Carina Namih
I co-founded HelixNano, in San Francisco in 2013 when I was 23. This was a unique moment in time, with massive advances in genetics and AI. We could see an opportunity to transform healthcare by applying AI to biological code, specifically RNA. But building at the frontier was tough and we had many near death moments. As CEO, I was pitching to investors that had barely heard of RNA, while also navigating a conservative industry that was sceptical about AI. Plus we had to invent a new way of building across disciplines that did not usually interact – computer science, chemistry and biology.
In the early years we went through many business models before hitting our stride – from selling tools, to partnering – before finally building our own products. We eventually gathered backing from a broad base of visionary operators and investors, including Sam Altman and Eric Schmidt. And after a decade of building, we have quietly solved the bottlenecks that keep first generation RNA confined to vaccines. HelixNano is now turning the tide on treatment-resistant cancers in trials.
Obsess over the problem, live inside it - insight comes from immersion, not assumption. Tune out the noise and get as close as you can to the reality you’re trying to change.
I’ve always enjoyed exploring possible futures by reading science fiction. I find it super motivating that what we build today will determine whether we inhabit a better future. I’m drawn to founders that can see a big underlying shift happening, be it in technology or simply in behaviour change, and who harness that for a great outcome. To me a better future includes: a fairer, more truthful internet, healing our climate, upgrading human health and more widespread economic opportunities.
