When scientists enter the business world

In life sciences, expertise alone is not enough. Moving from academia into industry reveals a fundamental challenge: science needs to be understood beyond the lab.

After leaving academia and spending the past few years working in industry, I realized something important. In the life sciences sector, communication needs a different approach, just because scientists think differently. Our training shapes how we process ideas, solve problems and evaluate evidence. In research environments this is a strength: we think methodically, critically and with sharp accuracy. However, when we move into business, many of us initially feel out of place. Not because we lack the ability to understand how business works, but because our minds have been trained for a different environment.

Transitioning from academia to industry often requires learning a new set of tools, perspectives and ways of communicating. And that is not a weakness, it is a necessary and valuable step. In fact, scientists are uniquely trained for this transition. After all, learning and adapting is at the core of scientific thinking.

Over the past few years, I have met professionals from a wide range of organizations, from early stage startups to growing companies. Many life science ventures, particularly academic spin-offs, are led by brilliant scientists who successfully transformed their research into promising startups. Yet this is only the beginning of a much larger journey. Among the many challenges founders face: funding, partnerships, regulatory pathways, one area is often underestimated: marketing and ultimately branding. This is rarely due to lack of awareness. Rather, it stems from a limited understanding of what branding and marketing can truly accomplish. Scientists often assume that partnering meetings, conferences, or direct outreach are the primary ways to connect with potential collaborators or customers. This is understandable; it reflects how we were trained to present our discoveries in academic environments. But the industry landscape is different. In business, audiences are more diverse and markets communicate in different ways. Investors, partners, clinicians and decision-makers all respond to different forms of communication. Reaching them effectively requires more than presenting strong science, it requires strategic storytelling, positioning and visibility. This is where marketing plays a crucial role. Branding and marketing in life sciences is not about simplifying the science or exaggerating claims. It is about translating complex innovation into communication that the right audiences can understand, trust and engage with. And for scientists stepping into the world of entrepreneurship, learning how this works can be transformative, a really strong asset. So, if you are navigating this transition, from research to industry, you are not alone. Like any new discipline, it simply requires curiosity, openness and a willingness to learn. And as scientists, learning is something we already know how to do very well.

Share your thoughts, what branding and marketing strategies are driving progress in life sciences today?