"I have two good advisors: experience and caution"
Gloria Calderón
Gloria Calderón holds a PhD in Biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and has worked in assisted reproduction for more than 30 years. She was a member of the team that performed the first successful in vitro fertilizations in Spain, at the Dexeus Institute in Barcelona. From 2000 to 2013, she was the main internal scientific advisor for the IVI group (assisted reproduction clinics).
Embryotools, founded in 2013 by biologists Gloria Calderón (CEO) and Nuno Costa-Borges (CSO) and based in Barcelona, specializes in assisted reproduction and has a training center for in-vitro fertilization techniques with animal models and a quality control center for products used in human assisted reproduction.
Plus, the company also offers consultancy services for clinics and manufacturers of products for assisted reproduction clinics, as well as a veterinary division.
Why did you want to be an entrepreneur?
After years working in assisted reproduction, I realized that there were aspects that needed to be improved but there wasn't anyone working on them. Basically, I thought we had to work on training embryologists –because assisted reproduction techniques are very complicated– and on quality control. The latter makes all the difference between a center with good or bad results, and it is key for achieving the goal of assisted reproduction: improving in-vitro fertilization, not impairing it.
What is the most important strategic decision you’ve made so far?
When we founded the company, Nuno Costa-Borges and I were able to decide 100% the direction we wanted the company to take. We are lab people, not business people, but we were sure of our work and our professionalism and so we threw ourselves into it. Even though what we've done isn't very common, we’re committed to offering high quality and high standards, and for the moment we’re very happy. It hasn't been easy but we are brave and we will continue fighting.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
I don't know, I don't think I've received it yet. More than the best advice, I think I have two good advisors. One is experience and the other, caution. These two elements have given us what we have now, no more no less.
And now what? What milestones do you want to achieve in the short term?
We've been working on Embryotools for three years now and I want to consolidate the company in every way and expand it. We want to attract the Spanish market, where we are seeing good perspectives, as well as the international market. For now, we've reached a good level in training: 90% of the training we do is with foreigners, with professionals coming from more than 25 countries.
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