The Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship (ILSE) is a nonprofit research institute, incubator, and accelerator established in 2014 focused on improving life science innovation globally. ILSE was founded by Kean University (https://www.kean.edu) to bring world-class research to Kean and to support the University’s research enterprise.

With a seed investment from Kean, ILSE established research activities, resources, and programs to support faculty, industry research and student training. Since 2015, ILSE has been self-supporting through grants, collaborations, incubation, acceleration, and research income. ILSE and partner companies fund faculty research and collaborations and contribute to student engagement through internships, employment, and mentorship.

ILSE continues to invest in Kean core facilities and the research infrastructure for the university; in 2023, ILSE was awarded $2.5M by the US Small Business Administration to expand the incubator on campus, enabling Kean and ILSE to deepen ties, train entrepreneurs and students, and create more opportunities for faculty, the University, and the life science community.