Holding on to Unicorns and Rainbows
Claim This Podcastby Elena Schuh & Kerstin Papenfuss
Podcast Overview
<p>A podcast for female founders and leaders in health and tech, and for everyone who believes innovation should make the world better.<br /><br />Kerstin and Elena are two scientists, businesswomen in the pharma and biotech space, and mothers. They are passionate about health, innovation, and the women shaping the future, but they also know the real-life juggle of combining business, ambition, and family life.<br /><br />This podcast is about bold ideas, scientific breakthroughs, startups, and meaningful change, but also about the small shifts that can have a big impact. It is about more than tech. It is about personal stories, behind-the-scenes realities, and the often messy process of building something meaningful, in work and in life.</p><p></p><p>About the Hosts: </p><p>Kerstin Papenfuss is a scientist, entrepreneur, and systems thinker. As Director of Pharma at Deep Science Ventures, she leads the creation and development of novel therapeutics for unmet medical needs. With more than a decade of experience across oncology, signal transduction, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical markets, she brings a rare blend of scientific depth and strategic vision. Kerstin is also a mother of two young children, sports-enthusiast and is based in London. </p><p>LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/</a> </p><p></p><p>Elena Schuh is a scientist and (visual) storyteller. As founder of Benchtime Stories, she has spent the past decade helping pharma and biotech teams communicate complex science in a clear yet fun way. Drawing on her previous experience in both big pharma and academia, she brings multiple perspectives to the table. Elena is also a sports-lover, outdoors-enthusiast, mother of three young children and lives in the Netherlands. </p><p>LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/</a></p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/17/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 19, 2026
Crowdfunding a Dream: Building a Business That Brings People Together
<p>What happens when a bold business idea meets the messy reality of the real world? </p><p></p><p>In this episode, Elena and Kerstin talk to Nick, founder of Mash Paddle Brewery in London, about building a business that lets people brew their own beer. </p><p></p><p>From the original idea to crowdfunding, finding the right space, hiring a team, and rethinking the business model along the way, this conversation is a refreshingly honest look at what it takes to turn vision into reality. </p><p></p><p>It is also about much more than beer: about entrepreneurship, physical spaces, community, and the challenge of creating something meaningful in a world that so often happens behind screens. #Entrepreneurship </p><p></p><p>#FounderJourney #Crowdfunding #CommunityBuilding #SmallBusiness #HospitalityBusiness #CraftBeer </p><p></p><p>Nick’s Mash Paddle Brewery: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mashpaddlebrewery.com/" target="_blank">https://www.mashpaddlebrewery.com/</a> LinkedIn Kerstin Papenfuss: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/</b></a> </p><p>LinkedIn Elena Schuh: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/</b></a></p>
June 2, 2026
Disruptive Ideas Need the Biggest Cheer Squad: On Pitch Decks and More
<p>In this episode, Elena and Kerstin talk about pitch decks, storytelling and why even the best scientific ideas need to be communicated clearly. <br /><br />They discuss how to distill complex messages, build a stronger narrative and use structure, visuals and simple language to make ideas easier to grasp. <br /><br />From investor decks to scientific communication, the episode explores why good data rarely speaks for itself and why disruptive innovation often needs an especially strong “cheer squad” to get the right people on board. <br /><br />#PitchDecks #ScientificCommunication #HealthTech #BiotechStartups #VisualStorytelling #FemaleFounders #StartupCommunication<br /><br />LinkedIn Kerstin Papenfuss: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/</b></a> <br /><br />LinkedIn Elena Schuh: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/</b></a></p>
April 21, 2026
Tracking Hype: Are We Measuring What Matters?
<p>Can health data actually change behavior, or are we just getting better at measuring? </p><p></p><p>In this episode, Elena and Kerstin explore the world of health tracking technologies, sharing insights from their personal experiments with devices like Fitbit, Oura Ring, and continuous glucose monitors. </p><p></p><p>They discuss the potential benefits, limitations, and future possibilities of health data, with a particular focus on behavior change, data integration, and what it would take for tracking to truly improve health outcomes. </p><p></p><p>LinkedIn Kerstin Papenfuss: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/</b></a> </p><p></p><p>LinkedIn Elena Schuh: </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/</b></a></p>
9 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Holding on to Unicorns and Rainbows?
<p>A podcast for female founders and leaders in health and tech, and for everyone who believes innovation should make the world better.<br /><br />Kerstin and Elena are two scientists, businesswomen in the pharma and biotech space, and mothers. They are passionate about health, innovation, and the women shaping the future, but they also know the real-life juggle of combining business, ambition, and family life.<br /><br />This podcast is about bold ideas, scientific breakthroughs, startups, and meaningful change, but also about the small shifts that can have a big impact. It is about more than tech. It is about personal stories, behind-the-scenes realities, and the often messy process of building something meaningful, in work and in life.</p><p></p><p>About the Hosts: </p><p>Kerstin Papenfuss is a scientist, entrepreneur, and systems thinker. As Director of Pharma at Deep Science Ventures, she leads the creation and development of novel therapeutics for unmet medical needs. With more than a decade of experience across oncology, signal transduction, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical markets, she brings a rare blend of scientific depth and strategic vision. Kerstin is also a mother of two young children, sports-enthusiast and is based in London. </p><p>LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-papenfuss/</a> </p><p></p><p>Elena Schuh is a scientist and (visual) storyteller. As founder of Benchtime Stories, she has spent the past decade helping pharma and biotech teams communicate complex science in a clear yet fun way. Drawing on her previous experience in both big pharma and academia, she brings multiple perspectives to the table. Elena is also a sports-lover, outdoors-enthusiast, mother of three young children and lives in the Netherlands. </p><p>LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-schuh-ph-d-31a88820/</a></p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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