Strategy for science-based ventures and practical AI adoption
Early-stage projects often contain strong science but lack a clear definition of what the company should become, which problem it should solve, and how it can move forward. I help researchers, founders, and emerging teams examine the assumptions behind their project, clarify the opportunity, and turn a broad idea into a more focused venture. This can include defining the product and value proposition, identifying critical development questions, aligning founders and stakeholders, and considering the types of funding, partnerships, and investors that fit the company being built. My experience is particularly relevant to biotechnology, therapeutics, and other science-based ventures, although many of the same principles apply more broadly to knowledge-intensive start-ups.
AI is most useful when it becomes part of a real working process rather than a standalone experiment. I help academics and smaller organizations identify tasks where AI, automation, or better information workflows can create practical value. This may involve structuring recurring work, improving how information is collected and used, reducing repetitive administration, or developing reliable AI-assisted processes for research, communication, planning, and internal knowledge. The emphasis is not on introducing technology for its own sake. It is on understanding the work, selecting an appropriate approach, and creating something that people can use and maintain.
My background spans academic research, drug discovery, research leadership, entrepreneurship, fundraising, intellectual property, and early therapeutic development. This allows me to work across scientific, strategic, and operational questions—and to help translate between researchers, founders, advisers, funders, and other stakeholders. I am most useful when a project needs both critical examination and a practical route forward.
2025-present
I am a co-inventor of Akasi Pharma's foundational technology and have worked on its development and commercialization since 2021. Following the company's spin-out in 2025, I have served as CEO.
My responsibilities include company and development strategy, fundraising and investor relations, recruitment of team members and advisers, stakeholder management, intellectual-property strategy, licensing negotiations, and the early development of therapeutic programs.
2020-present
Through Walden Consulting, I work primarily with researchers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and other knowledge-intensive organizations.
My current focus is early-stage venture development and the practical implementation of AI and automation. Previous assignments have also included funding applications, scientific strategy, workflow improvement, and technical problem-solving.
2022-2026
I established and led a research group investigating cone-snail peptides and their potential biomedical applications. The work combined molecular pharmacology, therapeutic development, team leadership, funding, supervision, and collaboration across several disciplines.
2017-2022
My postdoctoral work covered molecular pharmacology, conotoxin research, drug-discovery methods, and the establishment of new experimental and computational capabilities.
2011-2013
At Evolva, I helped establish mammalian cell-culture and drug-discovery capabilities and contributed to several therapeutic and industrial biotechnology programs. I am an inventor on one patent arising from this work.
My doctoral research included research stays at Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Mental Health at the US National Institutes of Health.
I support science-based ventures and practical AI implementation. Share a short description of your project, your current challenge, and the support you are looking for.