Dr. Michael Deem (Michael W Deem, Ph.D.) has been at the forefront of some of the biggest medical breakthroughs in recent history, and it’s a trend he intends to continue. Among his many accolades, the former professor at Rice University led a team that helped revolutionize the influenza vaccine.
“The technology that we developed can help predict how effective the vaccine will be, and it’s used on six of the seven continents now,” says Michael Deem.
But it’s not all academic for the former life sciences professor. He is currently the CEO of several companies and helps lead multiple venture capital ventures that are advancing other medical breakthroughs. Michael Deem says his passion for mentoring others is what drives him.
According to Deem, mentoring is a crucial aspect of success in both academia and entrepreneurship. As a former life sciences professor, he knows the value of developing students and mentoring peers. As a CEO of several companies and a leader in multiple venture capital ventures, he now applies his passion for mentoring to mentor CEOs, board members, and other entrepreneurs.
“Mentoring is something that’s near and dear to my heart because this is what we do as teachers,” says Deem. “We develop our students. We mentor our undergraduates, but also, we mentor our peers.”
That passion now plays well in the business world.
“In the business community, we mentor our companies, we mentor our CEOs, mentor our board members. We also mentor each other. In this way, we develop our ecosystem of creation, of driving inventions for the future.”
Michael W Deem adds his ability to merge the two paradigms deems him an ideal leader for other entrepreneurs.
“In both cases, we’re trying to create new technologies. We’re trying to bring new ideas to fruition, and that’s always difficult. So, it requires a lot of persistence to be successful in both fields.
“As an entrepreneur, we’re working with our company. We’re working with my network of venture capitalists. We’re working with other CEOs from other companies, and we’re working within this ecosystem that’s bringing positive change to the world. We’re developing new technology. We’re developing the economy of the U.S. and the world for the better.”
Michael W Deem says he’s seeing a trend now with venture capitalists now capitalizing on the expertise of others from academia.
“One of the things we do well in academics is we characterize and we measure our systems and processes. Biology and life sciences are generally messy and unpredictable, so the better we can characterize them, the more successful our companies will be. We can also develop our human capital,” says Deem.
Michael W. Deem says he intends to continue making capital gains for other businesses.
“I’d like to perhaps be CEO of one or two or three more companies,” says Deem. “I’d like to continue as a general partner of the fund and help grow the fund not only for our investment partners but also for our portfolio companies. I want to help them be successful and help them invent the future.”
Deem’s impact on medical breakthroughs cannot be understated, but it is his passion for mentoring that truly sets him apart. By bringing his experience from academia to entrepreneurship, he has developed an ecosystem of creation that drives inventions for the future. As an entrepreneur, he is committed to growing the economy and developing new technology for the betterment of the world.
If you are interested in contacting Deem, you can find his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldeem/
