# Moderna and Flagship Pioneering: Noubar Afeyan

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-10-11
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan

## Summary

Noubar Afeyan, co-founder of Moderna and founder of Flagship Pioneering, explains how his venture studio model incubated Moderna by combining scientific research, entrepreneurial talent, and capital under one roof. He details the rapid development of the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine, from receiving the viral sequence to generating a computer model in two days, and the subsequent scaling of manufacturing to billions of doses. Afeyan also reflects on his early career, including founding Perceptive Biosystems and his pivotal meeting with David Packard, which shaped his approach to innovation and risk-taking.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=0) Introduction: Noubar Afeyan and the Risks of Innovation
- [4:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=299) Afeyan's Early Life and Inspiration from David Packard
- [16:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=994) Founding Perceptive Biosystems and the Human Genome Project
- [30:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=1850) Creating Flagship Pioneering and the Venture Studio Model
- [37:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=2267) The Birth of Moderna and the mRNA Platform
- [51:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=3108) Rapid Development of the mRNA-1273 Vaccine
- [59:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=3594) Scaling Manufacturing and Clinical Trial Results
- [1:01:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-10-11-moderna-and-flagship-pioneering-noubar-afeyan#t=3698) The Future of mRNA Technology and Health Security

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Moderna (company)
- Flagship Pioneering (company)
- Perceptive Biosystems (company)
- David Packard (other)
- mRNA-1273 (product)
- NIH (company)
- Novartis (company)

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- [S6E14 Russ Aldridge | Robot Cinematography, 16-day Ventilators, & Identifying the REAL problem](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-04-04-s6e14-russ-aldridge-robot-cinematography-16-day-ventilators-identifying-the-real) (Being an Engineer)
- [EMS@C-LEVEL Season #1 Episode #2 with Creative Electron's Dr. Bill Cardoso](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-08-07-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-2-with-creative-electrons-dr-bill-cardoso) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [#026 - Connected lab - a startup bringing IoT to R&D environments, with Alok Tayi of TetraScience, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-17-026-connected-lab-a-startup-bringing-iot-to-r-d-environments-with-alok-tayi-of-t) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [067 - mRNA, Flu Vaccines, Good Presentations, and Non-Linear Career Paths with Jane M. True](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2023-01-11-067-mrna-flu-vaccines-good-presentations-and-non-linear-career-paths-with-jane-m) (Let's Combinate)

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