Description:
The Department of Bioengineering at the Knight Campus is pleased to welcome Dr. Michael J. Weickert as the featured speaker for the Winter 2026 installment of the Robert Family Entrepreneurship Speaker Series. His talk, “Dumb Ways to Die: How Biotech Startups Fail,” will explore the realities of launching and sustaining life science ventures, drawing on more than 30 years of experience in the biotechnology and medical device industries.

Dr. Weickert will examine entrepreneurship as a professional discipline, offering insights into fundraising, clinical development, regulatory strategy, and the complex path of translating research into successful commercial products.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Michael J. Weickert is the CEO of Pacylex Pharmaceuticals and Fe Pharmaceuticals and has spent over three decades developing drugs and medical devices in both public and private companies. He has founded and led multiple startups, held executive roles at seven companies, and contributed to a $3B acquisition by Teva. Dr. Weickert holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and completed his postdoctoral training at the National Cancer Institute at NIH.

Location:
In-person: Beetham Family Seminar Room, Room 127, Knight Campus, 1st Floor
Remote: A Zoom webinar link will be shared closer to the event. A recording will be available on our website following the presentation.

All are welcome to attend.