A Joint Program by Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business and UC San Diego Rady School of Management
Date September 9-13, 2024
In person University of California, San Diego
Fee USD $9,250
The CKGSB-UC San Diego Joint Biotech Accelerator Unicorn Program is a pioneering course specifically designed to equip CEOs and founders in the life sciences and biotechnology industry with the essential knowledge and connections needed to thrive in this rapidly evolving sector.
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The CKGSB-UC San Diego Joint Biotech Accelerator Unicorn Program is specifically designed to equip CEOs and founders in the life sciences and biotechnology industry with the essential knowledge and connections needed to thrive in this rapidly evolving sector.
Bridging the expertise of a faculty from the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and the UC San Diego Rady School of Management, this program offers a curriculum combining biotech strategy, management, and a global perspective on the industry. Leveraging the success of our previous unicorn programs, our core mission is to arm you with the knowledge and connections necessary to drive growth and innovation, ultimately propelling you towards biotechnology unicorn status.
Uniquely geared towards CEOs and founders, the program is designed to strengthen your leadership skills while keeping you at the forefront of the latest biotech developments and trends. You’ll acquire the expertise to assess market potential meticulously, create strategic product launch and development plans, and confidently navigate the entire commercialization process. Additionally, you will attend industry visits and networking sessions, connecting you with biotech leaders and emerging start-ups.
Located in the thriving biotech hub of San Diego, you will have an opportunity to interact with potential investors, expanding avenues for securing funding for your biotech venture. The program gives you access to an exclusive network of industry professionals, bio-entrepreneurs, and seasoned investors, opening up endless possibilities for professional growth and career advancement.
The CKGSB-UC San Diego Biotech Unicorn Program is a distinctive collaboration between two renowned institutions: Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and the UC San Diego Rady School of Management, along with partnership support from UC San Diego Extended Studies. Bringing together a distinguished faculty from both East and West, the program dives deep into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities, ensuring a thorough understanding of the industry's academic and practical aspects.
Beyond theoretical knowledge, the program emphasizes real-world insights through industry visits, labs, startup interactions, and case studies. These hands-on experiences, with panel discussions and guest lectures, offer participants a holistic view of the biotech sector's real-world challenges and successes. Additionally, the program presents an invaluable opportunity to engage with a diverse cohort of peers, industry leaders, renowned faculty, and investors, fostering a dynamic environment for networking and collaboration.
Designed with a forward-thinking approach, the program strongly emphasizes leadership and biotech management skills. Participants will delve into the ethical dimensions of biotech, navigating the sector's moral dilemmas and understanding the importance of responsible innovation. Furthermore, the program ensures participants are future-ready by exploring predictive trends, preparing them for the upcoming challenges and opportunities in the ever-evolving world of biotech.
Founding Dean, Professor of China Business and Globalization, CKGSB
Associate Dean for Americas, Professor of Management Science, Director of Research Center for Clean Energy and Carbon Neutral Development, CKGSB
Visiting Professor of Information Systems, Director of the Center for Digital Transformation, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) Advisor to Chairman of Alibaba Group
Professor of Managerial Practice, Former Associate Dean, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) Former Chief Strategy Officer of JD.com
Lisa Ordóñez is the Dean of the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego.
Amy Nguyen-Chyung is a notable figure at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), specifically within the Rady School of Management.
Kevin Zhu is a distinguished academic at the Rady School of Management, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he holds the title of Professor of Innovation, Technology, and Operations.
On Amir, holding the Wolfe Family Presidential Chair in Life Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), is a renowned figure in the academic and business realms.
Richard Townsend, an esteemed Associate Professor of Finance at the University of California, San Diego's Rady School of Management, boasts a rich academic and professional trajectory, underlined by his profound insights into corporate finance, entrepreneurship, and corporate governance.
Established in Beijing in November 2002, CKGSB is China’s first privately-funded, research-intensive and non-for-profit business school. The school aims to cultivate transformative business leaders with a global vision, sense of social responsibility, innovative mindset, and ability to lead with empathy and compassion. Today, CKGSB stands apart for its full-time, world-class faculty, research excellence, China insights and unparalleled alumni network. More than half of its 40 strong faculty members previously held tenure or senior professorships at top business schools, such as MIT, Wharton, and Yale. CKGSB is also the preferred choice for management education among established business leaders and a new generation of disruptors in China and the wider region. More than half of CKGSB’s 20,000 alumni are at the CEO or Chairman level and, collectively, they lead one fifth of China’s 100 most valuable brands.
CKGSB is the first business school in China, since 2015, and now globally to offer programs specifically designed for unicorn and soon-to-be-unicorn founders. It aims to build a global ecosystem for the next generation of unicorn and soon-to-be-unicorn companies, with a renewed and enhanced emphasis on global responsibility, social purpose and long-term perspective. Thus far, this ecosystem has developed more than 1,000 founders and co-founders of companies with Series A to more mature start-up companies, including 38 unicorn companies listed on CB Insights (2017-2022).
The University of California San Diego, founded in 1960, is a premier institution within the esteemed University of California system. Situated along the scenic coasts of La Jolla, it hosts over 40,000 students and a renowned faculty, several of whom have been honored with top awards such as Nobel Prizes and National Medals of Science. UC San Diego’s alumni community reflects its rigorous academic standards, with a plethora of leaders, pioneers, and visionaries spanning various sectors, many of whom have risen to influential roles as CEOs, Researchers, and Entrepreneurs. The university has been a nexus for innovative explorations and impactful research. Throughout its history, UC San Diego has consistently promoted global engagement and knowledge exchange, with a vast number of international students and scholars benefiting from its wide array of programs and interdisciplinary collaborations. UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management and Extended Studies are leading the way in enhancing the vitality of the strong regional economy through educational excellence.
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