After its inaugural cycle in 2022-23, Cornell University’s Life Sciences Technology Innovation Fellowship, formerly known as the BioEntrepreneurship Initiative, enters its second year with a new cohort of 15 business students and 12 researchers who are eager to embark on their journeys to becoming C-suite startup leaders.

The Life Sciences Technology Innovation Fellowship started as an effort to bridge the gap between Ph.D. and MBA students at Cornell, with an interest in getting life science innovations into the hands of customers. The program provides students with the entrepreneurial mindset, training, and judgement to aid them in developing ventures in the life sciences. The fellowship’s unique structure pairs doctoral researchers across Cornell’s campuses with graduate business students to collaborate on real-world startup design and testing.

“Even after just one year of programming, the Life Sciences Technology Innovation Fellowship is well on its way to creating a pipeline of leaders that will advance the life sciences industry in New York state and globally,” said program director Gregory Ray, Ph.D. ‘14. “We’re excited to continue building on last year’s success and providing a collaborative space where participants can think beyond the bounds of their respective programs.”

When it was established as the BioEntrepreneurship Initiative in its first year, the program immediately gained traction. Over a series of six monthly, in-person workshops that alternated location between Ithaca and New York City, participants interacted with more than 50 investors, founders, and industry leaders, gaining perspective to apply to their entrepreneurial endeavors. The success of the BioEntrepreneurship Initiative identified a framework that could easily be applied to other industries, inspiring the creation of the Green Technology Innovation Fellowship and prompting the name change to the Life Sciences Technology Innovation Fellowship.

Throughout the course of the year, business and research participants will be matched with one another to form teams and take part in workshops that will cover various topics to lay a foundation for startup creation.

“I aspire to gain hands-on experience with strategy, implementation, and VC interaction regarding a startup,” said Eman Said, MBA ‘24, a member of this year’s cohort. “I hope to hone my skills as an MBA in the life sciences and healthcare while expanding my network throughout the next year.”