Women Building Bio: Bringing the community together for the first time

This week, Women Building Bio hosted its first community event, bringing together women from across the biotech and pharmaceutical industries for an evening of conversation, networking, and connection.

Founded by SciPro's Nicole Arendt and Gianna Argento, Women Building Bio was created to provide a space where women in biotech can build meaningful relationships, share experiences, and support one another throughout their careers.

Following the event, we caught up with Nicole and Gianna to reflect on the evening, discuss what they learned from attendees, and share what's next for the growing community.

 

For those who may not know, what is 'Women Building Bio'?

Women Building Bio is a community-building initiative driven by SciPro – with the intention of bringing women in our biotech/pharma networks together; virtually for further visibility and access to resources, and in-person for opportunities to make genuine connections and network with other leaders in their space. This is a community Nicole and I envision to be low-pressure and (hopefully) high value. Ultimately, we'd love to help create more visibility and opportunities for the next generation of women stepping into biotech leadership as well.

 

How would you describe the experience of bringing the Women Building Bio community together for the first time?

Our overall thoughts on the evening were that it was a ‘small but mighty’ success. We had women from all different biotech/pharma backgrounds and functions come together – most were able to speak with everyone present. The group was such a great and outgoing blend of personalities, who didn’t require much guided networking to introduce and get to know each other (although we provided it). It felt genuine and low pressure, and I had a great time - so we’re very happy with our first event.

 

What inspired you most about the conversations and connections that took place?

What inspired us most were the smiles we were seeing around the room, the laughs, the bits of conversation picked up between women that were about their personal experiences, or just them as people - instead of solely scientific or industry driven. The overall energy was exactly what we had hoped for - people were engaged, making meaningful connections, and enjoying themselves enough that we even ran a little over time. It left us feeling inspired to continue building on this momentum with future events.

 

Was there a particular moment, discussion, or takeaway from the evening that stood out to you?

Just as we were wrapping up, we realized that most of the attendees were still there - which reassured us that people were genuinely enjoying themselves. Seeing women who had never met before exchanging business cards and contact information were also key moments for us – in which we felt a real sense of accomplishment.

 

What did you learn from attendees about the importance of creating spaces like Women Building Bio?

Hearing from attendees who are remote workers, "N of 1s" in their roles or organizations, or even the only employee based in their state/the US - put things into perspective. It made us reflect on how much we personally benefit, both professionally and socially, from interacting with our team every day. Those conversations reinforced the importance of creating spaces like these, where people can connect with others who understand their experiences, share challenges, and feel heard. This feels especially important in pharma and biotech leadership, where women remain underrepresented and professional isolation can be even more pronounced.

 

What are some of the needs or challenges you consistently hear from women across biotech and pharma, and how does Women Building Bio aim to address them?

When we interviewed our network prior to launching WBB – we asked women what would bring them the most value from a community like this. The common themes were networking opportunities (discussing potential new jobs, hires, clients, career guidance, market insight) and people to relate to/discuss shared experiences with - especially those unique to women in biotech leadership. We kept these core aspects in mind when conceptualizing the event - from location, to invitees, to size, to guided networking activities/topics.

 

What's next for the community, and what can people expect over the coming months?

We've already begun discussing future events in Philadelphia and Boston, where we have strong local networks, as well as potential workshop collaborations with other groups that share similar goals. Our next major focus for Women Building Bio will be launching the WBB podcast. We envision it as a community-driven, interview-based platform featuring members of our network who are interested in sharing their experiences. Rather than focusing solely on professional accomplishments, we want these conversations to be personal, candid, and anecdotal - highlighting the unique perspectives, challenges, lessons, and stories that each individual brings. Our hope is that the podcast becomes another avenue for connection among women in biotech leadership, while also serving as a source of visibility, inspiration, and guidance for the next generation of leaders entering the industry.

 

Women Building Bio is just getting started. With future events, content, and new initiatives already in the works, the community is continuing to grow and create opportunities for women across biotech and pharma to connect, learn, and support one another.

To stay up to date with future events and community updates, follow Women Building Bio on LinkedIn.