Week 1

Exploring Emerging Trends in Biotechnology: In this session, students will explore the diverse fields of biotechnology, such as healthcare, agriculture, and industrial biotech. They’ll identify emerging trends like gene editing, personalized medicine, and sustainable biomaterials, and brainstorm ideas for how these trends can address global challenges. The goal is to spark innovative thinking on how biotech can transform industries and improve lives.

Week 2

Developing Your Biotech Startup Concept: Students will focus on selecting a specific problem within healthcare or the environment that biotechnology can solve. They will develop a unique value proposition for their startup idea, creating a clear and compelling biotech solution, while examining case studies of successful biotech concepts. This session will help students refine their startup concept and begin outlining the key features of their solution.

Week 3

Simplified Biotech Startup Launch Process: This week, students will learn the basic steps of launching a biotech startup, including R&D, preclinical testing, clinical trials, and regulatory approval. They’ll explore various biotech development approaches, such as drug discovery or gene therapy, and understand the importance of safety, efficacy, and iteration in product development. Students will also create a simple flowchart outlining the startup launch process.

Week 4

Business and Scientific Foundations: Students will dive into understanding their target user or patient population and the importance of market research in biotech. They’ll also address the scientific feasibility of their biotech idea, ensuring it’s based on sound principles. This week’s activities will guide students in developing a user persona and assessing the scientific foundation of their solutions.

Week 5

Crafting Your Biotech Startup Pitch: In this session, students will focus on creating a persuasive pitch for their biotech startup, highlighting key features, benefits, and the real-world impact of their solutions. They’ll practice presenting their pitch and receive peer feedback to refine their delivery. The goal is to help students develop confidence and clarity when communicating their ideas to potential investors or partners.

Week 6

Final Pitch Presentations and Reflection: Students will present their biotech startup pitches to "investors," showcasing their innovative ideas and answering questions. After the presentations, there will be a reflection discussion on the course, allowing students to assess their progress and learning experience. Each student will submit a final pitch presentation along with a brief companion paper that outlines their startup proposal.