ELITE Entrepreneurial Fellow

Job Description

The ELITE Entrepreneurial Fellow serves as a key commercialization contributor within Penn’s healthcare innovation ecosystem, advancing high-potential technologies developed across Penn and CHOP toward translation, licensing, or venture formation. As a core member of the ELITE Fellowship program, the Fellow drives the strategic, analytical, and operational work required to transform early-stage scientific or clinical discoveries into commercially viable solutions.

Under the joint leadership of Venture Lab and Penn Health-Tech, the Fellow functions as the entrepreneurial lead for a vetted health-tech capstone project, a structured, real-world commercialization project assigned to each Fellow. In this role, the Fellow conducts market discovery, engages directly with clinicians and end users, assesses product and regulatory pathways, evaluates intellectual property considerations, and develops go-to-market strategies. Fellows collaborate closely with faculty innovators, project teams, and regulatory, IP, and industry advisors to de-risk technologies and build clear commercialization pathways.

As entrepreneurial leads, Fellows exercise project leadership, including drafting and directing commercialization milestones, managing external consultants, and collaborating with faculty innovators and Penn Health-Tech leadership on key decisions.

Beyond project work, the Fellow participates actively in Penn’s broader health-tech community through monthly seminars, investor roundtables, workshops, and Venture Lab programming, and by engaging with external stakeholders such as investors and industry partners. Fellows contribute to a collaborative, learning-oriented environment while gaining hands-on experience in innovation management, venture development, and healthcare commercialization.

The Fellow reports directly to the Senior Director of Healthcare Strategy and receives additional guidance from Penn Health-Tech leadership and faculty innovators.

This role requires strong analytical skills, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to synthesize technical, clinical, and commercial insights into actionable strategies. Through this year-long experience, Fellows help accelerate the advancement of Penn- and CHOP-developed health technologies while receiving structured mentorship, education, and exposure to the full continuum of healthcare innovation.

This is a full-time, limited-term position that is contingent upon funding. The position is for one (1) year, with the possibility of extending for one (1) additional year, subject to review after the first year. The start date for this position is August 1, 2026.