🧬 How to Turn Regulatory Chaos Into Competitive Advantage | Darren Cooke (Part 3/4)
October 20, 2025
"If you’re not challenging what you’ve always done, you’re not going to move forward or innovate."
In this episode, Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer and Executive Director of the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center at the University of California, Berkeley, reveals how he’s navigated the fast-changing world of financial advice by embracing regulatory shifts, championing innovation, and building trust through integrity and open communication, sharing hard-won lessons on personal growth, resilience, and finding new opportunities amid uncertainty and change.
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"If you’re not challenging what you’ve always done, you’re not going to move forward or innovate."
In this episode, Darren Cooke, Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer and Executive Director of the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center at the University of California, Berkeley, reveals how he’s navigated the fast-changing world of financial advice by embracing regulatory shifts, championing innovation, and building trust through integrity and open communication, sharing hard-won lessons on personal growth, resilience, and finding new opportunities amid uncertainty and change.
Key topics covered:
- Embracing Regulatory Change: Adapting to new rules and compliance
- Client Trust and Communication: Building and rebuilding relationship credibility
- The Innovation Mindset: Challenging routines for growth
- Technology in Practice: Staying ahead with smarter tools
- Leadership Lessons: Cultivating resilience and empathy
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Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find our guest, Darren Cooke, at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddcooke/
Website: http://berkeley.edu/
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:
Website: https://flow.page/kyojin
Resources & Articles:
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41881472-the-psychology-of-money
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow
The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26160019-the-innovator-s-dilemma
(FCA) Guidance Papers: https://www.fca.org.uk/publications
Startup Campus (How UC Berkeley became a leader in entrepreneurship) https://a.co/d/5pCg83q
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:
UC Berkeley: https://www.berkeley.edu/
Genentech: https://www.gene.com/
NSF I-Corps (National Science Foundation I-Corps): https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/
Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley Haas): https://haas.berkeley.edu/
Errol Arkilic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/errol-arkilic-350b8/
Rhonda Schrader: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondashrader/
Timestamps:
00:00  Intro
02:09  Building a Solo Law Practice
03:46  University Tech Transfer – Bayh-Dole and Licensing
05:31  Demystifying License Agreements
07:46  Investor Perspectives & Startup De-Risking
08:42  Transition to Mentorship and Teaching at Haas
09:31  First Encounter with NSF I‑Corps
10:39  Becoming a National I‑Corps Instructor
14:26  “The Magic of Showing Up” in Academia
15:41  Volunteering, Guest Lecturing, and Faculty Careers
17:18  Student Stories: Breaking Into Top Biotech Labs
19:55  Navigating Networking Barriers
23:32  Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.