The College of Science and Health at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, a historically Black medical school in California, recently launched the Bio-Entrepreneurship Initiative Pathway Accelerator (BIP Accelerator) program.
Sponsored by the health care company Kaiser Permanente, the new program aims to support entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators working at the intersection of biotechnology, public health, health innovation, and community-driven solutions. BIP Accelerator participants will receive hands-on technical assistance, workshops, mentorship, and venture development support to help translate their ideas into scalable and sustainable ventures.
“Across the country, founders from underrepresented backgrounds receive a disproportionately small share of startup funding not due to a lack of talent or ideas, but because of limited access to capital, mentorship, and networks,” said Monica Ferrini, dean of the College of Science and Health at CDU.
She continued, “At CDU, we see innovation as both a responsibility and an opportunity. This program strengthens pathways to economic mobility, reinforces the university’s role as an anchor institution, and ensures that innovation reflects and uplifts the communities it is meant to serve.”
The BIP Accelerator will run through December 2026, culminating in a Final Pitch Fest where participants will compete for up to $20,000 in seed funding to advance their business ventures. Applications for the program are open until February 16.
