The Fun and Joy of Science Entrepreneurship: An Insider’s Perspective

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The University of Cambridge has a well-deserved reputation for spinning out high technology startups from its world-class science research and innovation programs. It is the home of startups on the leading edge of medical technology, biotech, semiconductors, and quantum computing, among many other scientific frontiers. Six lectures by Mukund S. Chorghade and James Skinner will take the aspiring entrepreneur through the strategic considerations for starting a company.

Dr. Robert Hormann, a consultant in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, defines entrepreneurship as “ . . . first and foremost, fulfilling a need in society by solving someone else’s problem and/or engendering joy. This goal is pursued through initiative, creativity, and resourcefulness by forming a new organization guided by economic considerations.” Chemical entrepreneurship is a legitimate and viable career option for chemists that needs to be introduced early in their career. There are those students who are incredibly good, and dedicated chemists but have the desire to do something other than strictly laboratory work.

Beginning with the inventor’s discovery, the conversation will cover the market analysis to determine whether the discovery is commercially viable, then, on to incorporation, equity, team building and organization structure (management, Board of Directors/Advisors, Scientific Advisory Board), intellectual property, the importance of the business plan, including detailed financials and milestones, and funding sources and terms. The goal of these seminars is to provide the entrepreneur with a knowledge foundation upon which to build a successful enterprise.

Key examples of successful entrepreneurship will be provided