Seed-Stage Venture Investing, 2nd Edition: An Insider's Guide to Start-Ups for Scientists, Engineers, and Investors

Seed-Stage Venture Investing, 2nd Edition takes a fresh look at the world of startups, focusing on life-science and technology spin-outs from academic and biomedical research centers. This book provides a substantial update to the previous edition, explaining the current challenges of financing research intensive academic spin-outs and offering new insights and advice about evaluating technology, navigating the technology transfer process, developing intellectual property, and applying for grant funding under the NIH SBIR Program. Focusing on real-world, practical information for academic faculty members, PhD students, and post-docs, as well as business entrepreneurs, start-up managers, and new investors, Seed-Stage Venture Investing, 2nd Edition cuts to the chase, eliminating dated material from the previous edition and adding new, tell-it-like-it-is material from veteran practitioners.

About the Authors

William L. Robbins is the founder of Convergent Management Inc. and managing director of Convergent Ventures in Los Angeles. As an entrepreneur, start-up executive, and seed-stage investor, Mr. Robbins has worked with scientists, physicians, and engineers to create, fund, and manage life-science and technology companies since the early 1990s. Currently, he focuses on general management, corporate strategy, and business development. He received his MBA in marketing at Columbia Business School and his AB in psychology modified with biology at Dartmouth College.

Jonathan G. Lasch, PhD is executive director of the Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering (AMI) at the University of Southern California. He brings more than twenty-five years of experience in science and technology development and evaluation in the fields of biomedical instruments and systems, biotechnology, chemistry, and materials science. Dr. Lasch came to AMI from Convergent Ventures, a seed-stage venture investment and development company, where he served as managing director. He received his BS in biological science from the University of Texas at El Paso and his PhD in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.