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🧬Immigrant Grit & Athletic Discipline: Building a Biotech Legacy | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 1/4)
Episode 140

🧬Immigrant Grit & Athletic Discipline: Building a Biotech Legacy | Bogdan Knezevic (Part 1/4)

"You have to do what you have to do to get to where you want to be, and work under the constraints you have. That means swallowing your ego and just realizing that's just the reality of it. You have to grind away if you're going to hit that success." In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, shares how his family’s escape from war-torn Serbia to Canada forged his relentless work ethic and sense of purpose. He recounts adapting to a new culture, the foundational support of family and mentors, and how his passion for science and math flourished in Canada’s diverse schools. As an elite swimmer and academic standout, Bogdan learned discipline and balance, skills that now drive his mission to make scientific research more collaborative and impactful. The conversation highlights his commitment to paying it forward by building supportive ecosystems in science and business for future generations

The Biotech Startups Podcast · Excedr

April 28, 202544m 29s

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Show Notes

🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.

As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr’s partner network—special savings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.

"You have to do what you have to do to get to where you want to be, and work under the constraints you have. That means swallowing your ego and just realizing that's just the reality of it. You have to grind away if you're going to hit that success."

In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Bogdan Knezevic, co-founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope, shares how his family’s escape from war-torn Serbia to Canada forged his relentless work ethic and sense of purpose. He recounts adapting to a new culture, the foundational support of family and mentors, and how his passion for science and math flourished in Canada’s diverse schools. 

As an elite swimmer and academic standout, Bogdan learned discipline and balance, skills that now drive his mission to make scientific research more collaborative and impactful. The conversation highlights his commitment to paying it forward by building supportive ecosystems in science and business for future generations

Key topics covered:
  • The Immigrant Experience: Family’s move from Serbia to Canada fueled drive and determination
  • Building Resilience & Grit: Learned perseverance from parents’ sacrifices and adapting to change
  • Early Academic Influences: Sparked love for science and math in a diverse setting
  • Discipline Through Athletics: Juggled elite swimming and studies, forging lasting discipline
  • The Power of Mentorship & Paying It Forward: Mentors shaped his path; now he empowers others

If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.

Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast 
Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 

Find our guest, Bogdan Knezevic, at these links: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bogdanknezevic/
Website: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/
 
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee

Learn more about Excedr:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ 
Website: https://www.excedr.com

Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:
Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 

Resources & Articles:
Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology by Bryan Kolb: https://students.aiu.edu/submissions/profiles/resources/onlineBook/d7t3G4_0716795868_Fundamentals.pdf
The University of Calgary Neuroscience Program: https://www.ucalgary.ca/future-students/undergraduate/explore-programs/neuroscience
Rhodes Scholarship: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/

Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:
Kaleidoscope Bio: https://www.kaleidoscope.bio/
Ken Lukowiak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-lukowiak-2b9a689/?originalSubdomain=ca

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
03:38 Bogdan's Upbringing in Serbia and Family's Immigration to Canada
05:40 Parents' Sacrifices and Building Resilience
10:30 Adapting to Canada: Culture Shock and Language Barriers
16:19 Early Schooling in Canada and Discovering Science/Math
21:24 Choosing Neuroscience and University Path
24:20 Balancing Elite Swimming with Academics
28:23 The Demanding Discipline of Competitive Swimming
34:23 Undergraduate Lab Experiences and Foundational Research Skills
38:31 The Power of Mentorship: Working with Ken Lukowiak
40:10 Paying It Forward in Science and Entrepreneurship
43:31 Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.
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