Cyprus Seeds hosts talk on research commercialisation in biotech

Dr. Hedley shares startup tips with Cyprus research community

Cyprus Seeds and The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics organized on April 29th 2025, an inspirational speech, “A Scientist Stepping into Entrepreneurship”, by Dr. Mary Lynne Hedley.

The event, which took place at the Lefkos Middleton Amphitheatre of The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, brought together 130 participants, physically attending or joining online, including distinguished guests, academic professionals and students, pharmaceutical companies and startups.

The event commenced with the initial interventions of Dr. Leonidas Phylactou, CEO & Medical Director of The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, and Mr. Jeremy Downward, Chairman of Cyprus Seeds’ Board of Directors.

Following, Dr. Anna Protopapas, member of the Board of Directors of Cyprus Seeds, provided a brief introduction of Dr. Mary Lynne Hedley. Dr. Mary Lynne Hedley, an internationally recognized leader in biotechnology and scientific entrepreneurship, captivated the audience with her successful journey of bringing cutting-edge research to the market.

As Senior Scientific Fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard and founder of biotech companies, which developed and commercialized innovative drugs relevant to cancer therapies, Dr. Hedley shared insights on how to translate academic research into commercial success.

She provided invaluable guidance with regards to effective communication methods and strategies for building an impactful startup in the life sciences sector.

Furthermore, Dr. Hedley touched on the practices she experienced to be successful for drawing investors’ attention to a groundbreaking idea and the challenges of turning someone’s self from a scientist to an entrepreneur.

Moreover, she highlighted the importance of creating the right networks and strategic partnerships, between academia and industry, in order to cultivate a thriving ecosystem for scientific startups.

During her closing remarks, Dr. Hedley recognized Cyprus Seeds’ role in supporting the commercialization of research, committing to fostering an environment where innovative projects can thrive and make a global impact, as well as strengthening the potential of the Cypriot ecosystem.

About Cyprus Seeds

Cyprus Seeds, a public-private partnership, aims to commercialize innovative scientific research from Cyprus, offering grants, mentoring, and networking opportunities through its successful program launched in 2018. Inspired by programs like the MIT Deshpande Centre for Technological Innovation, its vision is to reverse brain-drain and boost technology spin-offs, creating employment opportunities and wealth for Cyprus. As the only initiative in Cyprus to be supported by Greeks and Cypriots in the Diaspora, Cyprus Seeds supports the commercialization of academic research projects with global market potential.

Additionally, Cyprus Seeds serves as an innovation partner in EU-funded projects like the Digital Innovation Hub (DiGiNN) and Phaethon Centre of Excellence, focusing on renewables and green energy. Leveraging its expertise, it contributes to entrepreneurial skills and technology transfer in Cyprus. To date, Cyprus Seeds has facilitated the creation of 6 spinoffs in sectors including IoT, Health, Art, and Energy.