A decentralized scientific advisory board
Marshall's first startup: aggregating expert opinion on the gut microbiome so products could be built on broad scientific support.
The idea
The gut microbiome is a fast-growing and polarizing scientific field. MIBI set out to collect and express expert opinion on it, communicate that to the public, and build products with broad scientific support — a Decentralized Scientific Advisory Board (DSAB).
Health democratized, expertise decentralized.
What the team did
Four master's students graduating into a UK lockdown: defined the niche, tested market segments, ran an in-depth researcher survey and several ad campaigns, interviewed experts, designed product mock-ups and prototypes, and pitched investors.
The lesson
Lots of hard work and a strong idea — but it never got to product, which, it turns out, is pretty important.
