New biohealth pre-accelerator program offers
early-stage biotech founders' essential skills and guidance to
prepare for advanced stages, fostering innovation in the growing
life sciences sector.
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 17,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Activation Capital proudly
announces the launch of Start-the-Journey, a new BioHealth
Pre-Accelerator designed to equip early-stage biotech and life
science entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to build
successful startups. Powered by Fat Robin Consulting, this
innovative program supports founders in the initial phases of their
entrepreneurial journey, preparing them for more advanced
initiatives like Activation Capital's Frontier BioHealth, launched
earlier this year to support scaling advanced-stage startups.
The launch of Start-the-Journey comes as Central Virginia's biotech and life sciences
sector continues to thrive. The region has experienced significant
advancements, including the growth of its pharmaceutical
manufacturing cluster and an expansion of biotech educational
programs at local universities. With local research institutions
expanding their biotech offerings, Central Virginia is becoming a recognized hub
for life sciences innovation. Activation Capital is committed to
supporting this ecosystem by helping early-stage entrepreneurs
build a solid foundation through Start-the-Journey and its
later-stage program Frontier BioHealth.
"This program provides a foundational experience for
entrepreneurs navigating the early challenges of building
a biohealth startup. Our goal is to help them develop the
essential skills needed to succeed," said Dr. Jim Pannucci, Vice President of Entrepreneurship
at Activation Capital.
The program, with content provided by Fat Robin Consulting,
includes a personalized intake session for each startup, offering
tailored guidance from experts. Cohorts will operate on a rolling
model, starting monthly from October
2024 through January 2025.
Participants will cover critical topics such as entrepreneurial
qualities, market value creation, MVP development, and key
resources for entrepreneurs.
Seema Sood, CEO and Founder of
Fat Robin Consulting, expressed enthusiasm for the program: "We're
excited to work with founders who are shaping the future of
biotech. A strong foundation on entrepreneurship will scaffold the
long-term success of young companies."
Start-the-Journey is ideal for founders in Richmond, across Virginia, or those considering locating their
company in the state, with a focus on deep-tech biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics. Offered at no
cost, the program is designed to reduce financial burdens for
early-stage entrepreneurs, and Activation Capital takes no founder
equity.
"We're excited about the potential impact Start-the-Journey will
have in fostering innovation and accelerating the growth of
Virginia's BioHealth sector,"
Pannucci added. Additional information can be found
at https://activation.capital/start-the-journey/.
Start-the-Journey is funded in part through a grant with the
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). All opinions,
conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of
Activation Capital and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
SBA.
About Activation Capital
Activation Capital is a leading innovation ecosystem
development organization providing social, knowledge, and financial
capital to clusters, entrepreneur support organizations, and
entrepreneurs – accelerating their progress through development and
maturation. Activation Capital, an independent authority of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, is on a
mission to grow life sciences and other advanced technology
innovation by promoting scientific research, commercialization, and
ecosystem development that attracts and creates 21st-century jobs
and companies. It operates the 34-acre Virginia Bio+Tech Park – the
hub of life science and technology innovations in Central Virginia. It oversees the Cluster
Accelerator for Advanced Pharmaceutical R&D and Manufacturing
and supports developing and expanding the region's startup
ecosystem. For more information,
visit www.activation.capital.
About Fat Robin Consulting
Fat Robin Consulting accelerates innovation. We work with
ecosystems and companies of all sizes to build high impact
networks, to empower growth with strategy and to create a path to
commercial success.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/activation-capital-launches-start-the-journey-pre-accelerator-program-302250902.html
SOURCE Activation Capital