In our latest Life Science Solutions podcast, we sit down with Lydia Thomas from UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to talk about the real-world gaps academic startups face—and how her team is helping solve them.

From lacking investor networks to navigating IP challenges, Lydia shares how CIE supports faculty and students developing high-potential innovations. We also dive into the Blue Economy Index, plastic waste reduction in drug delivery, and how startups can partner with established life science companies to scale breakthrough technologies.

Whether you’re in pharma, biotech, or innovation strategy, this episode explores why the next big thing might just be sitting in a university lab—and what it’ll take to bring it to market.