“Mentorship,” said Akhil Nigam, when asked what could make the critical difference for biomedical entrepreneurs. Nigam, founder and president of Mass Challenge (an organization that serves to connect entrepreneurs with the resources), answered the question during a panel discussion during the 2013 Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council’s (MassMEDIC’s) MedTech Investors Conference (November 1, 2013; Boston, MA). He said that mentorship is needed in all areas, including management, legal, reimbursement, strategy, and finance. And he challenged audience members to get involved in supporting the industry on a person level.
So did Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives president and CEO Kevin O’Sullivan, who asked listeners to “give back to entrepreneurs” while praising Massachusetts’ “pay it forward culture.”
Earlier, during the event’s opening address, University of Massachusetts president Robert L. Caret, Ph.D., who trained as a chemist and serves on the life sciences board for the state of Massachusetts, told of the critical role of mentors in his academic life.
What is your experience with entrepreneurial mentorship in biophotonics? How important is this, and how have you seen its impact? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.