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CEO | Biosero
Ryan Bernhardt’s expertise in automating science labs was likely a lifesaver during the pandemic. His team at Eli Lilly and Co. implemented the world’s first fully automated PCR test in five days. The streamlined process became the blueprint for rapid testing around the world. After six years at Lilly, Bernhardt got the chance to work for the software company, Biosero, that enables cutting-edge lab automation and supports more cost-effective innovations in medicine and other scientific discoveries. The company asked him to launch a commercial division and expand this “best-kept secret” in the field to sectors beyond life sciences and clinical diagnostics, like cosmetics and energy R&D. In the last three years, Biosero has averaged 55% growth each year. “I smile the most when I get to give tours of our robotic systems to people [who] have never or don’t get to see this sort of far-out, high-tech work happening in real life, including my children. They think it is super cool (and I still do, too),” Bernhardt said.
Getting here: Bernhardt gained rare exposure to lab automation during internships at the IU School of Medicine and Dow AgroSciences (now Corteva Agriscience). A biofuel startup sought out his expertise after he graduated. He saw the potential for lab automation beyond big pharma and biotech, so he created a business plan to launch a global unit for Hamilton Robotics focused on potential automation markets. He worked with Lilly in that role, and the pharma giant brought him on to lead automation initiatives in its R&D labs.
First job: Cart handler, Eagle Creek Golf Course
Givebacks: Director of youth girls, Center Grove Girls Lacrosse Inc.; volunteer, Project Homeless; board of visitors, E.S. Witchger School of Engineering at Marian University; member, Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Greenwood
Influential moment: Leaving a job he was passionate about and which was doing “phenomenally well from a business standpoint,” in order to improve his work-life balance. “I had allowed my work-life to become very unhealthy. It took making a very difficult decision to walk away from that at the pinnacle point from a business standpoint to work on myself and establishing healthy boundaries, which would enable me to improve all areas of my life.”
Advice: “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. There is so much truth to this that we can make situations and circumstances either so much better or so much worse based upon how we respond and the choices we make as a result.”•
Check out more Forty Under 40 honorees.
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