Bridging the Gap: Researchers Share their Path to Commercialisation.
The journey from research to real-world impact can often feel like navigating a maze in the dark. For Sam, a researcher-turned-entrepreneur, taking that leap—filing a patent before even knowing the full potential of his research—was life-changing.
At the June Research Pathways Meetup, a regular panel event that showcases researchers who have found a commercial pathway for their work, Sam van Bohemen, PhD, Founder of Nuroflux and Alinta Furnell, a biotechnologist and Co-Founder of Synbiote, pulled back the curtain, offering a candid glimpse into their journeys and sharing their advice for anyone seeking to explore the impact of their work.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1. Protect Your Work Early: Before publicly sharing your research, even at conferences, ensure that you understand your IP responsibilities if there is anything novel or unique there. If you’re unsure speak to your supervisor and explore filing a provisional patent to protect your possible future opportunities.
2. Funding Your Journey: Do not underestimate the financial resources available – or what’s needed to grow an idea! Explore government programs and grants to help you as well as resources offered by UNSW.
3. Overcoming Inertia & Experimenting: You do not need a perfect lab setup to make progress. Think creatively, start small, and make initial progress in the simplest, easiest way possible – event if it is outside a traditional research setting.
4. Embrace the Power of Your Network: Ask mentors, fellow researchers, and entrepreneurs for advice. The startup community is highly supportive, and UNSW offers a fertile ground for collaborations. Network proactively!
Sam van Bohemen, PhD, a biomedical engineer, took his research on brain blood flow monitoring and co-founded Nuroflux, a Medtech startup developing a wearable device for stroke patients. He offered a cautionary tale about the importance of intellectual property protection, sharing his experience filing a provisional patent before presenting his research at a conference. He emphasised, "If I hadn't filed a provisional patent, someone could have done it after the conference."
The core learning here is to protect your intellectual property early to prevent others from capitalising on your findings. Sam underlined the risk of public disclosure of a unique idea or novel innovation. The key advice from the panel was to ensure you understand the implications of IP and get advice before you speak about it publicly.
Alinta Furnell, a biotechnologist, pivoted from studying Antarctic fungi to establishing Synbiote, a company transforming organic waste into innovative biomaterials. She stressed the importance of practicality and timing, encouraging everyone to think outside the lab's confines and embrace unconventional approaches to explore their ideas in the simplest way possible to make sure they can learn the most before needing a high-scale lab.
Navigating the Funding Maze: Grants, Government Schemes, and Bootstrapping.
Funding is often the biggest hurdle. Sam shared how Nuroflux leveraged a combination of accelerator programs, grants, pitch competitions, and research partnerships to secure funding. Alinta advocated for a strategic approach to funding, emphasising the importance of bootstrapping in the early stages: "The Australian government will actually pay you to work on your company… You can tap into programs like the self-employment scheme." She also highlighted valuable resources like the R&D tax incentive, which provides a % rebate on R&D expenditure.
Both speakers encouraged attendees to think creatively about funding and leveraging university resources such as UNSW Founders programs and government grants optimised for early-stage ventures.
Overcoming Uncertainty: Do not Let Perfection Be the Enemy of Progress.
The transition from academia to entrepreneurship is daunting, often requiring a shift in mindset. Alinta stressed the importance of action over perfection: "You can still do small-scale experiments, maybe even in your backyard!" She echoed this sentiment, reminding the audience that they already possessed expertise in their research areas. The key is to leverage existing skills while seeking support for the business aspects—the UNSW Founders community can help and guide you in that direction.
The Power of Networking: Your Next Collaborator Could Be Just Down the Hall.
Both Sam and Alinta underscored the power of networking in the startup ecosystem. "Don't be afraid to ask people," urged Sam, advocating for a proactive approach to seeking advice and mentorship. Alinta, whose startup is based within the UNSW Founders co-working space, highlighted the benefits of proximity and serendipitous encounters: "Even just by being in this building, we found one of our main collaborators.”
The meetup also served as a reminder of the strong spirit of collaboration within the startup community: “The startup world is surprisingly supportive… and your next collaborator might be just down the hall, ready to help you climb that mountain.” At UNSW Founders, we know that the entrepreneurial journey is long, and we are committed to making it a little bit easier.
If you’d like to explore the potential pathways of your research impact, please visit the dedicated researcher section on our UNSW Founders website and book a 1:1 chat with one of the program managers.
About UNSW Founders:
As Australia’s leading university-based entrepreneurial program, UNSW Founders has a proven track record of success. Since its inception in 2018, the program has supported 200+ startups every year, provided entrepreneurial skills training to 25,000+ individuals, over 10,000 coaching and mentoring sessions, and incubated (co-located) 70+ startups on campus to foster collaboration with the UNSW business, industry, academic, and research networks.
Find out more at - UNSW Founders.
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