Pathways Open - revolutionising collaboration in the life sciences industry

Welcome to NEXUS Startup Diaries, the number one place to discover the hottest and most inspiring startups and founders.

Today we're excited to meet Sandeep Sharda of Pathways

So Sandeep, tell us more about Pathways

Pathways is a cutting-edge B2B SaaS platform revolutionizing collaboration in the life sciences industry.

We're disrupting the process of how pharmaceutical companies and biotechs connect with key R&D academics, moving beyond traditional methods of internal networking, arduous application reviews, and time-intensive partner searches.

By harnessing the power of AI and machine learning, coupled with our specialized team of engineers and scientists, we accelerate innovative discoveries and streamline R&D processes.

Backed by the UK's department of science, from big pharma to niche bio-techs, we've successfully bridged the gap between science and industry across the globe, forging impactful collaborations that have driven breakthroughs in health-tech, pharma and more.

With Pathways, we're not just finding research partners; we're catalyzing the future of life science innovation.

How did you come up with the business idea and what problem are you looking to solve?

As co-founders of Pathways Open, we come from two different backgrounds – one of us has over a decade of experience in life sciences research across Canada and the UK, while the other has a wealth of experience from the tech world, including work with start-ups, the NHS, and the energy sector.

Together, we form a unique blend of scientific expertise and AI innovation. We came together because we had a common frustration.

On one hand, we saw groundbreaking research sitting on shelves, untouched by industry. On the other hand, we noticed start-ups struggling to find the right experts to turn their ideas into reality.

We knew we could fix this problem—enter Pathways Open! We kicked things off by talking to big pharma companies where we developed a scouting strategy that allowed us to find collaborators that went beyond their current approaches.

We then turned our manual process into an automated system by creating a matching algorithm and prototype, where we launched surveys and talked to researchers and industry professionals to refine our platform.

What made you want to start your own business?

We had no prior experience in entrepreneurship between us. I wanted to start a business like Pathways because I've always wanted to contribute to the world of science and research but never had the opportunity.

The idea of being able to create a living where I was leading the entire direction of what we are planning to achieve, forming a unique company culture and working in a way that's more appropriate for myself was really enticing.

What stage is your business currently at?

The business has won a couple of large grants and recognition from nationally known organisations and we have made our first sales to pleased clients.

My priorities are to grow the business in terms of awareness, customer acquisition and implanting myself into the networks of science and academia to become a true expert and leader in what we do at Pathways.

What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?

As an entrepreneur in life sciences and tech, I love the exhilarating process of bridging disconnected worlds—specifically, connecting academic researchers with industry innovators.

I'm driven by the challenge of designing a sophisticated platform that solves complex problems, creating systemic improvements in scientific discovery.

My work isn't just about building a business, but about accelerating breakthrough innovations, enabling researchers to get funded, and potentially improving human health.

The freedom to transform an abstract vision into a concrete solution that didn't exist before is what truly energizes me—disrupting age-old techniques of scientific collaborations for something better is really motivating.

What is the number one business tip you've learned that you'd like to share with fellow budding entrepreneurs?

JUST DO IT! If you have an idea you believe in, test it as soon as possible. Get user and market research, prototype an MVP and see what works and what doesn't. You'll learn extremely quickly things that you didn't expect that will shape your strategy going forward.

Who are your startup heroes?

Sal Khan, CEO of Khan Academy. I admire him because he embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of solving systemic problems through innovative, technology-enabled solutions—starting from humble beginnings.

As a child of immigrants, he started by tutoring his cousin online, turning his helpfulness into a global platform that democratizes education.

His journey resonates with my ethos of using technology to bridge disconnected worlds, creating value through intelligent collaboration, and believing that access to specialized knowledge can fundamentally transform opportunities.

Is there a favourite podcast, book or series you'd like to share with the world?

Fiverr.com - affordable digital solutions ideal for start-ups. Create a landing page, marketing materials and more for a great price and fast delivery.

Anything else you'd like to share?

The power of industry-academic collaborations saved an estimated 20 millions lives during the Covid pandemic, creating vaccines that normally would have taken 15-20 years to reach market.

Working together made this happen in 2 years. Pathways is on a mission to accelerate scientific innovations and disrupt the norm when it comes to forming impactful partnerships. If you're a life-science company who wants to know more, reach out and let's talk!

Where can people find you online?

 Connect with us on LinkedIn to carry on the conversation. 

It's been really great to chat today Sandeep! Good luck in the future with your business and we look forward to catching up with you soon.

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