Bildnachweis: Trophic Communications, VC Magazin, Pixabay.
With over three decades in strategic communications and a track record with leaders like BioNTech and Tubulis, Gretchen Schweitzer brings profound insight into how biotech start-ups can sharpen their narrative, build trust, and secure visibility in global markets – especially in the US.
VC Magazin: You have handled the PR work for many successful life sciences companies, including Tubulis, Cardior, and BioNTech. In your opinion, what are the biggest communication challenges for life sciences start-ups in the growth phase?
Schweitzer: Biotechnology companies developing new medical technologies and therapies are continually evolving. Communications is an ongoing challenge but also a catalyst for value generation. Every biotech narrative needs to reflect the specific opportunity and underlying business strategy needed to bring it to patients. If the narrative works, it educates external audiences, including investors and partners, on how the company will reach success, establishing execution and credibility over time while also preparing for setbacks. No one can control the science completely, and the industry understands that. Over-promising, however, will erode management credibility. Ultimately, biotech companies that treat communication as a strategic asset are more likely to be perceived as leaders and better positioned to reach their scientific and corporate objectives.
VC Magazin: Why does the communication of life sciences start-ups differ fundamentally from that of other technology fields?
Schweitzer: Communications in life sciences demands more than just good storytelling; it requires scientific fluency, regulatory awareness, ethical sensitivity, and strategic patience. Biotech sits at the unique intersection of cutting-edge science, strict regulation, patient impact, and financial risk. Unlike in other tech sectors, where it’s about product-market fit, in biotech, it’s about proving highly complicated and innovative new therapeutic approaches. Biotech communications needs to clearly translate the therapeutic potential and why the approach is valuable without overpromising. Credibility is everything in our industry – and once it is lost, it is very difficult to rebuild trust.
VC Magazin: From a PR perspective, what are the key success factors for life sciences start-ups looking to attract investors for later-stage funding rounds or a potential exit?
Schweitzer: Investors want to see more than just potential; they want to see continued
progress, including hitting milestones when the company said it would, and, most importantly, that the management team has a well-defined plan that they continue to implement successfully. Investing early in building that track record through strategic communications and visibility presents a company that is well-positioned for a potential exit.
VC Magazin: What are some common communication pitfalls you’ve observed in start-ups seeking to expand into international markets?
Schweitzer: European companies often retain corporate or communications habits from their local markets, which can raise questions with international investors. We recommend that leadership teams think forward and behave like more mature or even public companies to avoid the perception that they are not as experienced as their US or international peers.
VC Magazin: You place a particular focus on the US market with your agency. What should German start-ups pay special attention to when working with US partners or expanding into the US market?
Schweitzer: The US represents the largest and most experienced pool of capital for biotech companies, and many pharmaceutical leaders are based in the US. Biotech is a longterm opportunity, and German biotech companies bring scientific credibility and discipline, but US success also demands visibility, assertiveness, and investor-friendly storytelling. The winning strategy blends both. US investors appreciate in-depth science, but they invest based on commercial opportunity and a de-risking roadmap. The best and most committed biotech investors still need to provide a return on their investment. German start-ups need to focus not only on their scientific rigor but also on why it matters to patients, the opportunities in target markets, and emphasising value inflection points. It is also important to be present in the US industry to engage key stakeholders. Many US companies are led by management team members who are serial entrepreneurs. For EU companies, establishing credibility through a clear investment bet and then delivering on key milestones can help build a positive execution track record.
VC Magazin: With more than 30 years of experience in strategic communications, how have you seen the field evolve – and what opportunities and challenges do you associate with the use of AI tools?
Schweitzer: Since the start of my career in Boston in the 90’s, the fundamental potential-
and-risk profile for biotech innovation remains the same. Biotech communications has always been business critical as a strategic driver of value and trust for companies. It is always about shaping a narrative that moves in parallel with discovery, articulating not just the science but also the why behind it: the unmet need, the differentiation, and the long-term impact. Stated simply, it may be easy to put a few keywords into an AI tool to generate a press release or corporate document. Still, without a real understanding of the science and impact of setting the right expectations with investors, partners, and clinicians, you risk letting a tool set your corporate strategy and what the industry expects you to deliver. There is real craft in managing market expectations and maintaining consistency on scientific, therapeutic, and corporate differentiation.
VC Magazin: What advice would you give to a start-up looking for professional support with its communications strategy?
Schweitzer: Consider your positioning and differentiation from the outset, and tell your
story consistently. Bringing in the right communications partner that doesn’t just tell your story but builds your voice, visibility, and value at every step of the journey is key. Choose a partner who understands both the science and corporate strategy, can challenge you thoughtfully, brings strategic insight, and provides a global industry perspective. Stay in control of your own narrative, shape it and build the right relationships before you’re in the spotlight.
VC Magazin: Thank you very much.
About the interview partner:
Gretchen Schweitzer is the founder of Trophic Communications, an award-winning agency dedicated exclusively to corporate communications and investor relations in the life sciences. Backed by more than 30 years of experience as a strategic communications leader with a broad network in the US and EU, she brings deep expertise and a proven track record in supporting global biopharma companies across every stage of growth.
