Armend Håti’s Founder journey — From IP to ClexBio and the future of cell therapy

Meet Armend Håti: Kosovo-born, Norway-raised bioengineer who took over a promising patent, kept it alive out of pocket, and built ClexBio from that foundation. In this conversation, he opens up about being a “young” biotech founder, the US spark that flipped his mindset, why his first job was in krill, the panic-and-grit of fundraising, paying patent bills out of pocket, and the big move from Oslo to Zurich to surround the science with the right talent. We finish with a mini masterclass for PhDs and first-time founders on validating ideas and asking for the money. ClexBio in one line Enabling cells-as-therapy with structured delivery systems that keep cells alive, engraft, and scale toward functional tissues. Chapters 00:00 Welcome & why this story matters for PhDs and first-time founders 00:36 Meet Armend — roots, identity & the “young founder” feeling 07:48 Choosing biophysics at NTNU (medicine × maths) 10:36 US unlock — seeing entrepreneurship up close 24:56 First industry role (krill!) and learning how companies really work 31:05 Taking over the patent → founding ClexBio 52:22 Why move R&D to Switzerland (talent, ecosystem) 56:41 What ClexBio is building: cells-as-therapy → tissue systems 1:01:50 Call for collaborators & investors 1:03:02 Mentorship Minute 1:04:06 Outro Mentorship Minute (clip it!) “Before you jump, validate the need. Have the uncomfortable conversations, filter the feedback, then refine—or kill—the idea. And learn to ask for the money: you’re not begging, you’re offering a seat on the journey.” Find us 🎧 Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/1qLEGRl... 🎧 Apple Podcasts | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📮 LinkedIn |   / headcount-recruitment-&-research   Discover how to work with us and the latest job opening on www.headcount.ch 🔔 #leadershiplab #headcountag #clexbio #celltherapy #tissueengineering #bioengineering #biotechstartups #phdjourney #founderstory #lifesciences #medtech #biopharma #zurich #switzerlandbiotech #investors