What Most Founders Don’t Expect About Biotech with Mehek Bapna

Building in healthcare is never easy, but building biotech, at 23, in women’s health?That’s a different level of resilience.In this episode of Provider’s Edge, Sabrina sits down with Mehek Bapna, an NIH-funded clinical researcher and women’s health founder who is rethinking what contraception could look like for the next generation.This conversation goes far beyond science.It’s about long timelines, credibility, tradeoffs, and how founders stay grounded when the path ahead is anything but predictable.If you’ve ever questioned whether the long road is worth it, this episode is for you.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why lived experience can be a strategic advantage—not a liability—in healthcare innovation ✅ How founders decide to take on long regulatory runways (and stay sane doing it) ✅ What current market signals are telling us about dissatisfaction with existing women’s health solutions ✅ How to think about choice, tradeoffs, and real-world adoption, not just clinical success ✅ Why resilience isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about building the right foundation and team ✅ Lessons from pitch competitions, losses, and refining your message when investors only give you minutesRelated Episodes You’ll LoveHow Do the Best FemTech Startup Pitches Win Investors? - Six women founders delivered real 2-minute pitches and demonstrated how to communicate regulatory strategy, traction, and investor-ready positioning essential if you’re pitching long-lead biotech solutions.👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-do-the-best-femtech-startup-pitches-win-investors/id1853924954?i=1000737299642 Why Founders Fail When They Ignore This - Focuses on founder sustainability and why alignment and intentional leadership matter — a foundational lesson for founders navigating long runways and credibility deficits.👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5EU1BrCt5k4gTcDGUMdEUi?si=8931ceef056943d3 How to Build AI Clinicians Trust and Teams Stick - Explores how founders earn clinical trust and build