CEOInterviews.AI
Start App
Try: AI strategy tariffs earnings guidance layoffs interest rates growth

Paul Wotton

Former CEO, Obsidian Therapeutics

Search every verified Paul Wotton interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Paul Wotton, executive director of the Rice University Biotech Launch Pad and CEO and managing partner of RBL Ventures, discussed Houston's biotech ecosystem in an October 2026 interview with Axios. He said that while the city has attracted significant manufacturing investments, including commitments from Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb, it still lacks a successful biotech startup culture. Wotton attributed this gap to a shortage of venture capital firms based in Houston and a need for experienced executives, noting that despite the city's strengths—such as over 10 million patient visits per year at the medical center and more than 1,000 ongoing clinical trials—few successful biotech companies have emerged there. Wotton also described efforts to address these challenges, including working with a company founded by Bob Langer and hiring staff to help raise money for a local fund. He cited an example of a West Coast fund that raised nearly $700 million, half of which came from Texas investors, but none of which returned to Texas, illustrating the disconnect between local capital and local investment. His stated goal for the coming year is to complete one successful Series A funding round within his group.

Recent appearances

  • What Houston’s biotech boom is still missing

    October 07, 2026 · 📺 Axios Live and Axios

    Houston is attracting billions of dollars in biotech manufacturing investment, but Rice University’s Paul Wotton says the city still needs more venture capital and experienced executives to build a sustainable biotech startup ecosystem. Wotton, executive director of the Rice University Biotech Launch Pad and CEO and managing partner of RBL Ventures, joins Axios' Brock Turner to discuss what Houston needs to turn its research, clinical trial and manufacturing strengths into successful biotech companies.

    Watch on YouTube ↗

  • IND For TIL Therapy With Obsidian Therapeutics' Paul Wotton, Ph.D.

    October 03, 2022 · 📺 Life Science Connect

    On this episode of The Business of Biotech, Obsidian Therapeutics CEO Paul Wotton, Ph.D. takes us behind the scenes to reveal what precipitated the FDA's clearance of its IND application for a novel, engineered tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy called OBX-115. Learn how the company navigated the regulatory path for a first-of-its-kind biologic therapy developed in partnership with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that Dr. Wotton says, should it succeed, will eliminate the patient risk associated with concomitant IL2 therapy and improve clinical outcomes for certain patient…

    Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Obsidian Therapeutics - Cell and Gene Therapy

    August 16, 2020 · 📺 HPR

    Dr. Paul Wotton, CEO of Obsidian Therapeutics, discusses Obsidian’s platform, cytoDRiVE™, that regulates protein levels in cell and gene therapies, creating an “operating system” for living drugs. This means that now, and for the first time, physicians will be able to control genetically-engineered cells’ biologic activity to increase efficacy and reduce toxicity, using easily accessed generics and other FDA-approved drugs. #ObsidianTherapeutics #cytoDRiVE #CellAndGeneTherapy Visit our website www.healtprofessionalradio.com.au Follow us on our social media channels Facebook:   / hprfm   Twi…

    Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Solving The COVID-19 Workforce Crisis

    August 12, 2020 · 📺 Life Science Connect

    Obsidian Therapeutics CEO Dr. Paul Wotton didn't let pandemic-induced workforce restrictions impede his biopharma's progress. Instead, his team developed a software system purpose-built for biotechs to manage personnel and equipment per ever-changing guidelines. On this episode of The Business Of Biotech: Summer Executive Sessions, Wotton tells us how the application, dubbed SWIFT, was built, how it's working, and why Obsidian has made it available to more than 30 (and growing) other biotechs, free of charge. #businessofbiotech #biopharma #biotech #cytiva #obsidiantherapeutics http://cytiva.…

    Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Biopharmaceutical Company Fundraising And Investor Meetings During COVID-19

    May 05, 2020 · 📺 Life Science Connect

    Rob Wright, chief editor of Life Science Leader, recently moderated a COVID-19 leadership roundtable with five biopharmaceutical CEOs via Zoom. In this clip, five biopharma CEOs share insight gained from fundraising and meeting with investors during the coronavirus pandemic. Appearing in this video (in order) are: Leen Kawas, Ph.D., Pharm.D., CEO, Athira Pharma  Caroline Loew, Ph.D., CEO, Glympse Bio Mike Clayman, M.D., CEO, Flexion Therapeutics Paul Wotton, Ph.D., CEO, Obsidian Therapeutics Rachel Leheny, Ph.D., CEO, CalciMedica Learn more: https://www.lifescienceleader.com/

    Watch on YouTube ↗

The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →