HOST A GRADUATE STUDENT FOR A FIVE MONTH RESEARCH PROJECT

Host a Scholar

 
““It was a complete pleasure for all of our team to have Gabor work with us. He had a huge impact on the company (technically, culturally, all around), and we are sad to see him leave.””
— Peyton Greenside, Co-founder and CSO BigHat Biosciences
 
 
 

Why

  • Hosting a scholar will add a highly skilled and self-driven graduate student to your team while contributing to the next generation of bio-innovation entrepreneurs.

  • The program covers major costs and supports the scholar so they can 100% focus on their research project in your startup.

  • Build connections to Denmark’s strong bioinnovation sector and their talents, research, industry, and data.

 
 

What

The International BioInnovation Scholarship Program is a program that matches Danish top graduate students with bioinnovation startups in Silicon Valley for a 5-month long research project.

The Silicon Valley-based management ensures the scholar and the startup can hit the ground running:

  1. Covers major costs (visa, flight, rent, monthly stipend)

  2. Support logistics including housing and flight

  3. Drive the process from recruiting to arrival

  4. Organize social and professional entrepreneurial events

 
 

Who are the scholars?

  • Talented and ambitious graduate students interested in learning about and experiencing how to bring research to market

  • Students studying any discipline within STEM can apply, including life science, biotech, computer science, engineering, and data science

  • Students from Danish universities are enrolled (or are about to be enrolled) in a graduate program

  • Students wishing to live in California for 5 months

 

Examples from previous research projects:

 

Karina Thao Thu Le

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

  • Karina is studying her Masters of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of Southern Denmark and holds a Bachelor of Science in the same degree.

  • CAGE Bio Inc. is a privately-held clinical-stage company exploiting its proprietary deep eutectic ionic liquid platform to develop novel products for dermatology, inflammation, and immunology

  • Karina studies microstructures formed by Ionic Liquids in the presence of commonly used excipients, such as polymers and surfactants, and active molecules such as oligonucleotides and proteins. Analysis of microstructures will be done using microscopy, laser diffraction, NMR, and relevant analytical tools. The project will further evaluate the effect of these microstructures on the skin permeation and cellular uptake using IVPT and cellular transfection techniques. Final goal for the project is to evaluate the effect of these ionic liquid formulations on biomarkers associated with immune diseases such as alopecia and atopic dermatitis. Biomarker response studies will be done using relevant animal model or in an ex-vivo skin model.

 
 
 

Daniella Høiby-Jensen

Sustainable Biotechnology

  • Daniella is studying her Masters of Science in Sustainable Biotechnology from Aalborg University and holds a Bachelor of Science in the same degree.

  • Wildtype is a San Francisco-based startup that was the first in the world to develop a process for creating seafood products from cell culture.

  • Daniella supported Wildtype’s efforts in scaling and optimizing its processes for creating its cell cultivated seafood products. She will be assigned a dedicated mentor for the duration of the project who will introduce her to the company’s technology, guide her work, and provide opportunities for professional growth. Her project entitled “bioprocess development and optimization for cell-cultivated seafood”.

 
 
 
 
Meet previous scholars
 

Alumni
start-ups

 

The program has run since 2019 and 51 scholars have successfully completed The International Bioinnovation Program. You might know some of the start-ups that have participated in the program:

Alumni start-ups
 
 

Who can apply?

 

  • Bio-innovation start-up that is willing to host a scholar

  • Requires a dedicated project allocated to the scholar

  • A mentor that will support the scholar

  • Based in the San Francisco Bay Area

  • At least 5 full-time employees

  • Start-up minimum series A with a 12-month funding runway

Apply here
 

Have questions? Contact program manager Josefine Strandgaard to learn more contact here.