Page 53 - Beauty Prime Magazine

Biosciences, a MedTech startup in California.
This collaboration eventually led to Astellas
acquiring iota. Witnessing the speed and
flexibility of the startup environment
compared to big pharma was eye-o-
pening. The process of prioritizing
limited resources to find optimal
solutions through speedy trial and
error was exhilarating.
Around this time, I met Takuya
and Horacio. Takuya’s quick
thinking and enthusiasm, and
Horacio’s sincerity and ardentness
towards his research intrigued me. I
admired the technology and felt that
my problem-solving skills and a wide
spectrum of experience in pharma would
be a great addition to the team. Moreover,
I wanted to challenge myself in a smaller
organization to see if I could make a more
significant impact. I now realize that, in a
startup, you can, or inevitably end up doing
everything, which feels more han-
ds-on. I joined Red Arrow
in 2023, contributing
as a jack-of-all-tra-
des in areas from
fundraising,
human resour-
ces, to clinical
study design,
and eventually
became a
co-founder.
As a
co-founder
and VP,
what have
been
some of
the most
significant
chal-
lenges
you’ve
faced in
building
and
growing
Red
Arrow
Thera-
peutics,
and
how have you overcome them? How
would you describe your leadership
style, and how do you foster a po-
sitive and productive culture within
your team?
I’ve heard a saying that more than
half of biotech failures are a result
of operational challenges rather than
scientific/technical challenges. One of
the most significant challenges has been
building and maintaining a strong team.
The size and expertise level of the team
must be necessary and sufficient at dif-
ferent points in time to remain nimble
and financially prudent. The impact of
each team member is vast compared
to larger organizations. Additionally,
startups are high-stress environments:
volatile and demanding.
Above all, I try to be a good com-
municator, especially a good listener.
Many leaders are adept at expressing
their opinions, but not everyone feels
comfortable speaking up towards
them. What needs to be said in the best
interest of the company may not be
the most comfortable. I strive to create
an environment where team members
feel safe to straight-talk. I also value
being open about what I don’t know
and asking for help in a speedy manner.
Having a diverse network of mentors
has been invaluable through by startup
journey. Additionally, timely communi-
cation is crucial.
As a leader, I value maintaining a
balanced focus on both the science and
the business. Ultimately, a sense of
contributing to patients and making the
world a better place get me up in the
morning, and I aim to share this sense
of purpose with the team, fostering
pride in our work.
What advice would you give to
aspiring entrepreneurs, especially
those looking to enter the biotech
and pharmaceutical sectors?
Biotech and pharma are unique within
the startup space. They are patent-dri-
ven, highly regulated, and require years
to generate revenue, unlike consumer
products. This niche demands a myriad
of expertise. No one person can cover
every necessary skill. Identify your
strengths and weaknesses, find comple-
mentary partners, and let’s get started!
Rika Tajima, co-founder and VP of Red
Arrow Therapeutics, leading the charge in
innovative cancer treatments through
nanotechnology.
BEAUTY PRIME II 53