From Scientist to Entrepreneur: Should You Commercialise Your Research? STEM careers for impact

Should your research become a medicine? And if it has commercial potential, should you be the scientist who takes it forward? For academics considering the move from scientist to entrepreneur, that decision starts well before forming a biotech company. In this episode, we explore how to assess academic research through a commercialisation and drug development lens. Professor Michael Kassiou, Dr Laura Issa and Dr Gorjana Mitic share what industry, investors and tech transfer teams look for when evaluating research with translational potential. We discuss how an industry pitch differs from an academic presentation, when to seek industry feedback without compromising intellectual property, and the questions researchers need to answer around unmet need, differentiation, competitive landscape and IP. We also look at a decision that is sometimes skipped entirely: does this research actually need a biotech spin-out? Dr Laura Issa breaks down five factors to consider, including clinical need, intellectual property, capital requirements, stage of development and the people behind the project. We explore when staying within academia, licensing or partnering with industry may be a better route than starting a company. You’ll hear about: How to assess whether academic research has commercial potential What biotech investors and industry experts want to understand beyond the science How to pitch research to industry rather than an academic audience When to seek industry feedback and how to protect your IP Why competitive landscape and differentiation matter early When a biotech spin-out makes sense, and when it doesn’t Licensing, partnering and other routes to research translation Why some important medicines may need philanthropic or alternative funding models This episode is Part 1 of a six-part series exploring the path from academic research to biotech and drug development, based on conversations from the 2026 Drug Discovery Forum in Sydney, happening at the ARCS conference. The series brings together scientists, biotech entrepreneurs, industry experts and technology transfer professionals to examine what it actually takes to move promising science towards patients. Want to craft a career story that opens doors? I help STEMM professionals speak with clarity, confidence, and purpose and show up as thought leaders —so the right opportunities find you. 📬 Let’s connect: angeliquegreco.com.au | LinkedIn ⭐️ Help More People Reinvent Their Careers If you enjoyed this episode, please: ✅ Leave a quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 🙏 ♻️ Share it with a friend who's questioning their path in STEM Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.