Candidate:

Mr. Irish Biotech Entrepreneur

About Me:

I founded my University’s Biological Society and lead it for 2 years, in a roundabout way leading to co-founding a protein engineering startup with a senior Biochem lecturer. I’m happy with what I’ve achieved and believe that a strong business education will set me up well for the future. I am a 1st Gen Graduate, self-funded through college (Bar work).

Schools:

Target School: Harvard

Considering: Wharton, Kellogg SOM, Yale, Ross

See More Profiles For: Harvard

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: University College Cork

Undergrad Major: BSc. Neuroscience

GPA: 3.2

GMAT: 730

Age: 28, Ethnicity: White

Extracurriculars: Founder: Chairperson of Undergraduate University's Biological Society, Founder: CEO of a Non-Profit SAAS Startup raising money for Alzheimer's Disease Research (wrapped up early in Covid pandemic), Pro-Bono Business Development consulting for local startups.

Work History:

Title: CEO / Co-Founder

Industry: Technology

Company: Start-Up

Length of Employment: 5 yrs

Title: Business Development Director

Industry: Technology

Company: Start-Up

Length of Employment: 5 mos

Big Life Wins:

I have been entirely responsible for business development strategy and execution in my protein engineering startup. $1m or so raised in funding, secured significant industry partnership with a top 10 multinational in our space, multiple awards, letters of intent to purchase, etc. Unfortunately, our technology has not been able to follow through.

Post MBA Goal:

I would like to work in Venture Capital post-MBA, to give me some experience from the other side of the table. I also have ideas for new ventures that I would like to investigate either during my MBA or further down the line.

Odds:

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The Experts Rate The Odds At: 10%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 10%

Hi, it’s Nisha with mbaMission. Protein engineering – what an intriguing space! Even though the technology hasn’t quite panned out, there’s no doubt that you’ve learned a great deal from your experience with this venture – business schools certainly understand that not all startups take off, and will value the impact you’ve made in the areas you mention and the lessons you gained along the way. They will also like your longstanding track record in community involvement.

Regarding your post-MBA goals: venture capital is very difficult to break into post-MBA (and even beyond that). These firms ideally seek a combination of finance and startup experience. If you are set on pursuing this path down the road, you might consider …

Hi, it’s Nisha with mbaMission. Protein engineering – what an intriguing space! Even though the technology hasn’t quite panned out, there’s no doubt that you’ve learned a great deal from your experience with this venture – business schools certainly understand that not all startups take off, and will value the impact you’ve made in the areas you mention and the lessons you gained along the way. They will also like your longstanding track record in community involvement.

Regarding your post-MBA goals: venture capital is very difficult to break into post-MBA (and even beyond that). These firms ideally seek a combination of finance and startup experience. If you are set on pursuing this path down the road, you might consider a post-MBA stint in investment banking. Alternatively, you can do strategy consulting post-MBA, and join (or found) another startup in the long-term; new ventures would greatly value the combination of consulting and prior startup experience. While you’re at school, you can still lay the groundwork for an eventual venture by taking advantage of its entrepreneurship resources (such as incubators, mentorship, and funding competitions).

A few other MBA programs I’d consider based on their entrepreneurial and finance resources: Chicago Booth, Berkeley Haas, UCLA Anderson, and UVA Darden.

I hope that this helps a bit – best of luck, and please reach out if you’d like to discuss in more detail via a free consultation.

4 years ago Read the full review