Summary
Caleb Talley, Jeff Amerine, and Davis McEntire sit down with Louis Bowen, co-founder of Pacific GeneTech Limited as well as founder of Asia Capital Management Limited in Hong Kong. In this week’s episode, we discuss Louis’ entrepreneurial journey, his relocation to Hong Kong along the way, and how he tackled making a difference in the Asian markets as he founded one of the first private investment banking firms in the area as well as operating Pacific GeneTech, a vaccination development and commercialization firm.
Don’t miss this one, tune in!
Shownotes
(1:16) Introducing Louis Bowen
(6:08) Pacific GeneTech
(13:14) Long Cycle Commercialization of Intellectual Property
(18:44) H5N1 Scare
(23:44) Raising Capital Internationally Vs. Domestically
(27:08) Evolution of Asian Market Today
(34:21) Pacific GeneTech and NWA
(37:13) Human Health and on The Horizon
(39:13) Advice to Younger Self
(38:13) Wrap Up
Links
Quotes
“Not many entrepreneurs have an appreciation for how long-cycle commercialization of intellectual property, particularly as it relates to human or even animal health, requires a kind of long-term commitment and patience.”
(13:18) – Jeff Amerine
“One reason why we chose Northwest Arkansas was that we wanted to be close to the source of technology, we wanted to continue to work with the university.”
(31:20) – Louis Bowen
“There’s a real skill in being able to take technology out of the lab and turn it into a reality.”
(35:01) – Louis Bowen
“I probably felt as though I could solve more problems than I could in the investing world. You know, nothing goes in a straight line. There’s nothing linear investing in early businesses, early stage businesses.”
(40:48) – Louis Bowen
Developing New Markets and Vaccines with Louis Bowen
“There’s a real skill in being able to take technology out of the lab and turn it into a reality.”
(35:01) – Louis Bowen
This week on the startup junkie hot seat we have none other than Louis Bowen. He is the executive chairman and director of finance for Pacific GeneTech, a vaccination development and commercialization firm. which he co-founded in 2009. Louis also serves as the chairman and CEO of Asia capital management limited, a private investment banking company based in Hong Kong that he founded in 1994. With credentials on top of credentials, we were excited to hear the origin story of how an Arkansas grad got to where he is today.
Unlike many other entrepreneurs, Louis’ origin story starts in a bank. By joining the department of the city bank, he was at the brink of the city’s first attempt at investment banking. It was still illegal to do it domestically, but they were hiring out MBA’s to start it internationally. Louis had the pioneer spirit in his bones. He was trained for five years by Citi Bank and then took sail for Hong Kong.
Always having an eye on the next big thing, Louis noticed that the real opportunity was in equity investing. Thus another milestone on his entrepreneurial track was forming one of the first private equity firms in the Asia Pacific region. The dominos began to fall, and he was then a part of the first Asian IPO in the United States, called Universal Furniture.
Louis found his niche in managing money for other parties, and that led him at last to Pacific GeneTech. By growing a collaborator network around the world, Louis can remain in Hong Kong and focus mainly on development. This has allowed for a faster turnaround in getting vaccines out, putting them in the field, and proving them technically and commercially. Only a little less than two years in, and they have their first commercial licensing, so it is safe to say, the method is working.
Pacific GeneTech’s first target was the H5N1 Avian Influenza that most people remembered would wipe out an entire boiler house or more upon indication it was present. Having the reality check that most vaccines cause more problems than they solve, Louis has to have an incredibly patient disposition, typically juxtaposed to an entrepreneurial spirit. To reach long-term goals comes with success in the market and technology of vaccines; Louis sees the advantage in the safety profiles on the new recombinant vaccines that are right in the Fayetteville GeneTech department.
The biggest challenge comes from being a technology transfer professional. Having the skill to take the tech out of the lab and turn it into reality is where the rubber hits the road. Louis and Pacific GeneTech came out of that so-called valley of death quite swimmingly as they are well into the commercialization of products. This success all sits on the foundation of the patience cultivated, time given, skills created, and lessons learned over the last ten years.
“I probably felt as though I could solve more problems than I could in the investing world. You know, nothing goes in a straight line. There’s nothing linear investing in early businesses, early stage businesses.”
(40:48) – Louis Bowen
Next for Louis and Pacific GeneTech, will be finding the other parties to share this technology with. For them, it is all about moving forward, and that will use more partnerships and collaborations. With his collaboration in NWA we are beyond excited to have another company within the original three big players. We firmly believe that NWA needs one hundred-million-dollar-a-year companies that aren’t directly tied to retail or supply-chain. So with the diversity of this platform, for both animal and human health, is precisely the kind of thing we get excited about.
“One reason why we chose Northwest Arkansas was that we wanted to be close to the source of technology, we wanted to continue to work with the university.”
(31:20) – Louis Bowen
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