A Commercial Vision From Day 1

At Akimbo, we define commercialization as successfully getting a product to patients in need worldwide. We argue that it’s the primary purpose of any life sciences company and should guide entrepreneurs from day one (if the goal is not to bring a new treatment to patients, then why start a biotech company in the first place?). A commercial vision is not enough on it’s own but it’s an important addition to the scientific focus which understandably drives biotech companies, especially in the early days.

The value of a product lies in its accessibility to patients, which involves approval, payment, distribution, education, and more. Neglecting core commercial questions until later stages of development can lead to the realization that the product and company will not live up to their full potential because of irreversible decisions made in the past. Early commercial thinking gives biotech entrepreneurs an important ‘north star’ for effective decision making from day 1.