Partnerships for Innovative Bioscience Entrepreneurs

Keck Graduate Institute, Claremont CA

Investigators

Abstract

0332749 Scanlon This award is to Keck Graduate Institute to support the activity described below for 36 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-03521). Partners The partners include Keck Graduate Institute (Lead Institution), Sprout Group, Axiom Venture Partners, Sears Capital Management, Business Technology Center of the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission, and Southern California Biomedical Council. The primary objective of this award is to form a unique industry/academic/government partnership to incubate innovative bioscience ideas from entrepreneurs with the venture capital community to create new products/business enterprises. Innovative ideas are solicited from the Keck Graduate Institute, other local universities, and entrepreneurs from the business community. Business/management expertise is provided by Keck's school of management. The venture capitalists collaborate with entrepreneurs to validate their ideas and provide funds and expertise to grow the businesses. Thee local and regional government agencies help disseminate the ideas/technologies to the biomedical and pharmaceutical business communities. In addition, workforce education and training programs at the lead institution will provide the workforce to support the new and emerging companies. Long-term sustainability is a key component of the program. Potential Economic Impact The long-term goal is to enable these new companies grow over a long period by providing financial, technical and managerial support to create economic well being and new jobs in the region. The intellectual merit of the activity lies in providing a source of new knowledge in the biotechnology area and partner it with managerial/business knowledge and venture funding to create new biotechnology, biomedicine, and pharmaceutical companies. The broader impacts of the activity concentrate on creating a new student generation from the underrepresented population with Masters in Bioscience degree and stimulating new economic growth by transforming bioscience ideas into products and services that are beneficial for the economy and the public.