Anshul Krishnan, MBA ’23, joined the Life Sciences Technology Innovation Fellows Program (LSTIF) to hone his entrepreneurial judgment after undervaluing his first venture.
“That experience shaped my resolve never to undervalue life science innovations and to ensure that cutting-edge research always reaches the market effectively,” said Krishnan.
A core component of the LSTIF program is a 6-credit workshop course, NBA 5175, Life Science Entrepreneurship in Practice, paired with fundamental entrepreneurship courses to sharpen fellows’ judgement. An opportunity arose from the CEO of Akston Biosciences, who was seeking someone with expertise in both healthcare and business to help solve a specific business problem. This opportunity was opened to interested students in the program.
Knowing his LSTIF experience and background, Krishnan knew he would be a strong fit for the role.
“Through LSTIF, I developed a strong foundation in bridging science and business, particularly in making strategic commercialization decisions,” shared Krishnan.
After successfully solving Akston Biosciences’ business problem, Krishnan was eventually hired full-time to lead Akston’s Business Development Operations. Since joining Akston, he’s successfully pivoted into the burgeoning Animal Health industry, spearheaded an organization-wide rebrand, and is now focused on packaging its disruptive science for new audiences. These efforts have contributed to Akston being recognized as S&P Global’s 2024 Startup of the Year, a testament to the company’s innovation and growing impact in the industry.
When asked why other MBAs should consider the LSTIF program, Anshul emphasized the program’s hands-on nature and theory in practice.
“It’s the ultimate application of an MBA curriculum, enriched by access to some of Cornell’s brightest minds as mentors and collaborators.”
He continued,
“If you want to move beyond theory and into practice, LSTIF is the program to be in,” shared Krishnan.
Interested in Applying?
The Life Sciences Technology Innovation Fellows program is open to two-year MBA students in the final year of their degrees. The program begins in August 2025, with monthly workshops held throughout the academic year.
Upcoming Information Sessions:
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
Apply now: https://bit.ly/LSTIF2025
Questions? Contact techinnovation@cornell.edu
