Nanotech's Multidisciplinary Challenge

I'm managing director of Seraphima Ventures, which offers evaluations of nanotechnology startups and consulting services to new companies. We're based all over the world, but I'm headquartered in New York. In addition to the MBA, which I received in 2000 from the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, I have a PhD in materials science and undergraduate training in chemical engineering. At Seraphima, I lead an international expert team of four directors, five principals, two associates, and five advisory board members.

Nanotechnology is a diverse collection of fields, touching on biology, medicine, materials, computers, manufacturing, physics, and several others. It's a more challenging sector to work in than traditional technologies because nanotech is interdisciplinary and requires that people step outside of the confines of one science discipline.

For instance, a particular nanotechnology for cancer diagnostics and treatment using gold nanoparticles requires someone with understanding in both biochemistry or microbiology and physics and/or electrical engineering. This isn't a common combination or double major.

TOWARD A BETTER WORLD.  The science of nanotechnology isn't entirely new, but it's cutting edge because of the interdisciplinary way that research is done. The challenge is to be able to understand and integrate the multiple disciplines required to make the research breakthroughs and then to optimally develop them into products for the commercial market.

I champion nanotechnology's potential to make the world a better place and determine how best it should be commercialized. Here's a typical outline of my day:

5:00 a.m. -- The buzz from an incoming e-mail to my BlackBerry wakes me. Get up briefly to check if it's something important. If I reply now, I'm up for the rest of the day. But this time, it's back to bed.

7:00 a.m. -- Wake up and check e-mail to see if anybody from Europe or Asia got back to me regarding questions, meetings, and/or scheduling. There's an e-mail from a team member in Cambridge, England, about whether we have any news on a potential consulting gig in Europe.

8:00 a.m. -- Finish answering e-mail. Adjust action items based on any new information gathered this morning and last night.

9:00 a.m. -- Take a phone call from my Silicon Valley partner, who is at the San Jose airport waiting for a flight to San Diego. We discuss the details of an upcoming trip to Taiwan and what's going on in Europe with other partners. The London partner is going on holiday, and we have to schedule accordingly. I let my London partner know I'll be in the United Kingdom in August, when he returns from vacation.

I update my personal assistant, discuss recent events, and brainstorm next steps for some clients.

10:00 a.m. -- Head out for 10:30 business meeting to discuss what Seraphima does and its value proposition.

11:30 a.m. -- BlackBerry buzzed during meeting. Notice an e-mail with a document I've been waiting for. Stop by a Starbucks to download and study it.

12:00 noon -- Pay a visit to my church, St. Barts, and work on some planning documents for the mentoring program I'm helping organize. Eat lunch while I'm working.

1:00 p.m. -- On to my next meeting to interview a potential team member. Run an errand on the way, maybe hit the bank.

2:00 p.m. -- Sit down and review a business plan. Competitive analysis is weak, and I cite a few examples of other companies not directly in this company's space but that have the potential to enter because of established presence and low barrier to entry. Talk to one of my team members for some additional perspectives. Forward materials to appropriate team members for further evaluation.

E-mail the company to give heads up about what needs to be done next and why. Suggest a few other strategies and how to adjust down the revenue projections based on this information.

3:30 p.m. -- Work on some document drafts, such as bid proposals and articles that need to be in by an upcoming deadline. Send drafts to my personal assistant for review. Return phone calls and answer new e-mail. Talk to lawyer about some other legal issues with regard to international business.

5:00 p.m. -- Business development meeting over drinks at the Four Seasons.

6:30 p.m. -- On the way home, I grab some dinner. Got an idea for another nonprofit program I'm working with to create one of their professional development programs for disadvantaged youths.

7:00 p.m. -- Work some more on documents. Do some online research.

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