FoundHers Fireside Chat: Academia & Entrepreneurship
Beyond the PhD: From Academia to Entrepreneurship
A FoundHers Fireside Chat
Can an academic mindset make you a better entrepreneur? And what happens when years of research meet the messy, unpredictable reality of building something from scratch?
For many researchers, entrepreneurship can feel like an entirely different world. Academia rewards depth, rigour and questioning assumptions. Startups demand experimentation, quick decisions and the willingness to act before you have all the answers.
But perhaps these two worlds have more in common than we think.
Join FoundHers for an intimate fireside chat with Sarjeena Maodud and Jialin Feng, two women whose journeys have taken them between academia, innovation and entrepreneurship in very different ways.
Meet our speakers
Sarjeena Maodud | Founder & CEO, Sheraspace
Sarjeena founded Sheraspace - Bangladesh’s first online interior design company and grew it to profitability through organic growth. With an engineering Bachelors and Masters from UCL and a Masters in Entrepreneurship from the University of Cambridge, she is now pursuing a PhD in Entrepreneurship at Bayes Business School, bringing firsthand experience of building a business into her academic research and teaching.
Jialin Feng | PhD in Molecular Medicine, Biotech Strategy & Innovation
With a background spanning Cambridge, Imperial College London and the University of Dundee, Jialin brings a scientific perspective to innovation and entrepreneurship. Her experience in precision medicine, biotechnology and health-tech innovation offers a different lens on how research can translate into real-world impact.
What we’ll talk about
💡 From ideas to impact: What does it actually take to turn academic knowledge or an ambitious idea into something people need?
🔬 Research vs. reality: How do the skills we develop in academia translate into the fast-moving world of startups?
🚀 Building beyond the classroom: What are the biggest surprises, challenges and lessons from exploring entrepreneurship?
🎯 Finding your own path: Do you have to choose between academia and entrepreneurship, or can you build a career that combines both?
We’ll also open up the floor for questions, reflections and candid conversations about the possibilities beyond traditional academic careers.
Who should join?
This conversation is for researchers and PhD students curious about entrepreneurship, founders with academic or technical backgrounds, students exploring unconventional career paths, and anyone interested in turning knowledge into real-world impact.
No PhD or startup experience required. Just bring your curiosity!!!!
Expect a relaxed, interactive conversation followed by an opportunity to meet fellow founders, researchers and curious minds in the FoundHers community.
About FoundHers
FoundHers is a global community connecting women founders and aspiring entrepreneurs through meaningful conversations, events and shared experiences. We believe great things happen when the right people are brought into the same room :)
Follow us on LinkedIn here foundhers-global