrounding. Who's around you? Do they get it? Do they support you? Do they detract you?

Time to shift towards these who lift you up.

• Your Patchwork: what makes YOU you? What's your special lens?
• Forget about your age. It does not matter.
• Get immune to detractors. Hear them then ignore them.
• Act this month - What is one thing you can take a shot at ?

In this episode, we review practical real life examples.

01:02 The Importance of Community

01:50 Facing Detractors and Naysayers

02:58 Finding Support in Startup Communities

06:06 Real-Life Examples of Overcoming Detractors

13:37 Embracing Your Unique Path

17:17 The Value of Taking Risks

21:58 Age is Just a Number

25:38 Conclusion and Call to Action

Featured stories from:

- Melina Georgousakis (Franklin Women)

- Heather Catchpole (Refraction Media)

- Annabel Zhou and Vivian Shen (Toastie)

- Dr. Loz (SciencePlaykids)

- Dr. Dharmica Mistry ( Medtech, breast cancer diagnostics)

- Dr. Maryam Parviz (Medtech, SDIP Innovations)

### The Importance of Community

### Breaking Entrepreneur Stereotypes

- Challenging the "tech bro" stereotype

- Different paths to entrepreneurship

- How researchers can transition to business

- Corporate founders' unique challenges

### Success Stories at Any Age

- Young founders: Canva co-founders, Alinta, Viv and Annabel

- Mid-career transitions: Heather Catchpole, Natalie Chapman, Melina Georgousakis

- Later-stage entrepreneurs: Dr. Sarah Cru (OOxii Global)

## Featured Quotes

> "There isn't one way, one personality." - Angelique Greco

> "Learn not to be perfect, even when it comes to motherhood. Being good enough is enough." - Dr. Maryam Parviz

## Call to Action

- Take a shot at something new before Christmas

- Share your goals with the host or keep them as your secret

- Connect with Multiple Hats:

- Website: angeliquegreco.com.au

- LinkedIn & Instagram: @Angelique Greco

- Share feedback and guest suggestions

## Show Status

Multiple Hats is taking a brief break - stay tuned for future episodes and updates.

---

*Multiple Hats explores the journeys of STEMM professionals who have carved their own paths beyond traditional career tracks, sharing insights on innovation, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.*

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine puzzling with the pain of a chronic illness and your only help is a giant xls spreadsheet where you try to figure out what makes you sick and what help you staying afloat.

That's what Annabel Zhou and Vivian Shen had to do, just like the millions of people trying to live a healthier life despite their chronic illness.

These two women however decided to turn the situation around and leverage their technical skills as software engineers to create a tool that could do better than a spreadsheet.

A tool that would be easy to track symptoms, meals, body functions and else and turn it into real insights that you can bring and discuss with your doctor.

No more obvious observation but actual correlations of multiple parameters to investigate.

How do two fresh grads get to change the fate of health insights on their second go to entrepreneurship all while having a full time job as software engineer at Google?

You're in for their stories.

Try to guess why they call it Toastie while you're at it!

You can sign up to the Toastie App pre-release that Annabelle and Viv are building live!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxIO7hlJK8Ew9Y1ykensm5cg3-vy1ddFKLNjKkFFo9Ymt-Rg/viewform

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

Follow Multiple hats https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6311fe9bae5d13001250521f

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Embark on this series with UNSW founders special accelerator programs and hear from UNSW program managers and founders.

wether you have already started or just have an entreprenarial itch, this is sure to show you what's possible when you dare to give it go.

it is packed with founders stories, near explosions, realisation that there must be a better way as well as the incredible involvement of the program manager who can make this entore community of support possible.

Lots of insights on the steps required from itch to realisation.

Don't forget to reach out to me if you want to hear more! and of course, check out UNSW founders program.

UNSW founders:

https://unswfounders.com/

you can reach out on my webiste angelique.greco.com.au or my linkedIn or Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/multiplehatspodcast/

www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

follow Me and Multiple Hats for more insights!

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breaking Barriers: Championing Women Entrepreneurs with UNSW's New Wave Program

22% of startups are founded by women only and they receive only 0.7% of the private capital.

Do the numbers line up to you? Not to me!

We need more female entrepreneurs and more funding for them.

UNSW Founders' New Wave program is breaking barriers right at the beginning for female entrepreneurs.

Victoria Rose Tucker, New Waves program manager covers the inception, structure, and impact of New Wave, which provides a low-barrier entry to entrepreneurship for women affiliated with UNSW.

Visit New Waves website https://unswfounders.com/new-wave

Exploring UNSW Founders Entrepreneurial Programs

03:15 Interview with Victoria Ross Tucker

05:13 Eligibility and Program Details

06:07 Program Structure and Participant Experience

07:15 Challenges and Support for Female Entrepreneurs

09:45 Future Goals and Success Stories

16:46 Debunking Myths and Building Confidence

32:22 An example of an early idea for a discreet solution

32:37 AI-Powered Chronic Illness Management - Team toastie, Alumni and cohort winners

34:05 Addressing the Gender Data Gap in Health

34:53 Mentorship and Support

37:01 Building Teams with Purpose

39:02 Showcase and Awards: Celebrating Success

42:35 Victoria's Journey into Entrepreneurship

48:21 Momentum Month: Sustaining Startup Progress

53:22 Future of Female Entrepreneurship

54:39 Challenges and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs

59:48 Conclusion and Call to Action

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

Follow Multiple hats https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6311fe9bae5d13001250521f

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It all started with a 15 year old visiting in a biotech lab. Bam, the next generation of innovator was shaped and not so long down the track, Alinta Furnell, would become the CEO and co-founder of Synbiote, a company focusing on creating high-grade industrial bioplastics.

Alinta's journey, from an unexpected email halting can production for their non-alcoholic beer to transforming waste into innovative bioplastics.

Alinta shares her unique perspective on biotech, viewing it as harmonizing natural processes with modern applications, contrary to the common belief of its synthetic nature. The episode also covers the team's rapid achievement of taking a non-alcoholic beer from concept to market in 150 days, highlighting the efficient process and unexpected challenges faced, such as nearly exploding a brewery.

And if you like diversification in early career, you're in for a treat, with Alinta's numerous roles and experiences that contributed to her holistic understanding of biotech commercialization, and her success in various accelerator and fellowship programs, emphasizing the importance of community and personal branding in her career.

00:00 The Unexpected Trademark Hurdle

00:37 Welcome to Multiple Hats

01:05 Meet Alinta Furno: CEO of Symbiote

01:22 From Non-Alcoholic Beer to Bioplastics

01:50 Understanding Biotech and Sustainability

03:03 Challenges and Misconceptions in Biotech

04:37 Symbiote's Innovative Bioplastics

07:13 The Journey from Beer to Bioplastics

14:44 Alinta's Early Career and Inspirations

33:03 Starting the Brewing Journey

34:00 Sales Strategy and Rapid Innovation

38:29 Overcoming Trademark Challenges

41:09 Scaling Up Production

48:02 Community and Support Systems

54:53 Navigating PR and Personal Branding

59:52 Reflecting on Privileges and Barriers

01:01:31 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

You can learn more at https://www.synbiote.com/

And for more info on bioplastic in general you can read these two papers https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-021-00407-8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10905720/

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

Follow Multiple hats https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6311fe9bae5d13001250521f

💬 Message me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/angelique-greco

⭐️ Visit my website https://angeliquegreco.com.au/ for short bite insights and on how to start crafting your message to set you on track for the career your want (Discover, Articulate, Master).

♻️ If you like the show share it with your community!

✅ Kindly leave me a review or a simple star rating - it really helps growing the show

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/multiple-hats/id1666244822

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.