Deep Tech Startup Lessons: Stefan Bogdanovic on Ego and Failure | fAQ podcast S3 E1

The fAQ Podcast is back from hiatus! In our first episode of season 3, Tai-Danae explores what it takes to lead and innovate at the bleeding edge of deep tech with SandboxAQ's Stefan Bogdanovic, Strategic Innovation Lead on the AQMed team. Moving from abstract scientific concepts to building real-world medical products requires a complete shift in mindset, and Stefan walks us through exactly how he navigated that transition.Stefan’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, starting from his childhood in Serbia during the turbulent 1990s. Originally determined to be a pure theoretical physicist, he opens up about his early battles with imposter syndrome in a dry, highly mathematical educational system that lacked psychological safety. We dive into his evolution from an academic holding the unofficial title of "Chief Morale Officer" for his team at Harvard, to a deep tech leader navigating the messy reality of product development.Stefan shares hard-hitting leadership lessons from SandboxAQ, including the pivotal moment his team’s three-year project on a magnetocardiography device failed its first clinical trial at UCSF after picking up interference from elevators and laptops. He explains why failing early is a necessary gift in deep tech, how startups often get product strategy backward by prioritizing tech over the application, and why technical leaders must be willing to strip away their professional ego and identity to truly solve a problem.Learn more about what the AQMed is working on here: https://www.sandboxaq.com/solutions/aqmed Resources mentioned in this episode:“From D&D to Quantum Discovery | Stefan Bogdanovic's AQtive Mind” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuWl0W-c2w8 “From Diamonds to Heartbeats: Stefan Bogdanovic’s Journey” https://www.sandboxaq.com/post/from-diamonds-to-heartbeats-stefan-bogdanovics-journey About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.comFor previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq