Insights
🏍 What does riding a motorbike have to do with women in science? 🏍
More than you might think.
Today is International Female Ride Day, and standing here with this view, it struck me how similar the journey feels.
Riding isn’t about brute force, it’s about balance, awareness, judgement and confidence.
It’s about making decisions in real time, trusting your instincts and being comfortable operating in environments that weren’t always designed with us in mind.
Sound familiar?
It’s the same in science.
For decades, women in science have navigated complex systems, often underrepresented and underestimated.
Despite this, we're consisently delivering insight, innovation and impact.
So, as a scientist riding my bike today, I thought it would be good to show the more visible we are, the more normal it becomes. ⭐️
So here’s to women who ride. 🏍
And to women who lead, discover, build, and challenge in science. ✨️
Different roads. Same mindset.
Let's go girls!!! 💪🙌😎🐸
Dr Yvonne Davies, 2nd May 2026
Empowering Women in Biotech: Inspiration travels north of the border
⭐️There’s something powerful about being in a room full of people committed to lifting others up. ⭐️
It was a real pleasure to attend Empowering Women in Biotech 2026 hosted by BioNow at BioCity Glasgow yesterday.
Events like this genuinely matter, not just for visibility, but for the quality of conversations, the connections made, and the momentum they create.
The biotech sector is full of exceptional talent, and creating space for open discussion around leadership, career progression, investment, and inclusion is what helps drive meaningful change.
It was great to hear such a range of perspectives from across industry and academia.
For me, it was also a strong reminder that thriving sectors aren’t built in isolation, they’re built through collaboration, shared insight, and people showing up for each other.
It was so great to connect with so many inspiring individuals and I'm looking forward to continuing the conversations. 🐸
Dr Yvonne Davies, 23rd April 2026
Advanced Therapies Integrates North
🐸 The frog made its first conference appearance this week 🐸
Focused Frog Ltd attended Advanced Therapies Integrates North at the fantastic Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh.
It was a day full of insightful discussions across the advanced therapies space.
The theme that really came across is it's not just about great science anymore, it’s about how we translate it into real-world impact.
From conversations on scalability and manufacturing, to commercial strategy and collaboration, it’s clear the focus is shifting towards delivery, not just discovery. Exactly the space whereFocused Frog Ltd sits.
It was fantastic to connect with so many people across the ecosystem.
Dr Yvonne Davies, 21st April 2026
Commercial Clarity for Growth
After more than 20 years in biotech and deep tech, one pattern is consistently clear:
The most successful companies don’t just build great technology, they build with the market in mind.
I’ve worked with organisations at every stage. From early startups to global multinationals. The difference often comes down to one thing:
💫Commercial clarity💫
The companies that progress fastest:
✅️ Understand their customer early
✅️ Align development with market needs
✅️ Build strategic partnerships deliberately
Those that struggle often do so because commercial thinking comes too late.
It’s not a lack of capability, it’s a lack of alignment between innovation and application.
Bridging that gap early can significantly accelerate both company growth and investment success.
🐸
Dr Yvonne Davies, 1st April 2026
🪙 Investors don’t invest in your science💲
They invest in what your science becomes.
One of the biggest gaps I see in biotech fundraising is a disconnect between technical innovation and commercial clarity.
Strong data is essential but it’s only part of the story.
Investors are asking:
💡What problem does this solve in the real world?
💡Who is willing to pay for it?
💡 How does this become a scalable business?
If your pitch focuses only on the science, you’re leaving critical questions unanswered.
The companies that stand out are those that translate complex science into a clear commercial opportunity.
Because ultimately, investment decisions are driven by potential return, not just technical merit. 🐸
Dr Yvonne Davies, 30th March 2026
💡 Great science doesn’t guarantee investment💡
It’s a hard truth, but one I’ve seen repeatedly.
Early-stage companies often focus entirely on the strength of their technology. Assuming that strong data will naturally attract funding. This is understandable since most of the technology and innovation in biotech is super exciting. However, investors are not just evaluating the science.
They’re assessing:
✅️ Is there a clear route to market?
✅ Does this solve a meaningful commercial problem?
✅️ Is there a credible strategy to generate returns from our investment?
Without clear answers, even the most promising innovations can struggle to secure investment.
Commercial thinking isn’t something to layer on later — it’s fundamental from the start.
Because ultimately, investors don’t fund science alone.
They fund businesses built around it. ✨️
Dr Yvonne Davies, 23rd March 2026
Dr Yvonne Davies, 12th August 2025