Scientific discoveries in biotechnology can have a profound impact on society, but only if they reach the market. This course is designed to help you bridge the gap between the lab and the real world by teaching you how to evaluate the commercial potential of biotech innovations and develop a strategy for success.
You’ll learn how to assess the value of scientific discoveries, define a suitable business model, and identify the first practical steps toward building a biotech startup. Along the way, you’ll gain insight into the unique challenges of biotech entrepreneurship and how to navigate them with confidence.
The course is part of the Realizing Biotech Innovations – A Business Guide for Scientists professional certificate program from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), one of Europe’s leading universities in research and innovation. It combines academic perspectives with real-world expertise from entrepreneurs and industry professionals who share their experiences and advice.
Whether you're a researcher, student, or aspiring entrepreneur, this course will help you take your biotech idea one step closer to reality.
What's included
3 videos3 readings
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 13 minutes
Welcome•6 minutes
Introduction to the Technical University of Munich •3 minutes
The Journey from Lab to Market•4 minutes
3 readings•Total 20 minutes
Course Set-Up and Grading•5 minutes
Support & Discussion Guidelines•5 minutes
Meet & Greet•10 minutes
Understanding the Business of Biotechnology
Module 2•4 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
17 videos16 readings3 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
17 videos•Total 75 minutes
Biotech History, Present, and Future•6 minutes
High Pains, High Gains•2 minutes
Three Basic Ingredients for Innovation•7 minutes
Biotech Innovation: A Mindset Shift•5 minutes
Dr. Robert Macsics•3 minutes
Verónica García-Arteaga•2 minutes
Verónica García-Arteaga•3 minutes
Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel •2 minutes
Dr. Robert Macsics ooo•3 minutes
Patrick Grossmann, PhD, MBA•1 minute
Martin Spitznagel•1 minute
Becoming a Biotech Entrepreneur•8 minutes
Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel•2 minutes
The Risk of Failure | The Case of GPC Biotech•7 minutes
Dr. Mirko Scherer •9 minutes
Dr. Mirko Scherer •9 minutes
Dr. Mirko Scherer•6 minutes
16 readings•Total 69 minutes
Module Overview•1 minute
The Biotech Industry•10 minutes
Impacting the World We Live In•5 minutes
Founder Input: From Lab to Business•1 minute
Entrepreneurial Motivation•10 minutes
Founder Input: Motivation to Start a Business•1 minute
Biotech Entrepreneurship•5 minutes
Types of Engagement as Founder•5 minutes
Founder Input: The Role as Co-Founder•1 minute
The Risk of Failure | The Case of GPC Biotech•2 minutes
Founder Input: The Story of GPC Biotech•1 minute
Founder Input: The Inherent Risks of Biotech Venturing•1 minute
Founder Input: What is Success?•1 minute
Career Paths after Founding A Venture •5 minutes
Module Wrap-Up•10 minutes
Module Resources: Get the Slides•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 40 minutes
Practice Quiz •10 minutes
Practice Quiz•10 minutes
Graded Assessment•20 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Graded Exercise: Self-reflection Essay•60 minutes
Assessing Your Idea
Module 3•5 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
12 videos14 readings5 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 56 minutes
Market Pull vs. Technology Push•2 minutes
Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel •3 minutes
Martin Spitznagel •2 minutes
Idea Generation•4 minutes
Technology Assessment•9 minutes
Technology Transfer•5 minutes
Market Opportunity Navigator•4 minutes
Market sizing•6 minutes
Analyzing the Industry•7 minutes
Market Validation•8 minutes
Value Proposition Canvas•5 minutes
Patrick Grossmann, PhD, MBA •1 minute
14 readings•Total 113 minutes
Module Overview•1 minute
Market-Pull vs. Technology-Push: The Up- and Downsides•10 minutes
Founder Input: How to Find the Right Market•1 minute
Technology Readiness Levels•5 minutes
IP Protection and its Pre-Conditions•5 minutes
Several Potential Markets•15 minutes
Qualitative Environmental Analysis•10 minutes
Market Validation Examples•20 minutes
Problem-Solution Fit•10 minutes
Problem-solution fit in the life science industry•10 minutes
Founder Input: How to Ensure Market Alignment•1 minute
ESG assessment•10 minutes
Module Wrap-Up•5 minutes
Module Resources: Get the Slides•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 55 minutes
Practice Quiz •10 minutes
Practice Quiz•10 minutes
Practice Quiz •10 minutes
Graded Exercise: Market Sizing•10 minutes
Graded Assessment •15 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Exercise (optional): One technology, several applications•60 minutes
Modeling Your Business
Module 4•4 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
13 videos19 readings3 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
13 videos•Total 64 minutes
Business Model Basics•5 minutes
Business Model Canvas: Blocks 1-4•5 minutes
Business Model Canvas: Blocks 5-9•6 minutes
Biotech Business Models•9 minutes
atai Life Sciences•4 minutes
Bind-X•4 minutes
Biogen•6 minutes
BIOWEG•4 minutes
Cardior Pharmaceuticals•4 minutes
Computomics•3 minutes
illumına•6 minutes
Mushlabs•3 minutes
Smartbax•4 minutes
19 readings•Total 87 minutes
Module Overview•2 minutes
Pitfalls and Alternatives•8 minutes
The Value Chain•10 minutes
CROs, CMOs, CDMOs•8 minutes
Introduction Case Analysis•2 minutes
Case Examples | Overview•2 minutes
atai Life Sciences•3 minutes
Bind-X•3 minutes
Biogen•3 minutes
BIOWEG•3 minutes
Cardior Pharmaceuticals•2 minutes
Computomics•3 minutes
illumına•3 minutes
Mushlabs•3 minutes
Smartbax•3 minutes
Case Examples | Summary•5 minutes
Applying the Business Model Canvas•8 minutes
Module Wrap-Up•6 minutes
Module Resources: Get the Slides•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 45 minutes
Practice Quiz•10 minutes
Practice Quiz•15 minutes
Graded Assessment•20 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Graded Exercise: Business Model of Your Choice•60 minutes
Getting Started with Your Biotech Business
Module 5•3 hours to complete
Module details
What's included
14 videos12 readings4 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 56 minutes
Co-Founders•6 minutes
Dr. Sylvia Wojczewski•5 minutes
Dr. Katrin Schmidthals•3 minutes
Talking to Experts•6 minutes
Spinning Out•6 minutes
Patrick Grossmann, PhD, MBA•1 minute
Dr. Robert Macsics•4 minutes
Verónica García-Arteaga •5 minutes
Strategic Planning•6 minutes
Patrick Grossmann, PhD, MBA•1 minute
Verónica García-Arteaga•7 minutes
Martin Spitznagel•2 minutes
Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel•2 minutes
Dr. Robert Macsics•2 minutes
12 readings•Total 83 minutes
Module Overview•2 minutes
Founder Input: Choosing Your Team•1 minute
The Role of Mentors and Advisors•8 minutes
IP Generation•7 minutes
Licensing and Technology Transfer•8 minutes
Founder Input: Technology Transfer•1 minute
Technology Transfer Agreements•3 minutes
Defining a Strategy•5 minutes
Founder Input: Starting a Business•1 minute
Planning Your Next Steps•30 minutes
Module Wrap-Up•7 minutes
Module Resources: Get the Slides•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 47 minutes
Practice Quiz•7 minutes
Practice Quiz•10 minutes
Practice Quiz •10 minutes
Graded Assessment•20 minutes
1 peer review
Graded Exercise: How to Accumulate Skills and Expertise?•0 minutes
Summary & Goodbye
Module 6•1 hour to complete
Module details
What's included
2 videos2 readings
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 11 minutes
Key Take-Aways from the Course•10 minutes
Thank You!•1 minute
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Congratulations! You’ve Completed the Course!•10 minutes
Class Central Course Review & LinkedIn Post•10 minutes
Instructor
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Technical University of Munich (TUM) is one of Europe’s top universities. It is committed to excellence in research and teaching, interdisciplinary education and the active promotion of promising young scientists. The university forges strong links with companies and scientific institutions across the world. TUM was one of the first universities in Germany to be named a University of Excellence. TUM does not pass any personal data to the platform providers. If you take part in one of our MOOCs, please refer to the data protection guidelines in the terms and conditions of the provider.
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