About Bench2Bio
An independent advisory firm on the founder's side of the table.
Bench2Bio was founded in 2023 to give pre-seed to Series B life science founders the strategic and financial rigor that investors and pharma partners expect, without adding headcount.
How we work
Senior judgment, specialist depth.
Every engagement is led by Vadim Shepel. Vetted specialists from our network join defined workstreams when your question needs them, so you get the right depth without paying for a team you do not need.
- Fixed fees, agreed before we start
- No success fees, no pay-to-pitch, no paid introductions
- You own every file, model and draft
- Confidential by default, with an NDA on request
Discretion
We are careful about who we work with and what we share. Client names are withheld by default, and references are available after an NDA.
Our network, by discipline
- Investors
- Seed and Series A funds, angel groups, family offices and corporate venture arms.
- Pharma BD
- Business development and search and evaluation leaders who screen assets for a living.
- Regulatory, clinical and CMC
- Specialists brought in when the plan depends on a pathway, a trial design or manufacturing.
- IP
- Patent counsel for freedom-to-operate and claims questions, alongside your own counsel.
- Design and web
- Presentation designers and developers who turn finished thinking into finished materials.
Ways to work together
Choose the depth of support you need.
Do it yourself
Self-paced programs
The Pitch Deck Intensive and our free research, on your own schedule.
Best for: Founders with time and a strong writer in-house
Done with you
Live cohorts and tools
Small-group cohorts and practical tools that take you from investor-ready materials to a running fundraising process.
Best for: Founders who want to build the skill themselves
Done for you
Fixed-scope projects
Clear deliverables and timelines, from a pitch deck audit to a model or partnering sprint.
Best for: Teams short on time, with a clear deadline
Strategic advisory
Limited availability
A small number of ongoing relationships at a time, for founders who want a senior thought partner.
Best for: Founders navigating a raise or a deal over several months
We are a good fit if
- You are pre-seed to Series B, in therapeutics, medtech, diagnostics or health tech
- You want the business case right, not just the slides
- You value candid feedback and fixed, transparent fees
We are not the right fit if
- You are looking for a broker paid on a success fee
- You are past Series B, with in-house BD and finance teams
- You want a deck redesigned without revisiting the story behind it
Vadim Shepel
Founder and Principal
- Mentor, ACS BrightEdge, the venture arm of the American Cancer Society
- Mentor, SOSV IndieBio
- Network Partner, 2048 Ventures
- Mentor, PharmStars
- Mentor, Nucleate
The principal
A career at the intersection of science, data and deals.
Vadim has worked on every side of the table: in finance, in global health, inside pharma, and as an operator raising capital and negotiating with partners. He writes Bio Founder GPS and hosts its podcast, and works in English and Russian.
2006 to 2010
Finance
Structured credit at BNP Paribas Fortis and trading at First New York Securities: valuation, risk and markets.
2010 to 2016
Health data and global health
Health plan analytics at Tufts Health Plan, then leading multiple market access initiatives at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, in partnership with WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF, USAID and the Global Fund, working across East and Southern Africa.
2016 to 2021
Pfizer
Oncology commercial assessment, BD deal sourcing and evaluation, chief of staff for Business Analytics, and corporate strategy for $10B+ vaccines and hospital product portfolios.
2021 to 2022
BeiGene (now BeOne)
Office of the CEO for BD and venture investments, then Senior Director, Strategy and Operations Lead for new market expansion into LatAm, MENA, Turkey and Israel.
2022 to 2023
Concarlo Therapeutics
Chief Business and Operating Officer: co-led the bridge and Series A raise, pharma partnering discussions, modeling and operations.
2023 to today
Bench2Bio
Founded Bench2Bio to advise founders, investors and strategics across therapeutics, devices, diagnostics and health tech.
Education
New York University
BA in Economics, minor in Computer Science
The Wharton School
Executive Education, Venture Capital
Book a 20-minute call
Let's talk about what you're building.
You'll speak with Vadim Shepel
Founder and Principal, Bench2Bio
- 01
Where you are
Your stage, your science and what is coming next: a raise, a partner conversation or a decision.
- 02
What investors or partners will test
An honest read on the gaps that will matter most, even if we never work together.
- 03
Whether and how we can help
A recommended starting point, or a referral if someone else is a better fit.
Prefer email? vadim@bench2bio.com