Amid Funding Cuts, Nucleate’s 2024–2025 Impact Report Spotlights a Resilient Pipeline of Volunteer-Led Biotech Innovation

BOSTON, MA — October 14th, 2025 — As the U.S. biopharma sector weathers sweeping NIH funding cuts and a historic investment slowdown, a new report from Nucleate spotlights an unexpected source of hope: young scientists and students launching breakthrough biotech ventures — before they even graduate. Founded to bridge academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, Nucleate is a nonprofit that equips the next generation of biotech leaders with the skills to take the next catalytic step in their career. By connecting emerging talent with mentors, resources, and real-world experience, Nucleate transforms scientific training into career-ready impact.

Released today, the 2024–2025 Nucleate Impact Report documents a global community of students and innovators who are stepping up where institutions have stalled. Since its founding, the nonprofit has helped these innovators launch more than 180 biotech ventures, raised over $570 million in funding and created more than 830 full-time jobs — all through a free, open-access accelerator built entirely by and for students.

“We can’t lead in biotech if we cut the legs out from under early-stage innovation. Programs like Nucleate are important — they keep the pipeline alive by empowering young scientists to turn bold ideas into real breakthroughs. That’s the kind of future we should be investing in.”

— Congressman Jake Auchincloss, representing Massachusetts’ Fourth District, a life sciences hub driving biotech innovation in Massachusetts and beyond.

A Model That Defies the Biotech Winter: As traditional innovation pipelines shrink, Nucleate’s Activator program remains a lifeline — nurturing science-driven startups from labs to launchpads. Key results from this year’s report:

• 183 new biotech companies incorporated
• $570M+ in total funding raised by alumni ventures
• 830+ full-time jobs created
• Companies addressing 20+ major health challenges — including cancer, Parkinson’s, eczema, and autoimmune diseases — as well as sustainability-focused ventures advancing synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, and climate resilience to meet urgent planetary health needs

This year’s report centers on the people behind the science: PhD students, post-docs, and early-career researchers launching companies at a time when support systems are disappearing.

From Passion to Pipeline, Real Stories of Innovation: Behind every statistic in the Nucleate Impact Report is a story of transformation — a scientist turned entrepreneur, a problem turned mission, an idea turned company. For thousands of alumni, Nucleate is where that transformation begins. Take Cheri Ackerman, an alum of Nucleate’s Boston chapter and co-founder of Concerto Biosciences, who credits Nucleate with connecting her to the mentorship and collaborators needed to translate her microbial discovery platform into a clinical stage biotech company treating eczema.

In a recent alumni panel at Nucleate’s Inaugural Global Virtual Summit, founders described Nucleate as the catalyst that turned scientific ideas into startups — and scientists into CEOs.

“You can’t do it alone — when you have no money, you need people willing to help. That’s what Nucleate was for us” Tere Williams, CEO of DUB Therapeutics. “Nucleate gave us a safe place to fail — and the confidence to try again”, said Aaron Edwards, CEO of KiraGen Bio, whose team pivoted their entire pitch hours before the Nucleate Boston Demo day and went on to win first place. “It’s a forcing function,” said Gleb Kuznetsov, CEO of Manifold Bio. “You go from postdoc to founder by getting out of the lab and testing your plan against reality. Nucleate gives you the framework.”

Whether spinning out of top labs or building companies from business school pitches, these founders share a common thread: they started as students, and Nucleate gave them the tools, network, and confidence to build and succeed.

“Nucleate is showing the world what a new kind of biotech pipeline can look like, one built on trust and belief in the next generation,” said Heer Joisher, Nucleate Co-President and PhD candidate at Harvard. “We’ve proven that early-stage talent isn’t a risk — it’s a catalyst,” added Zach Cogan, Nucleate Co-President and PhD candidate at UCSF. “If we want the breakthroughs of tomorrow, we need to start by backing the people building them today.”

Building a Global Workforce of Biotech Leaders: Nucleate’s impact goes far beyond launching startups, it’s cultivating the next generation of biotech talent and fueling the workforce pipeline our innovation economy depends on.

At the core of Nucleate’s model is a volunteer-powered global community of over 800 active leaders, PhD students, postdocs, and undergraduates who run regional chapters, organize programming, and support venture teams. These roles give students real-world experience in leadership, management, operations, recruiting, and fundraising — skills rarely taught in academic settings. More than 2,000 alumni of this leadership network have gone on to roles in startups, venture capital, tech transfer, policy, pharma, and more.

Nucleate is redefining what leadership in biotech looks like — and who gets to lead. With active chapters in 36 regions across 22 countries, the organization empowers local leaders to build biotech ecosystems rooted in the strengths of their communities. Nucleate’s team reflects the diversity of the global scientific community, consistently achieving gender parity in leadership and bringing together voices from across cultures, disciplines, and backgrounds. Nucleate is training a new kind of biotech leader: globally aware, locally grounded, and equipped to build the future of life sciences.

“You just don’t get this kind of experience in graduate school,” said Michael Retchin, a former Nucleate Co-President now leading a biotech startup. “It shaped how I think about solving big problems and building real organizations.”

A Community-Powered Mission in a Pivotal Moment: None of this would be possible without the global ecosystem of mentors and sponsors who stand alongside Nucleate’s student-led mission. Since its founding, more than 1,500 mentors have shared their time and expertise — guiding young innovators through critical moments of discovery and growth. Nucleate’s sponsors including Eli Lilly and Company, MilliporeSigma, Alnylam, and Genentech have continued to support Nucleate’s people and programs. Their support drives transformative outcomes for thousands of early-career researchers, and hundreds of early-stage startups, across borders and disciplines.

At a time when foundational research budgets are under threat and early-stage innovation is increasingly out of reach, Nucleate’s model offers a critical safeguard: a platform that keeps the doors to biotech open, no matter a student’s background or geography. Supporting Nucleate means investing in the future of medicine, scientific leadership, and a thriving bioeconomy. To our mentors, sponsors, partners, and volunteers — thank you for believing in the next generation — our impact is only possible because of you.

“This isn’t a story of overnight success. It’s what happens when hundreds of people show up, year after year, to do the hard, hopeful work of building something better. The future of biotech won’t be built in a single lab or country; it will be built by a generation that refuses to wait for permission.

That’s what Nucleate is: a platform where young scientists take the lead to build transformative ideas and communities. To the thousands of supporters who have shaped this journey — and to those still to join us — thank you. The work isn’t over, but if we keep showing up, the future is ours to build.”

— Oliver Dodd, Co-Founder, and Executive Director of Nucleate

About Nucleate: Nucleate is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 36 geographic regions and participation from over 400 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent within a global biotech community. Through open-access educational programming, Nucleate helps democratize biotech innovation — removing barriers and helping founders concentrate on building transformational technologies. Visit our website and linktree for more information. To contact us, email oliver@nucleate.org.