IFNY is one of 22 global branches of Innovation Forum, spanning three continents and fostering over 10,000 innovators. Run entirely by volunteers, IFNY aims to accelerate biomedical innovation in New York City by promoting collaboration between academia, industry and government.

This 2019 was a very successful year for IFNY. In March, in collaboration with the MSK Office of Career and Professional Development and the Tri-I Biotech Club we organized “Everything you always wanted to know about science entrepreneurship (but were too afraid to ask): Careers in Entrepreneurship for PhD’s speed networking”. In May we teamed up with Harlem Biospace to introduce science entrepreneurs into the art of brand-building by hosting the “Digital Marketing Fundamentals Workshop”. During  this exciting event, digital marketing expert and lifestyle curator Vix Reitano, shared vital information on how to find a voice to maximize the potential of a company. In September, IFNY addressed the most pressing concern of most life-science entrepreneurs (obtaining funding) by co-hosting the “Fundraising for Life Science Startups” workshop with Biolabs@NYU Langone, which was led by Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO of Life Science Nation (LSN) and provided actionable information to start raising capital.

One of the proudest moments for IFNY during 2019 was hosting our inaugural annual “Women’s Health: Building Businesses to Break Boundaries” event. Co-hosted with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at Weill Cornell Medicine, the event convened four groundbreaking women entrepreneurs (Marissa Fayer, founder and CEO of HERHealth EQ and Fayer Consulting LLC, Fran Strauss, Principal at HealthMark Strategies LLC, Janice Schacter Lintz, founder and CEO of Hearing Access & Innovations and Amy Fan, Co-founder of TwentyEight Health) each talking about their journey and insights in the women’s health space. We concluded that for women entrepreneurs, “we need to keep pressing and pushing the envelope because these innovations for women are right there on the edge of the horizon.”

IFNY also saw a significant growth in its membership during 2019. Over the summer, we doubled our membership welcoming over twelve new associates from different institutions in New York City to our marketing, business development, events and operations team. IFNY feels proud to have all the valuable volunteers who worked relentlessly during 2019.

It has truly been a remarkable and significant 2019 for IFNY. We are very grateful to each of our volunteers, partners, speakers and attendees. As we move into 2020 we will continue to strive towards a more dynamic and collaborative life sciences ecosystem in New York City. Happy New Year!