Sean Eldridge is the co-founder of Gain Life, a Harvard Innovation Launch Lab digital health startup that builds gender-specific lifestyle medicine programs for the majority of Americans who suffer from serious, but preventable, chronic conditions.
How did you get started at the i-lab/Launch Lab?
We were renting office space from an architecture firm in downtown Boston, but when we heard that the Launch Lab was expanding (in Sept. 2015), we wanted in. The opportunity to work side-by-side with others who understand the ups and downs of the startup lifestyle, as well as capitalizing on the cross-pollination of ideas was attractive to us.
What’s the #1 resource you use most at the Harvard Innovation Labs? Why is/was it so useful?
The access to world-class mentors/EIRs is awesome! We regularly make time to “sharpen the saw” seeking advice from a talented and diverse group of mentors who want nothing more than to help your business succeed. It’s a great way to get a fresh perspective on a challenge facing your startup.
What’s next for you and your venture?
We recently finished two major initiatives that enable us to (finally!) scale our business. Now we’re in full blown demand-generation mode: signing-up employers and insurance companies, building partnerships, and trying to build consumer awareness through press mentions and social media. Once our commercial flywheel is set in motion, we’ll continue to launch new service innovations that improve our member experience and reinforce our best-in-class health outcomes.
If you had to give another student one piece of advice to get the most out of the Launch Lab, what would it be?
Get to know your fellow entrepreneurs. Tap into their networks. Find out what they’re working on and ask how you can help. Tell them what you’re doing, define your challenges, and ask if they can help. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Anything we missed?
A BIG thank you goes out to all the folks that make the Harvard Innovation community run as well as it does. It’s a special place, and it wouldn’t be that way without all of your hard work.