Meet Venture Leader Kyle Rodriguez and find out how he ensures productive days

06.08.2020 08:33, Isabelle Mitchell

Venture Leader Life Sciences Kyle Rodriguez maximizes research efforts in the area of nuclear magnetic resonance and business development at Annaida Technologies, a medtech startup that enables non-invasive chemical analysis at the scale of a single human embryo. Learn more about Kyle’s expectations for the Boston roadshow, why mountains are the new oceans, and who inspires him to persevere.

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: Kyle Rodriguez 
Job title: R&D Scientist at Annaida Technologies
Location: Lausanne
Nationality: American
Graduated from: University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH, USA)
Number of employees: 3 (as of 07/2020)
First touchpoint with Venturelab: In 2018, at the Academia Industry Training for Swiss and Indian Science Startups (AIT India)

“At Annaida Technologies, we developed a medical device for non-invasive screening of embryo viability through the use of magnetic resonance.”

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
When our co-founder, Dr. Marco Grisi, finished his PhD at EPFL in 2017, he realized he had discovered a technology with great potential and application in assisted reproduction. Discussions with doctors and clinics in the field reinforced the idea to found Annaida Technologies in partnership with Dr. Gora Conley to help couples have a more enjoyable experience starting families.

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
As a medtech company, we are excited to head to Boston, the global hub of life sciences. The roadshow will give us great insights into the US market and will provide us with valuable feedback from doctors and clinics in understanding their needs and utility of our product. We also hope to form strong connections and relationships with investors who can help us gain traction in the US market and will join us during our Series A round.

What is your favorite productivity hack and why?
For me, I have found that morning workouts help me start my day and lead to very productive days. By getting a good workout first thing in the morning, I feel a sense of accomplishment early on, and it gets my mind and body ready for a productive and motivating day.

How and where do you clear your mind? 
When I lived in the USA, my answer would have been through ocean activities, such as sailing, fishing, and boating. Since moving to Switzerland in 2017, I have had to find new areas to help clear my mind, but luckily, Switzerland’s vast outdoor scene has been easy to adjust to. For me, I like to clear my mind by cycling and hiking in the spring and summer and skiing in the winter.

What is your favorite movie or show and why?
My favorite movie has to be Jaws. Growing up in a coastal New England town, I was always drawn to the ocean and fascinated by sharks. In the movie, Steven Spielberg takes the viewers on a terrifying journey to hunt down a shark that has been terrorizing the locals. It is just a great film for those of us who grew up close to the ocean and always wondered what lies beneath the surface.

What is your favorite book and why? 
My favorite book is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. The book takes you through David Goggins’ life journey and how, through various life experiences, he is able to control his mind and body to achieve miraculous feats. It is a great, raw story about how, in any situation, good or bad, we ultimately can control our own reactions and persevere through challenging times.

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


For more information and updates on Annaida Technologies 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.