Katharine Giles of Brandon Capital - The Investment Thesis Behind Backing Life Sciences

Katharine Giles started her career as a doctor, but quickly realised that life on the medical frontline wasn’t the path she wanted to stay on. An MBA opened the door to venture capital, where she discovered a way to combine her love of science with her desire to help bring breakthrough ideas into the real world.

In this episode of Investment Thesis, Katharine joins Kali to unpack her journey from medicine to investing, and eventually to becoming a founder herself. As a Venture Partner at Brandon Capital and CEO of OncoRes Medical, she shares how her perspective has changed from sitting on the investor side of the table to raising capital and building a company over nearly a decade.

They dive into what Brandon looks for when backing life sciences companies, why great science alone isn’t enough, and why Katharine puts actionable clinical benefit at the centre of every investment decision. They also explore the realities of investing in healthcare: long development cycles, regulatory pathways, clinical evidence, global markets, and the patience required to build companies that can genuinely change patients’ lives.

Katharine also shares what she looks for in founders, why she prefers to invest where she can add value beyond money, and how becoming a CEO has changed her view of what it really means to be a founder-friendly investor.

And finally, she reflects on one deal she said no to — Melanie Perkins and Fusion Books.