The 11 fellows will be paired with real-world startup companies and UMB investigators, gaining hands-on experience in advancing commercially promising technologies and early-stage ventures.
The incoming President’s Entrepreneurial Fellowship (PEF) cohort has been selected.
The competitive fellowship, which pairs students with real-world startup companies and investigators who are commercializing University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) technologies, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the 2024-25 academic year.
Due to increased interest, the 2024-25 cohort was expanded to include 11 students. The fellows represent the schools of law, medicine, and pharmacy, as well as the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. The UM Ventures, Baltimore team is very pleased to announce the 2024-25 PEF cohort:
- Utkarsh Agrawal, Robert H. Smith School of Business
- Chikezie Aguocha, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
- Issac Chaudry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Mia Condé, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
- Yassin Kadhim Ismaeel, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
- Loryn Johnson, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Ryan Mayers, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Sreethi Musunuru, Robert H. Smith School of Business
- Cosette Schneider, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Aishwarya Venkataraman, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Ankush Verma, University of Maryland School of Medicine
For the next few months, the PEFs will work on interdisciplinary teams with UMB inventors, life science entrepreneurs, and UM Ventures, Baltimore staff on projects for UM Ventures companies or technologies that are in the process of becoming companies.
By providing a hands-on experience, the PEF program helps the fellows develop valuable, real-world skills and unique insight into early-stage business ventures. Mentorship from the PEF leadership— which includes seasoned biotech executives as well as experienced scientific researchers — UM Ventures, Baltimore staff, inventors, venture partners, and PEF alums ensures the fellows receive a rich experience and helps them build a network to support them as they launch their careers.
The PEF program is designed to encourage innovation and discovery, peeling back the curtain on biotech entrepreneurism and giving students an up-close, hands-on look at working in biotech startup companies. It is open to all UMB students as well as students from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. Applications to the program are accepted each September. For more information or to apply, please visit umventures.org/PEF.