Mission Statement

Our mission is threefold:

  1. To provide data-driven consulting solutions to promote sustained growth of emerging technologies and scalable business,

  2. To provide hands-on experience in the business of science and technology, focusing on the developing of transferable knowledge and skills for post-graduate professionals, and

  3. To support, expand, and shape entrepreneurship and innovation in the St. Louis region and beyond.

Our Story

The Biotechnology and Life Science Advising Group (BALSA) is a nonprofit organization founded in December 2010 by a group of biomedical PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows from Washington University School of Medicine (WashU) in St. Louis, MO. The goal of the group is to supplement academic training by providing real-world experience in the science of business and development of transferable professional skills to better prepare members for both academic and non-academic career paths. BALSA further aims to offer a bridge between academia and industry, fostering collaborations between local universities and companies, to strengthen the young and vibrant startup community in St. Louis.

100+

Number of Active Members

Our consultants stem from WashU, Saint Louis University, and the broader St. Louis community.

Since its inception, BALSA has grown to encompass approximately 100 active members from WashU, Saint Louis University (SLU), and the St. Louis professional community. Consultants come from a myriad of backgrounds including cell biology, neuroscience, immunology, microbiology, genetics and genomics, cancer biology, plant biology, chemistry, engineering, business and law. While members enter with little experience in professional consulting, BALSA harnesses the analytical power of graduate students and postdocs by teaching them to apply the systematic, critical thinking approach of the scientific method to business problems to generate innovative, data-driven solutions for clients. Consultants learn the market research skills necessary to deliver these recommendations through teamwork and peer-to-peer mentoring with experienced project managers and advisors.

Since 2011, BALSA has engaged with more than 150 independent clients, including startups, universities, mid-large size companies, investment firms, consulting firms, and more. We have provided consulting services to companies across 11 US states as well as a few international institutions. BALSA teams have completed more than 300 projects on a wide variety of topics including market research, technology development, competitor analysis, business plan development, and consumer facing materials.

Words from our Co-Presidents (Rachel Baits & Amanda Titus)

Reflecting on 2025
Throughout 2025, The BALSA Group continued to strengthen its relationships with our diverse client base and our philanthropic arm, the BALSA Foundation. The goals of the past year were to grow our client partnerships and broaden our service offerings to support The BALSA Foundation through a yearly donation, enabling $1,000 and $5,000 grants to be awarded to local first-time entrepreneurs. Our team successfully met these goals by forming new partnerships and working closely with the Foundation in a new engagement to support past grant recipients.

BALSA once again co-organized the Midwest Healthcare Case Competition (MHCC) alongside MiLEAD and WiSolve. The competition hosts over 200 participants from numerous institutions across the globe, and is sponsored by leading firms in life sciences and consulting. The MHCC remains a flagship opportunity for trainees to sharpen their analytical skills and engage with professionals across biotechnology, strategy, and venture investing.

Vision for 2026
In 2026, BALSA aims to strengthen our consultants' professional development by offering additional specialized training guides and workshops. We plan to expand our philanthropic work by developing a pro bono pipeline to better serve St. Louis community entrepreneurs through consulting. We will continue to serve new and existing clients over the next year by offering high-quality consulting services at competitive prices.

Thank You
We would like to thank our clients for their continued trust and collaboration. Your support enables BALSA to grow as an organization and to serve as a training ground for our members, so they may act as future leaders in science, business, and innovation.

Additionally, we want to thank the current and former BALSA members for their dedication, professionalism, and talent. We are proud of the work we have accomplished as a group and are looking forward to another year of success and growth.

From Rachel Baits and Amanda Titus