Gladys Nuñez
“Take it upon yourself to figure out what skills you should learn. Any opportunity that you have to expose yourself to new topics is valuable.”
I am a mom of twins. I love reading and listening to audiobooks. I worked after school in an Italian deli in New York City throughout high school, they became like my second family. I always try to find time to volunteer and help others. I use funds from our company to support the development of novel healthcare solutions at external start-up companies. I am a venture capitalist.
I am the Director of Ventures at Amgen. Many people don’t realize how many different types of careers you can pursue with scientific training these days. When I was in the lab, I never expected to end up where I am now. There’s a whole world of entrepreneurship, business, and invention happening in STEM, and often it needs people who have hands-on experience with research to evaluate, collaborate, or invest in STEM-based ideas. In my part of the industry, we call these ideas “ventures”, and it’s my job to use the skills I built throughout my career to determine which ventures my company should invest in. Although I am far from the Wall Street-type finance world, I still take calculated risks with large sums of money, and having a deep understanding of how STEM works has been a major asset. As a venture capitalist for Amgen, we have designated funds for new ideas that seem promising for developing new healthcare technologies or treatments. I evaluate the potential of ideas, both within our company and at start-up companies, and help make decisions about which companies we should use our resources to support. There are a lot of factors to consider, so I use information about the team, the strategy, the feasibility, and the science itself to make bets on the companies I think have the best chance of making a difference.
We live in a world where great research is rarely done without the proper funding and resources. That’s especially true for new ideas that haven’t yet been fully tested. Where we invest our resources today can have a major impact on what types of innovations, companies, and treatments exist in the future. While it’s important to invest a lot of resources in well-established research efforts, I believe that taking a few risks can yield major rewards for innovation. The decision to invest in a new venture can often be the critical step in bringing someone's vision to life. I’m often very impressed by founders’ stories – which are often heart-wrenching – about why they want to solve a particular medical issue. And as one of the few women and one of the very few Latina women in biotech venture capitalism, I also get to be an advocate for supporting more women in this field, so that we can play a role in deciding what we want to prioritize in the future of health and biotech.
When I was around six years old, my family decided to move from the Dominican Republic to New York City. The transition was a huge shock for me - we moved from our expansive farm in a warm, tropical climate to a small apartment in the freezing-cold winter of New York City. For the first half year, I refused to leave the house. Over time, school became a wonderful place for me to play and embrace being a kid. I was drawn to books and spending time at the local libraries. In high school, I worked hard in school, then worked hard after school at the local Italian deli. I didn’t have much free time between school and work, but loved relaxing with my friends at the public pool, and finding ways to volunteer in my community. I really enjoyed learning, and set my sights on going to college away from home, but that path was too expensive and frowned upon in my traditional Latina culture. I compromised by finding a college nearby in New York City, where I could stay close to home while also building my independence. During my time in college, I studied biology and became more interested in healthcare. I also realized that I had a deep desire to travel and explore, which led me to do a study abroad year in England. While I was there, I had the opportunity to work at the pharmaceutical company Astrazeneca, which kickstarted my experiences working in biotech. Over the years, with the help of wonderful mentors, I explored some of the different roles available within the pharmaceutical industry. I took workshops and took advantage of networking opportunities to learn more about the world of venture capitalism – which blended my interest in STEM, problem-solving, and working with people. Although I'm usually one of the only women in the room, I always had people cheering me on. And now I strive to do that for others.
I am always reading something, or listening to an audiobook. Reading is my way to escape and unwind in life. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, exploring new places while traveling, or doing sports like yoga. I always make time to hang out with my family and lifelong friends. I’ve been volunteering since high school and I am passionate about community service. More recently, I became a co-founder of an organization called Latinos in Bio. I serve as an officer to support their goals and as their treasurer.
Despite working in a field focused on capital (my industry’s word for money and resources), I don’t actually have a degree in finance or business. I learned the skills I needed through practice instead. I’m also one of ~2% of Latina women in venture capital, and I hope to help change that.
Don’t be fooled by stereotypes. Take every opportunity that you can to get out and explore what the path to science could be like for you. Try cooking! If you enjoy cooking, you’ve got some science in you. Science is part of so many fields and interests, and having that foundation can set you up for a variety of different careers. If you’re interested in how someone got to where they are, do your research and ask around. And if you’re interested in venture capital, look for live or virtual events where you can learn more about investment or entrepreneurship, and start building a network of your own.
