NC State Microbial Biotechnology Students Compete at CATALYZE Commercialization Conference
Three teams of Master of Microbial Biotechnology (MMB) students from North Carolina State University showcased their innovative ideas at the CATALYZE Commercialization Conference on February 28, 2025. The full-day conference, sponsored by the NC State Comparative Medicine Institute (CMI), aims to foster early-stage commercialization by sparking ideas and facilitating team formation across the university.
A highlight of the CATALYZE conference was the Student Pitch Competition, where graduate student teams presented their groundbreaking concepts to a panel of judges. MMB students, under the guidance of their Principal Investigators (PIs), dedicated the first half of the semester to refining their pitches and mastering the art of communicating the value of their technologies to potential investors and partners.
“This competition provides our students with the opportunity to showcase their work to a broader audience,” said Dr. Sue Carson, MMB Program Director. “Pitching to a business-minded audience generates different kinds of questions than to a scientific audience.”
The MMB teams delivered compelling presentations, demonstrating the depth of their market research and their entrepreneurial spirit. Notably, the team consisting of Faith Jezioranski-Davis, Vijay Manoharan, Amy Nguyen, Lea Osman and Hannah Ralls under the mentorship of Dr. Amanda Trinidad Hill secured third place, earning $2,000 in funding to further develop their innovative idea.
The CATALYZE Commercialization Conference continues to be a crucial platform for nurturing the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs at NC State.
About the Master of Microbial Biotechnology Program
The Master of Microbial Biotechnology (MMB) program at North Carolina State University provides students with a comprehensive education in the science and business of biotechnology. The program prepares graduates for successful careers in diverse fields, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and environmental science.
About the Comparative Medicine Institute (CMI)
The Comparative Medicine Institute (CMI) at North Carolina State University fosters interdisciplinary research and education to advance human and animal health. CMI supports initiatives that promote innovation and commercialization of new technologies.
About Business and Medicine (BaM) and MMB
The Business and Medicine program pairs CMI researchers with students in the MMB program. BaM partnerships begin when, during the summer, CMI researchers submit a one-paragraph description of their ideas and types of questions that they would like to pursue (market potential, intellectual property, and competitive landscape) and MMB student teams spend five weeks focused on the problem. A detailed final report is delivered to each Principal Investigator (PI). Projects are then selected to compete at the CATALZYE Student Pitch Competition.