Your PhD Won’t Save Your Start-up
6 Apr 2026 · 0 min
0:29
Stacy Chin learned that investors don't fund good science. They fund founders who can clearly say what works, what doesn't, and what's next. Her PhD and strong data weren't enough.
Stacy Chin learned that investors don't fund good science. They fund founders who can clearly say what works, what doesn't, and what's next. Her PhD and strong data weren't enough.
Your PhD won't save your startup. I learned that the hard way. I remember thinking, if the science is strong enough, the funding should follow. So I did what most PhDs did. I focused on the data, the experiments, the technical depth. And then I watched weaker science actually get funded. And that's when it clicked. Funding decisions aren't about who has the best science. They're about who reduces the most risk. If your proposal doesn't clearly show what works, what doesn't, and what happens next, you're not getting funded. And most founders miss this because
Applying for NIH SBIR in Jan 5, 2027? You Should Be Starting NOW. Here's why...
How to Get Invited to Apply for $305K in NSF SBIR Funding || Step-by-Step Guide
