Bryce Nelson

Bryce P. Nelson, Ph.D. is a scientist-turned-entrepreneur and executive whose career spans early-stage biotech ventures and global leadership roles in the life science and high-tech fields. After earning his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UW–Madison, he became the first employee and Chief Scientific Officer at Gentel Biosciences, a Madison-based startup. Originally launched as a spinout focused on DNA computing, Gentel pivoted to become a proteomics tools company serving pharmaceutical and academic customers. Backed by early revenue, SBIR grants, and support from angel and venture investors, the company grew steadily before its assets were acquired by Intuitive Biosciences in 2010.

Choosing to stay in the Midwest, Bryce joined Sigma-Aldrich (now MilliporeSigma), where he spent 14 years leading several flagship businesses. He held executive roles across Chemical Synthesis, Discovery Chemistry, Materials Science, and Marketing for the global chemistry division. In 2024, he launched North Star Technology Insights, a consulting firm helping high-tech and science-driven companies accelerate innovation and bring new ideas to market. He also serves in fractional leadership roles with several global and early-stage companies.

At UW–Milwaukee, Bryce is an Adjunct Assistant Professor and Executive-In-Residence at the Lubar College of Business. He teaches Entrepreneurship in the Executive MBA program and mentors early-stage teams through UWM’s I-Corps program. Bryce brings a deep belief that entrepreneurship is both a team sport and a personal journey—and he’s passionate about helping founders navigate pivots, scale wisely, and grow from idea to impact.