Scientific Entrepreneurship Academy
Scientific Entrepreneurship Academy
How do you take a laboratory discovery and develop it into a product that makes it on the market to benefit patients and the public? How do you put together the skill sets for a successful start-up company? How do you get funding? This course covers the pathways for commercializing therapeutics, medical devices, and software technologies. SEA Fellows will learn how to form, lead, and fund a start-up company with instruction from subject matter experts who have done it, through a blend of lectures and workshops designed to equip members with the essential skills for scientific entrepreneurship, focusing on areas like commercialization of research, funding acquisition, intellectual property, and business strategy. The series will run from July 2025 through February 2026.
Program Snapshot
- Format: 8 monthly web‑based lectures (~1hr) + 5 interactive workshops (~2-3 hrs)
- Designation: Participants completing the full program become SEA Fellows
- Eligibility: The SEA academy welcomes applicants at any career stage who can submit a 300–500‑word essay explaining their interest in SEA and the outcomes they hope to achieve. Candidates must commit to attending every lecture and workshop and come with a well‑defined startup idea in the life‑ or medical‑sciences sector.
- Capstone: “Shark‑Tank” pitch session & SEA Fellows networking happy‑hour at the 2026 SRI Annual Meeting. Fellows can give their pitch virtually if they are unable to attend the SRI meeting.
- Mentorship: Fellows will be introduced to entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals, with monthly virtual meet‑ups, and a dedicated online forum
| Member | Non-Member | |
| Full Course | $750 | $1,500 |
| Single Lecture | $350 | $400 |
Apply for Membership and receive the membership rate immediately!
Course Goals and Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, SEA Fellows should be able to:
- Conduct an analysis of a biomedical invention to understand the commercial potential associated with it.
- Build a target product profile (TPP) associated with a therapeutic or medical device.
- Identify the skill sets and capabilities needed to launch and fund a start-up company.
Materials:
It is strongly recommended that participants purchase Building Backwards to Biotech: The Power of Entrepreneurship to Drive Cutting-Edge Science to Market by Stephanie A. Wisner (2022), New Degree Press. This reading will help participants prepare for their capstone project, and provides great background. More information here, and available for purchase on Amazon.
Prerequisite(s) or Exclusions:
Register for Individual Webinars
Want to participate in the Scientific Entrepreneurship Academy but don't want to commit to the full course? Registration for individual webinars is available! No application is required. This opportunity is open to both SRI members and non-members.
Register for an Individual Webinar