When most people think of university students starting companies, they imagine web-apps and social networks. This is incomplete, as university is a fertile breeding ground for companies across all industries. We present a window into successful startups, that have commercialized chemical technologies, for aspiring young chemists. In the chemical space, exciting university startups are making breakthroughs in fields such as clean technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and more. Experience as a Partner at Dorm Room Fund will be the basis for a case-study-based investigation of the do’s and don’ts for university-based startups in the chemical space. Dorm Room Fund invests exclusively in student founders, and in the past three years we have invested in eight companies in the chemical space. We provide an overview of successful company traits and some cautionary tales about what not to do. Further insight follows from a survey of ten later-stage chemical companies that originated within a university. Topics to be discussed include intellectual property, team formation, financing/fundraising, and common pitfalls. The database collected can serve as a model for investors to sharpen their ability to recognize the patterns of success in chemical startups.

Analysis of university-based startup companies in the chemical space

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.