Science to Startup: Into Biotech Entrepreneurship

Thinking about turning your science into a startup? Wondering what it actually takes to launch and sustain a biotech company? Join the South West Biotechnology Network for an evening with someone who's done exactly that.

Professor Lorna Harries is a Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Exeter Medical School and Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of SENISCA, a University of Exeter spin-out developing groundbreaking anti-ageing therapeutics. Born from over 18 years of academic research into RNA splicing and cellular ageing, SENISCA has grown from a lab discovery into a company that has secured over £7 million in funding from private investors and venture capital.

Having founded SENISCA in 2020, right at the onset of COVID, Lorna knows first-hand what it means to build a biotech company through adversity. From navigating the leap from academia to industry, to securing funding rounds, assembling a leadership team, and steering a company through a global pandemic, she brings years of hard-won insight into what it really takes to survive and thrive as a biotech entrepreneur.

In this talk, Lorna will share her journey and the practical steps aspiring biotech entrepreneurs can take to turn their research into a real-world venture. Whether you're an early-career researcher curious about commercialisation, a student exploring career paths beyond academia, or someone already taking your first steps toward launching a company, this event is for you.

• How academic research translates into a viable biotech company
• The realities of fundraising, from seed rounds to scaling
• Lessons learned from building a company through COVID and beyond
• Practical advice on the skills, networks, and mindset needed to enter biotech entrepreneurship
• An opportunity to ask questions and connect with fellow members of the South West biotech community

This event is open to anyone with an interest in biotechnology and entrepreneurship, including students, researchers, postdocs, industry professionals, and aspiring founders. No prior business experience is required, just curiosity and ambition.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Forum, Exploration Lab, Forum, Exeter, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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