Ep 70: Entrepreneurship for Scientists - The Work

Today we are joined by Dr. Luis Martinez, a senior venture associate with a background in organic chemistry and entrepreneurship at the venture capital firm, Capital Factory. The firm, based in Austin, Tx, was founded in 2009 to bring together entrepreneurs with potential partners, customers, and future hires. The firm works with a multitude of clients from corporate companies to start-ups to federal partners. Over the last year, they have invested about $23 million over 45 different entities within their expansive portfolio with a technology focus. Even though Luis has countless years of experience in entrepreneurship and innovation, he still finds that studying and understanding science is a very important and it is a worthwhile investment. “What is more awesome now in 2025, then when I got my Ph.D. in the 1990s, is that there are a lot more opportunities to apply your science and do what you do as a scientist beyond the paths that are presented out of graduate school,” he explains. In particular Luis finds the ability to take the unique skills learned in graduate school and apply them to different scenarios in entrepreneurship, start-ups, and solving critical questions to be key. For those who are interested in exploring entrepreneurship, he recommends taking time to visit your current or alumnus university entrepreneurship center, i.e. get out of the lab and walk across campus. Additionally, he suggests getting involved with training programs such as Activate and Nucleate, which focus on entrepreneurship for scientists. And, take advantage of the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program which facilitates the transformation of invention to impact. The last piece of advice he recommends is actually joining someone else’s start-up before venturing into your own to get the best hands-on experience.    

Tune into this episode to hear about Luis’s work and:

• The next wave of science entrepreneurship careers
• Why science is important for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship important for science
• What areas of science are hot for entrepreneurship right now

Reach out to Luis: 

• LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drluismartinez/

If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:

• Ep 6: STEMLand Future of Science - The Work
• Ep 39: The Art of Science with Laura Canil - The Work
• Ep 42: Science CEO Level: Unlocked - The Work 

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