SCIENCE FOUNDER COACHING

You have a scientific breakthrough. You are turning it into reality. What comes next?

Your work began with discovery, a breakthrough in the lab, a new model, or a technology that challenged the status quo.

Now, the challenge is no longer only about research. It is about people, capital, partners, and scale.

You are no longer just asking “is this true?” You are asking “how do I make this real?”

The journey from scientist to founder is exhilarating and disorienting. The skills that made you world-class in your field are not always the same ones that help you lead a company.

At Human Interfaces, I coach science founders navigating this transition, where rigor and creativity meet the messy reality of building teams, raising capital, and aligning diverse stakeholders.

This is not about diluting your science. It is about building the clarity, presence, and influence to carry it forward.

Schedule Discovery Session

Science Founder Coaching: From Lab to Leadership

The Challenges You are Facing

  • Complex Expertise, Simple Messaging
    Your breakthrough is deep, technical and essential. But explaining it clearly to investors, collaborators, or policymakers? That is a different skill set.

  • Mismatch Between Research Pace and Startup Velocity
    Scientific progress rewards careful iteration; startups demand quick proof-of-concept, rapid feedback, and ruthless prioritization.

  • Founder Isolation & Identity Shifts
    Transitioning from PI to CEO can feel disorienting, with identity questions, leadership expectations, and self-doubt magnified.

  • Leadership Gaps & Team Dynamics
    Running a startup means navigating hiring, building culture, delegating responsibility, areas where many scientists have little prior practice.

  • Burnout, Mental Load & Unseen Barriers
    Founders, especially science founders, are at higher risk for burnout and mental strain. Coaching helps surface and manage these risks, improving resilience and decision clarity

How Coaching Transforms These Struggles into Strengths

  • Clarity & Narrative Framing
    Coaching helps you articulate a compelling, accessible story about your science—one that resonates with investors and stakeholders, without compromising precision.

  • Decision-Making & Strategic Focus
    You’ll develop a sharper sense of direction, balancing long-term vision with short-term execution needs—turning complexity into actionable clarity

  • Leadership Presence & Identity Support
    Navigate your transition from scientist to founder with intention and awareness, aligning your values with your leadership style.

  • Team Leadership & Communication Skills
    Build scalable communication methods, articulate your mission clearly, and develop healthy team dynamics—essential skills for scaling beyond a lab environment.

  • Unblocking Mental Barriers & Resilience Building
    Through powerful questioning and frameworks, coaching uncovers limiting beliefs (“I need all the answers,” “I can’t delegate”) and reframes them for sustainable leadership

  • Restoring Energy & Sustainable Growth
    Coaching isn’t just strategic—it’s restorative. By increasing self-awareness, confidence, and mindfulness, you gain clarity and endurance

Coaching bridges the gap between what you know, your science, and what others need: clarity, confidence, and coherent leadership. It equips you with the mental models and emotional resilience to lead strategically without losing the essence of your scientific identity.

    Let’s Connect

    Every scientific founder hits a moment where the path forward feels unclear, not because of the science, but because of how to lead it into something real. Whether you’re balancing R&D with business needs, crafting a narrative for stakeholders, or embracing the complexity of transitioning into a leadership role, strategic, personalized coaching can be the clarity you need.

    Curious how tailored Science Founder Coaching can help you navigate these challenges with purpose and momentum? Let’s have that conversation, and uncover what’s possible when your science and leadership align.

    Harbor

    Clarity on a pressing issue

      • Translate your research into a story that resonates with
        investors or partners

      • Untangle co-founder or lab-to-startup tensions

      • Gain perspective on a high-stakes decision

      • Useful for refining a pitch deck, preparing for an investor meeting, navigating team conflict, or re-prioritizing

      90-minute call • $500

    Near Shore

    Reconnect with your values and build a path forward

    • Clarify your mission and values to guide decision-making
    • Strengthen your GTM and business development strategies
    • Improve team alignment, meeting cadence, and communication structure
    • Develop KPIs and focus areas to track what truly matters

     

     

     

     

     

     

    3-months • Biweekly 45-minute calls

    Horizon

    Grow into the kind of leader your company truly needs

    • Space to reflect on how your beliefs, habits, and values are shaping your company

    • Strengthen your internal clarity and executive presence as your responsibilities expand 

    • Navigate power dynamics, conflict, and uncertainty with more self-awareness and confidence 

    • Build deeper alignment between your leadership style and your company’s evolving needs 

    • Support with fundraising, hiring, and strategic decisions, approached through the lens of leadership maturity 

    6-months • Biweekly 45-minute calls

    Each package includes: Initial assessment, Personalized development plan, Curated book and resource recommendations, Email/WhatsApp Support, Network Connections, Conferences Recommendations, Accelerator Lists, Investor Lists and Social Group Recommendations,

    Near Shore and Horizon include a pro-rated refund guarantee.

    Why Work With Me

    As a founder, the pressure is relentless to build, to fundraise, to lead, to prove. And yet, somewhere in the middle of all that motion, the questions shift. It is no longer just “How do I grow this company?” but “What kind of company am I really building, and who am I becoming as I do it?”

    I have been through that arc from idea to exit and I know how hard it is to make space for reflection when everything around you demands action. I also know how easy it is to stay in motion without checking whether it still aligns with what you care about most.

    That is where this work begins.

    My coaching is not about pushing you harder. It is about helping you zoom out, reconnect with what matters, and lead with more intention in the business, in the team, and in yourself. Sometimes that means refining strategy. Sometimes it means untangling burnout. Often, it is both.

    I bring lived founder experience, strategic perspective, and a grounded coaching presence to every session. Some conversations are tactical hiring, GTM, board dynamics. Others cut deeper, into identity, resilience, and what success really looks like now. All of it is in service of your clarity and your growth.

    I am certified as an executive coach by UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and the International Coaching Federation. I have coached and mentored hundreds of early-stage science founders through Techstars, NSF I-Corps, Cornell eLab, and Ventures for Climate. I’ve also built and exited venture-backed companies in fintech and spacetech so I understand both the mechanics and the emotional cost of building from zero to scale.

    If you are ready to lead with more clarity and less noise, I would be honored to work with you.

    Book a discovery call

    I have helped hundreds…

    I’ve helped hundreds of clients over the years by levering real, actionable and tactical advice, not theoretical lessons. Leveraging my decades of experience in tech leadership and entrepreneurship, I guide you to the point of clarity and confidence with proven results.

    Our conversations will help you build solid frameworks for dealing with similar situations in the future. Whether you’re looking to prioritize better, gain traction, strategically set goals and create value, or improve conflict resolution, fundraising, stress management, business politics, communication, and negotiation; I’ve helped founders and leaders through it all. Hundreds of times. Allow me to help you achieve your goal.

    Vladimir helped me tap into a methodology to pursue my business ambitions while framing the outcome in a positive light. He is excellent at identifying and explaining the most relevant and helpful concepts relating to entrepreneurship. Highly recommend!

    David

    Founder, WelnessTech

    Vladimir coached me for a year, bringing me clarity and valuable insights. His founder experience and thoughtful questions helped me improve my technical start-up and leadership style. His patience w.r.t my rambling rants and long winded questions was very kind and helpful. His advice often went beyond just the topic being discussed and towards the larger picture.

    I highly recommend his services for clear and organized thinking.

    Deepanshu

    Founder, FinTech

    Last four months I was coached by Vladimir. The first sessions were dedicated to goals in general. Then we started discussing my startup. Vladimir helped me to prioritize my goals and activities. Under his guidance, I gained more focus, keeping me on track to achieve the desired results.

    Anton

    Founder, SocialTech

    Vladimir is hands down one of the coolest coaches I’ve had the chance to chat with! He’s got brains, experience, and enough emotional intelligence to handle the impending robot apocalypse (no sweat!). 10/10, would definitely recommend

    Alex

    Founder, HardTech

    Vladimir’s an amazing listener and was able to provide valuable feedback and advice. I usually joined our meetings overwhelmed with decisions and left with clarity and action items. He even reached out with recommendations post meeting. I found what I was looking for and I’d highly recommend Vladimir for coaching services!

    Ivana

    Founder, FashionTech

     

    Check more testimonials

    Trusted by Founders and Leaders from Top Startups and Tech Companies

    Frequently Asked Questions

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    Why hire me as founder business coach?

    I offer a mix of directive and non-directive coaching to propel you forward on your leadership journey.

    I show up to every founder coaching session ready to listen to what you’re working on and prepared to help guide you through your own decision-making process. And, when it makes sense, I’ll provide relevant recommendations.

    I bring a diverse mix of experiences to each session as I’ve been in the technology field for 20+ years and have worked with a range of technology leaders and companies across different sectors. I have led large and small teams as a technology executive, and have delivered over 200+ coaching hours to clients with a variety of backgrounds from all over the world.

    I have been certified as an executive coach by the Haas School of Business, Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute at UC Berkeley. I have been a CTO/CIO at fintech and spacetech companies. I have been a regular mentor at various business schools and accelerators like TechStars, NSF I-corps, Cornell eLab. I am also a graduate of Columbia’s Greenshouse and Techstars Space Programs.

    How can my clients quickly solve a critical business challenge or leadership roadblock?
    As a founder, you’re constantly making high-stakes decisions—whether it’s about fundraising, hiring, product strategy, or scaling operations. When you hit a roadblock, getting expert input fast can mean the difference between a setback and a breakthrough.

    🔹 How a coach helps: A founder business coach offers a listening space free from judgement to help you cut through complexity and take decisive action. By co-thinking on identifying blind spots, challenging assumptions, and providing battle-tested strategies, a coach helps you move forward with confidence and clarity.

    What strategies will help my clients scale their startup without burning out?
    Scaling a business isn’t just about revenue growth—it’s about building a strong team, optimizing operations, and ensuring you don’t get trapped in daily firefighting. Founders often struggle with delegation, hiring the right people, and creating systems that allow the company to grow sustainably.

    🔹 How a coach helps: An executive coach helps you through guiding questions to design a scalable structure, refine your hiring strategy, and shift from working in the business to working on it.

    How do my clients successfully pivot startups without losing momentum?
    Startups evolve—markets shift, products need to change, and sometimes, entire business models must be reworked. A pivot can be risky, but done right, it can unlock new growth opportunities and save your business from stagnation.

    🔹 How a coach helps: A founder business coach helps you determine whether a pivot is necessary, develop a clear transition strategy, and manage investor and team expectations.

    What topics can I expect to have conversations on during the sessions?
    ✔ Mission/Values Review
    ✔ Milestone Based Go-to-market Strategy (GTM)
    ✔ Business Development Strategies
    ✔ Fundraising Traction
    ✔ Cleaner and Meaningful Deck
    ✔ Effective Team Structure and Communication
    ✔ Improved Conflict Resolution Approaches
    ✔ Prioritization Strategies
    ✔ Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plans
    ✔ Competitive Landscape Analysis
    ✔ Continuous Learning and Team Development Programs
    ✔ Efficient Resource Allocation
    ✔ Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Set-Up
    ✔ Value Proposition Clarification
    ✔ Customer Retention Strategies
    ✔ Internal Processing (Stress and Life Management)
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    What does a founder business coaching session look like?
    Every session is a mix of self-examination and establishing tangible steps towards progress. I meet with all my clients virtually via Zoom for one-hour sessions where we focus on addressing a particular entrepreneurship topic.

    The goal is to move you forward with an opportunity you’re considering or a challenge you’re up against. You set the stage by explaining the circumstances, I ask a series of questions, explore viable options, and finally, we’ll create a plan of action.

    What results should I expect from collaborating with you as my entrepreneur coach?
    Depending on the coachee, I’ve helped individuals optimize their go-to-market strategy, define business development process, increase fundraising reach and traction, clean up pitch decks, restructure teams, and improve mission orientation of the company.
    How can my clients make better, faster decisions as a founder?
    Every day, you’re making decisions that affect your team, your customers, and your company’s future. But second-guessing, fear of failure, and information overload can slow you down—or lead to costly mistakes.

    🔹 How a coach helps: A leadership coach equips you with proven decision-making frameworks that balance speed with strategic thinking. They challenge your biases, act as a sounding board, and help you develop confidence in your ability to make tough calls under pressure.

    How do my clients become stronger leaders and get their team fully aligned?
    A great product isn’t enough—your success depends on how well you lead your team. Founders often struggle with delegation, managing conflict, and ensuring that everyone is rowing in the same direction.

    🔹 How a coach helps: A leadership coach helps you refine your leadership style, improve your communication skills, and create a high-performance culture. They’ll coach you how to motivate your team, hold people accountable, and handle difficult conversations without damaging relationships.

    How do my clients stay focused and accountable while growing their company?
    When you’re running a startup, it’s easy to get distracted by urgent fires and lose sight of long-term priorities. Without accountability, you risk working hard but not necessarily working smart.

    🔹 How a coach helps: A coach acts as an accountability partner, keeping you focused on high-impact activities and helping you avoid distractions. They provide goal-setting frameworks, milestone tracking, and structured check-ins to ensure you’re making real progress—not just staying busy.