A Weekend Inspiring Future Entrepreneurs - Summer School 2025
By Matilde Scotti and Michelle Audrey Budiman
Every year, the iGEM Startups Summer School brings together iGEM teams from across the globe for two days of workshops, panel discussions, case studies and networking. This year, we were joined by 251 participants belonging to 110 iGEM teams (Figure 1).
This was a great opportunity for aspiring 2025 iGEM teams to explore their entrepreneurial potential and the possibility of winning the Best Entrepreneurship Prize at the iGEM Competition!
Figure 1| Pie chart of the distribution of participants by region.
Highlights of the Summer School:
Figure 2| 2025 Summer School Highlights. Participants rated panel discussions and case studies sessions highly and appreciated the networking opportunities.
Workshops: Relevant, Practical and Inspiring
Workshops received overwhelmingly high ratings for being well-organized, clearly delivered and directly applicable to iGEM projects. Participants especially valued sessions on business planning, pitching and the Best Entrepreneurship Prize criteria.
““The workshop was impressive for understanding entrepreneurship, what’s expected, notable cases, mistakes made by former members and recommendations from expert judges. It was a great pleasure to participate, and I’m eager to showcase our first project at IGEM.” ”
Panel Discussions: Real Stories, Real Advice
The panel sessions stood out as a highlight, praised for bringing transparency to the judging process and featuring real-world success stories from past iGEM teams, turned startups. Participants described them as “engaging,” “motivating,” and “packed with valuable tips we can apply right now.”
Case Studies: Learning by Example
Case study sessions showcasing iGEM startups like Epinoma (2021 VCL cohort, iGEM UC San Diego 2018) and MagGenix (2023 VCL Cohort) helped attendees understand what makes a winning entrepreneurship project. Many appreciated seeing both the strengths and pitfalls of real ventures.
““The Case Study was very helpful in illustrating how to apply theoretical concepts to real iGEM projects. It gave us a concrete example of good practices and inspired us to rethink certain aspects of our own project design and execution.” ”
Networking: Building Global Connections
From breakout rooms to casual conversations, networking sessions were valued for creating space to meet other iGEMers, share ideas, and spark collaborations.
““The networking sessions created a welcoming environment for sharing experiences and finding potential collaborations. It was very useful to hear directly from other teams and learn how they approach similar challenges. I left feeling more connected and inspired.” ”
Participant Takeaways from the 2025 Summer School
Overall, the event was widely praised for its clear schedule, smooth transitions and high-quality facilitation. Participants highlighted how the Summer School program strengthened their entrepreneurial mindset, boosted confidence in pitching, expanded networks, and deepened understanding of real-world biotech challenges (Figure 3). Many shared that the skills and insights gained will not only help them to try to win the Best Entrepreneurship Prize at the iGEM Competition this year but also that it offered a sneak peek into opportunities after the competition, including joining the iGEM Startups Venture Foundry program in 2026 (Figure 3). A major thank you to all our panel speakers, workshop leaders and the entire iGEM Startups organization team!
Figure 3| Summer School impact tree chart summarizing participants’ key takeaways from this year’s event.
What’s Next?
The Venture Foundry teams are busy preparing for the Fast-Track program that offers practical workshops, resources, and 1:1 support to guide 2025 VCL cohorts in developing their funding strategy and setting milestones beyond the Venture Foundry.
Fifteen teams will be selected to present their pitch at the Startups Showcase during the 2025 Grand Jamboree, which will take place October 28-31, 2025, at the Paris Convention Centre.
Get your tickets to the 2025 iGEM Grand Jamboree, which include universal access to all events, including the BioInnovation Fair, here.
