The National Association for the Self-Employed, the nation’s leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, announced that Chula Vista-based small business, Opilio, was awarded a $4,000 first quarter 2024 Growth Grant sponsored by AARP to help support small businesses owned and operated by older American entrepreneurs.
Opilio, owned by NASE member Jeremiah Joseph was founded in 2023, with a vision to help companies harness the value of structural biology efficiently and economically. Joseph used the funds to purchase two essential computer workstations. The workstations are necessary to process X-ray Crystallography and Cryogenic Microscopy data in a timely manner, to keep pace with client needs.
Joseph is a structural biologist, a specialized scientist who studies the structure of biological molecules like proteins. He has more than 25 years of experience doing this in academia and the pharmaceutical industry.
“Structural biology, the field I am experienced in, is empowering in drug discovery,” he said. “It provides a visual. It provides a picture in great detail in how drugs are being developed. In atomic detail, it shows how these drugs do what they are supposed to do. That enables drug developers to look at that and then make informed decision on how they can change this molecule, make it better, make the molecules more potent, safe, and effective as drugs.”
Joseph led a global pharmaceutical group in San Diego but was laid off in 2023 due to strategic corporate restructuring, prior to closing its San Diego site.
“The market is very slow for biotech and techs, but along with that I got some very timely requests from former colleagues who wanted me to help their companies with their structural biology needs,” he said. “That encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and launch as an independent consultant. Late last year I started my business, Opilio, which is Latin for shepherd, because I have a vision for health companies with limited resources get the value of structural biology for their drug company processes, and to act efficiently, and economically.”
Joseph said this benefits these companies as they do not have to hire a person with his expertise fulltime, and only for a few hours a week, he can help them with their projects, basically shepherding them with their projects, “leading them to greener pastures.”
“A big part of my growth plan was to offer services to analyze structural biology data,” he said. “This data is huge in volume. It often has terabytes of data, and the number crunching needs powerful computers is [Central Processing Unit] CPU and [graphic processing unit] GPU intensive.”
Joseph said this is why he applied for the NASE award.
“I am grateful to have gotten it,” he said. “That allowed me to buy a couple of secondhand computers. They are very high end, with multiple CPUs and GPUs. These were offered by my previous company. Because they dismantled, they offered these machines for a reasonable price. That has helped me to expand the portfolio of the services that I offer. I can do the data processing, and it also allows me to take on more projects in parallel without being limited by computer power. This award has helped me grow my company and the amount of work that I can work on. To date, these acquisitions have been bearing fruit already. I have been using these two machines extensively, providing for clients in the San Diego area, as well neighboring biotech systems, providing them with high quality data, enabling them to make data-driven decisions in their quest for better human health.”
Jospeh said he joined NASE when he started Opilio.
“Self-employment was something I never dreamed of, so I was looking for resources on how to do it and do it well. I found NASE and signed up,” he said.
“Chula Vista small business, Opilio, was chosen for this Growth Grant award because they demonstrated a well-defined plan for growth, ranging from executing new marketing initiatives, purchasing new equipment, and additional creative ways to grow and expand. As one of the growing numbers of older Americans who are small business owners, we’re thrilled to collaborate with AARP to award NASE member Jeremiah Joseph of Opilio with a $4,000 Growth Grant award,” said John Hearrell, NASE’s vice president of Membership and Affiliate Programs. “America’s small business and self-employed community is the lifeblood of our economy, helping fuel growth along Main Street in small and large communities throughout the country. Over the course of the last few years, the American small business community has experienced a surge of new small businesses opening and expanding, representing the true entrepreneurial spirit of America’s resilience and determination. We are thrilled to support Opilio’s expansion and growth.”
