Meet Venture Leader Josua Jordi and find out how outdoor enthusiasm fuels entrepreneurial curiosity

13.08.2020 08:30, Isabelle Mitchell

Venture Leader Life Sciences Josua Jordi co-founded EraCal Therapeutics, a biotech startup committed to helping overcome metabolic syndrome. Learn more about Josua’s expectations for the Boston roadshow and how outer space and Switzerland’s nature inspire him to develop the breakthrough medicines of tomorrow.

In November, the Venture Leaders Life Sciences 2020 will embark on their week-long roadshow to accelerate their expansion into the US market and build a business network through meetings with top-notch investors and industry leaders in Boston. To shorten the waiting time, we will introduce you to the members of the Swiss National Startup Team. We asked each entrepreneur to complete a short profile and choose four questions from a questionnaire about their personal and professional life: 

Name: Josua Jordi
Job title: CEO of EraCal
Location: Schlieren
Nationality: Swiss
Graduated from: University of Zurich 
Number of employees: 4 FTE internal and 8 FTE external (as of 07/2020)
First touchpoint with Venturelab: Venture Challenge at ETH Zurich in 2018

“At EraCal, we develop the next generation anti-obesity therapy called Era-107.”

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
EraCals’ drug discovery platform originated from my postdoctoral work at Harvard University (USA) and was subsequently sharpened during the proof-of-concept work here at the University of Zurich. The initial idea arose from academic curiosity, has been challenged daily at EraCal, and consequently, has progressed into a robust and externally validated drug development effort. Today, Era-107, our lead anti-obesity asset, fulfills many industry benchmark criteria. Nevertheless, we still must make progress to achieve proof of efficacy in humans.  
 
What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
My expectations are to benchmark EraCal against Series A stage biotech companies emerging from the Boston biotech hub, to touch base and expand EraCals’ network in the area, and to connect with pharma partners to initialize research collaborations. I hope Venture Leaders will open new doors and thereby facilitate EraCal’s effort to identify new therapies.  

How and where do you clear your mind? 
I love riding my bike through the forests and hills around Zurich. Even better than that is riding a long climb in the high mountains, which is my way of gaining energy in beautiful Switzerland.  
 
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a founder?  
Simon, my co-founder, and I can build EraCal in a way that maximizes curiosity and drives cutting-edge science. Both are necessary for the breakthrough medicines of tomorrow, and we expect Era-107 to be among them in the metabolic syndrome space.    
 
What is your favorite movie and why? 
Among many, Apollo 13 is one of my long-term favorites, because it illustrates the beauty and excitement of exploring the unknown as well as the deep trust into one team with diverse skill sets.   
 
What is your favorite book and why?  
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard is high on my list in a professional context. Chouinard questioned every status quo during building his fantastic company Patagonia and showed exemplary dedication to modern values, team motivation, and our one-and-only planet.  

Last but not least, can you show us your workspace? 



For more information and updates on EraCal and the Venture Leaders Life Sciences, follow the Venture Leaders Life Sciences 2020 team with #VleadersLifeSciences on social media or subscribe to our newsletter. 
 
This year’s Venture Leaders Life Sciences roadshow to Boston is supported by EPF Lausanne, ETH Zurich, Hansjörg Wyss, Kellerhals Carrard, Paul Scherrer Institut, swissnex Boston, University of Zurich, Canton Vaud, YPSOMED, and the Canton of Zurich.