Academics are specialists in their disciplines but very few have expertise in running a business. So, although their discoveries might hold major commercial potential, it is rarely a simple process translating this knowledge into a saleable product or service.
To demystify the process of research commercialisation, this week we hear from a US-based biomedical researcher who has launched and grown five spin-out companies over the past 25 years.
Ashutosh Chilkoti is the Alan L. Kaganov Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University and the brains behind companies including PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals, Sentilus and Insolere Bio.
He runs the Chilkoti research group and has driven a number of initiatives at Duke designed to support entrepreneurship among students and staff.
As well as describing his own varied start-up experiences, he breaks down the process of developing a research finding into a business, and offers insight on what investors look for and how institutions can best support their academics’ commercialisation efforts.
For anyone interested in commercialisation and enterprise, this conversation offers practical takeaways and useful insights to guide your decisions.
And for more advice on this process, check out our step-by-step guide to commercialising your research.
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