SU LaunchPod

As Stellenbosch University (SU) LaunchLab continues its 10-year anniversary reflections, this second installment of our special series features Brandon Paschal, Deputy Director of Spinouts and Funds. Brandon shares his journey of shaping LaunchLab’s spinout strategy - from nurturing early-stage ideas to securing funding and building companies that create real-world impact. With an eye on both the lessons of the past decade and the opportunities that lie ahead, he reflects on the unique role LaunchLab plays in advancing research commercialisation, growing South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and positioning university spinouts for global relevance.

As Stellenbosch University (SU) LaunchLab marks its 10-year anniversary, Anita Nel, Chief Director of Innovation and Commercialisation, and Brandon Paschal, Deputy Director of Spinouts and Funds, reflect on a decade of building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem at SU. In this special LaunchPod episode, they explore how universities can evolve beyond traditional roles, becoming engines for innovation, opportunity, and sustainable growth. From spinout companies to groundbreaking research commercialisation, Anita and Brandon share lessons learned, success stories, and their vision for the next decade of impact.

The founding story of Immobazyme is deeply rooted in connection, curiosity and a shared passion for science. Dominic Nicholas, Ethan Hunter and Nick Enslin, now co-founders of a groundbreaking biotech company, met during their Honours year at Stellenbosch University (SU), where they developed a shared interest in Biotechnology. Watch the full episode with Brandon Paschal, Dominic and Nick as they unpack the complexities of founding a company as researchers with no entrepreneurial experience.

Established in late 2022, CEO of Fluorobiotech Dr Anton Du Preez van Staden, a molecular biologist with over a decade of experience working in the fields of microbiology and recombinant protein expression, joined forces with Co-Founder and COO of Fluorobiotech, Ross Vermeulen. Together, they have combined their scientific expertise with a drive to create commercial value that can address the challenges faced by the biotech industry in South Africa. In this episode, Brandon Paschal chats to the co-founders to understand how Fluorobiotech came to be, from research to commercialisation. Subscribe for regular updates!