At Dex, we passionately believe in empowering individuals to pursue work that truly matters, aligning their careers with purpose and ambition. Few embody this spirit as vividly as Ali Afshar, co-founder and CEO of Mytos, a pioneering biotech startup revolutionising the robotic production of human cells. In a captivating episode of the Dex Factor podcast, Ali shared his extraordinary journey, reflecting on innovation, resilience, and the profound impact of visionary thinking.
Early Influences and a Visionary Mindset
Ali’s journey began under the influence of his father, an avid enthusiast of science fiction and futuristic thinking. A particularly memorable moment occurred at just eight years old when Ali expressed his ambition to become a doctor. His father’s response was both unexpected and transformative: suggesting he study genetic engineering instead. At a time when few had even heard the term, this sparked Ali’s lifelong fascination with scientific exploration and innovation.
This early exposure encouraged Ali to see possibilities where others saw impossibility, setting the stage for his entrepreneurial mindset, one that would consistently challenge conventions and strive to shape the future.
First Steps Towards Entrepreneurship
Ali’s first major entrepreneurial endeavour occurred during his undergraduate studies at UCL, where frustration with traditional paper-based revision methods sparked an innovative idea, an A4-sized e-reader designed specifically for students. Despite hurdles such as sourcing parts from international suppliers, Ali demonstrated exceptional initiative and determination. He cold-called suppliers, persuaded Imperial College to fund and support the project, and immersed himself deeply into the world of hardware and software development.
This first venture taught Ali a crucial lesson about entrepreneurship: the power of ambition, persistence, and simply asking for help. Although ultimately not pursued further, this project crystallised Ali’s belief that anyone with a compelling vision can bend the world slightly towards realising it.
The Genesis of Mytos: Revolutionising Cell Production
Ali’s PhD studies at Imperial College further shaped his trajectory. Frustrated by manual laboratory processes, he began constructing robots to automate repetitive tasks. It was during this time he met Ignacio, his future co-founder, at an entrepreneurial society event. Their immediate synergy led to organising an ambitious hackathon centred around laboratory automation.
The success of this event revealed the immense market demand for automation in biotech labs, particularly for cell cultivation, an essential but highly manual and error-prone task. Mytos was born from this insight, driven by Ali and Ignacio’s shared vision to drastically improve cell production processes.
Turning Vision into Reality: A Journey of Resilience
The path from concept to thriving business was far from straightforward. Early on, the duo faced numerous obstacles, such as gaining credibility in a complex, traditional industry and overcoming logistical hurdles. Yet Ali’s determination and Ignacio’s persistent outreach culminated in securing significant contracts, including one with a major VP from the Bay Area, demonstrating early validation of their concept.
Acceptance into Y Combinator proved transformative, accelerating their journey and firmly establishing their credibility in the biotech world. This milestone highlighted the importance of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurship, underscoring Ali’s belief in the power of bold action and relentless pursuit.
A Culture of Exceptional Talent and High Standards
At Mytos, Ali has cultivated a culture defined by high performance, relentless dedication, and mutual accountability. Recognising that groundbreaking innovation requires an extraordinary team, Ali’s hiring philosophy centres on recruiting individuals who demonstrate outstanding problem-solving skills and a proven track record of achieving exceptional results.
Ali emphasises that truly remarkable team members distinguish themselves not simply through technical expertise, but by consistently demonstrating the initiative and creativity to tackle and resolve significant challenges. He recounts vivid examples of hires who, even early in their careers, dramatically influenced their environments through innovative solutions and exceptional dedication.
Navigating Challenges and Maintaining Intensity
Eight years into leading Mytos, Ali remains acutely aware of the demands placed on founders. Sustaining intense workloads and high standards over such a long period requires deliberate strategies. Ali underscores the importance of clearly defining mission-critical objectives, delegating effectively, and knowing when to strategically “push the nitrous button” to maximise productivity and impact.
To prevent burnout, Ali highlights the value of integrating strategic rest periods after intense work phases, coupled with genuine celebrations of team successes. This balanced approach ensures sustainable, long-term performance, reflecting his philosophy that maintaining peak effectiveness involves strategic energy management rather than constant intensity.
Vision as a Dynamic, Directional Force
One of Ali’s profound insights is his conception of vision as a dynamic, rather than static, entity. Vision is not about rigid adherence to a predefined roadmap; instead, it involves staying alert to new developments, adapting swiftly, and continuously refining one’s path.
Ali cites Mytos’ recent strategic pivot towards therapeutic cell replacement treatments as an example. Recognising emerging success stories, such as groundbreaking treatments for Parkinson’s and vision impairment, Mytos promptly doubled down, positioning itself at the forefront of this critical area of biotech.
Impact and Innovation: The Promise of Cell Replacement Therapies
Today, Ali’s ambitious vision is closer than ever to reshaping healthcare fundamentally. Mytos’ technology is pivotal in scaling cell replacement therapies that offer unprecedented hope for conditions previously deemed untreatable. Stories of patients regaining significant quality of life after receiving these pioneering therapies exemplify the profound real-world impact Ali envisioned from the outset.
Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Reflecting on his journey, Ali offers valuable insights to fellow entrepreneurs:
• Pursue big visions with persistence and courage, bold ideas attract talent and resources.
• Prioritise recruitment and invest in exceptional talent capable of autonomous problem-solving.
• Maintain a disciplined yet flexible approach to innovation, continually adapting your vision based on new insights and opportunities.
Looking Forward: Pioneering the Future
Ali’s story embodies Dex’s core philosophy of empowering meaningful work. His relentless innovation, rigorous standards, and visionary leadership not only shape the future of biotech but also inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs.
As Mytos continues to revolutionise healthcare, Ali remains committed to building an extraordinary team culture, navigating complex challenges, and passionately driving forward a vision poised to redefine medicine itself. His journey is a powerful testament to the transformative potential of combining visionary ambition, relentless determination, and exceptional talent.
