Communicating Across Cultures: A Big Tech and Big Pharma Challenge

To successfully navigate these differences, panelists emphasized the need for clear communication—especially early in the partnership. “Founders often assume everyone’s aligned just because they invested,” said Mas. “But if expectations haven’t been discussed, you end up with drama in the boardroom.” When it comes to big tech and big pharma partnerships, misalignment is even more likely. “I’ve seen firsthand how tech and pharma bring very different assumptions to the table,” said Parramon. “Pharma thinks software guys can fix everything. Tech guys don’t think about evidence at all. If you haven’t aligned on the how—not just the goal—it will fall apart.”