Stanford
Initiative for
Entrepreneurs’
Resilience and Wellbeing

Overview

Many entrepreneurs fail to launch at various stages of the innovation journey. Even those whose commercial endeavors succeed often experience personal stressors that are difficult to manage and overcome. The Stanford Initiative for Entrepreneurs’ Resilience and Wellbeing (SIER) is a multidisciplinary endeavor to study and understand the obstacles faced by health and technology entrepreneurs, in particular women and those from under-represented communities. SIER will examine why some entrepreneurs remain resilient despite encountering significant challenges, including multiple failures, while others experience hardships that they cannot easily manage. The initiative will seek to understand how one becomes a strong entrepreneur and what protective factors contribute to entrepreneurial success. We will then develop programs and curricula to nurture the relevant qualities in future entrepreneurs, supporting their mental health and wellbeing, in order to increase their odds of achieving their goals.

SIER is a joint initiative by Stanford Biodesign and the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, funded by the Li Ka Shing Foundation. For more information, visit the SIER website.

Fellowship

Stanford Biodesign’s primary role in SIER is to lead a second-year fellowship focused on research and innovation in entrepreneurial resilience and wellbeing. With the support of faculty, the selected fellow(s) perform literature reviews and conduct first-hand needs finding to understand the most compelling unmet needs in the space. In addition to publishing on their findings, they apply Biodesign principles to develop scalable, technology-enabled solutions to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Their insights also are incorporated into future educational practices for Stanford Biodesign’s Innovation Fellows to help us nurture successful, enduring entrepreneurs.