Target Audience

Women life sciences graduate students, postdocs, and early-stage life science researchers with a minimal level of entrepreneurial self-awareness, interest, and confidence are the main target audience. Early entrepreneurs and more established researchers will also benefit from the information provided. Other scientists and entrepreneurs may also benefit from the information presented.

The Problem

There is a lack of female life science entrepreneurs. Although women receive around half of life science PhDs and hold almost half of the research positions, they head only 12% of bio startups. Life scientists typically lack essential business skills; however, women suffer from additional barriers, such as funding bias, the male-dominated networks of biotechnology and venture capital, and having few female role models. Successful entrepreneurship requires confidence to overcome barriers and skills to avoid common mistakes.

How Biostartup Advice Can Help

Our simulation uniquely helps graduate students, postdocs, and early-stage life scientists explore factors that impact entrepreneurial intent and self-efficacy. It will raise early-career scientists’ awareness of entrepreneurship as a career path, guide scientists in the needed steps to launch a business, and educate them on essential entrepreneurial topics, such as intellectual property, funding, and communication skills. Life scientists will gain confidence in pursuing their business ideas as they navigate realistic scenarios and learn about real-world resources. Through more female entrepreneurship and commercialization, we will broaden and diversify the human capital resources available to move life science research from “bench to bedside.” We emphasize the following:

• Assessment and enhancement of women’s entrepreneurial intent
• Women role models
• Female-oriented identity perceptions
• Broader personality traits
• Business not always being the right choice