

Y Combinator gets into Biotech - HarryHirsch
http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2014/04/25/ycombinator_gets_into_biotech.php

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antifragile
Being a biotech is not a fundamental constraint unless you approach healthcare
orthogonally. We already know that the BIG Pharma R&D model is broken and
irrational. Actually words expressed by Merk late last year, as Well as
Voltaire in the 1700s! To hack healthcare you must, at least initially, by-
pass the gate-keepers, the incumbents, and they're lobbyists by targeting
unregulated markets, ideally Golidlocks markets. That's my strategy
anyhow.Regarding multi-million dollar costs, people must strain their brains
some by doing design-arounds and using surrogate markers and collaborating,
i.e., perspective shifting by questions fundamental assumptions. In fact, it
is possible to run experiments at 2 orders of magnitude less than what
establishment-heavies are doing theirs (speaking from experience).

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danieltillett
Derek is rather skeptical that it will work. Like him I am skeptical for
basically the same reasons, but also like him I am happy to see YC try
something new. There is nothing to be gained by being a negative know-it-all.
The only way will know if it will work is to do it and see.

