This fall, The Fox School of Business will introduce a new graduate course, “Entrepreneurship in the Life Sciences” (GSM 5190), thanks to a $50,000 grant from Johnson & Johnson. This grant represents the first time the company has ever collaborated with a university to create this type of academic program.

“We are honored and appreciative to have received this grant, which will help in our efforts to create new life-science businesses, both through education and commercialization,” said Chris Pavlides, executive director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute at Temple.

Pavlides collaborated with David Bowser, vice president of emerging technologies and university relations at Johnson & Johnson, to develop the proposal for the course.

“When I was a judge at The Fox School’s 2006 Business Plan competition, I realized that considering Temple’s strength in healthcare, it would be good to create a class that would look at Philadelphia as a hotbed for entrepreneurship in biotechnology,” said Bowser.

The course, to be offered every semester, will provide students with an overview of the various stages of entrepreneurship in life sciences, including idea generation and feasibility analysis, intellectual property protection, venture funding, team selection, product and service marketing, and venture growth strategy development. It also will teach students how to develop a business plan and grow a start-up in the life sciences field.

Bowser added, “There might be some technologies at Johnson & Johnson that the company will work with students on, but the ultimate goal is to have students present to venture capitalists.”

Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship Monica Treichel, who will be teaching the course, said, “Life science is a flourishing sector throughout the state, nationally and internationally, and it provides a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs. I hope to educate students to the life science opportunities available to them.”

The grant also will enable an annual conference on life sciences, featuring guest speakers such as successful biotechnology entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and Johnson & Johnson technology-transfer experts. In addition, the grant will enable the school to design and offer faculty workshops throughout the year.

The “Entrepreneurship in the Life Sciences” course is geared toward graduate and professional students from all Temple schools, and is open to non-matriculated graduate students from other schools in the region and to working professionals in the life sciences. The class, held on Mondays during the fall 2007 semester at Temple University’s Center City Campus, has no prerequisites.

— Written by Julia Straka
for the Fox School of Business