From PhD to Startup CEO
Tyler Benster, the CEO of Tacit, shares how he went from a PhD in Neurosciences to founding and leading a pre-seed startup in cutting-edge neural interfaces.
Are you trying to transition out of academia but feeling stuck on how to position your PhD for industry roles? 🤔
I highly recommend Career Clear: a 6-week, PhD-focused coaching program led by Kaidi Wu that teaches a step-by-step job search, application strategy, and networking system for industry transitions.
Alumni have landed 6-figure industry roles up to $271K at competitive companies such as Meta, Amazon, Chase, and World Bank.
Enrollment deadline is tomorrow (2/18)! Apply before the seats are gone:
👔 The Job 👔
As CEO of Tacit, Tyler oversees all aspects of running a pre-seed startup backed by Khosla and Greylock.
In his role, he:
Leads strategy, product development, and team building
Secures resources and funding to scale innovative neuroscience technology
Collaborates with co-founders, investors, and early employees to drive company growth
Best part of the job:
Having the resources to scale his dreams while working with a talented and motivated team.
🛣️ The Path 🛣️
Tyler’s career path highlights how PhDs can leverage their training to launch entrepreneurial ventures.
Key steps in his career journey:
• Consultant/Conference Chair ➡️ Started VC Fund ➡️ PhD Graduate ➡️ Founder & CEO
Yes, you read that right. Tyler was running his venture capital fund while in grad school!
🧠 The Decision 🧠
Tyler decided against academia for several reasons: a negative experience with his initial PhD advisor, frustration with gatekeepers in grants and publishing, and disillusionment with academic power structures.
He saw entrepreneurship as a way to take control of his work and directly impact the world.
💡 The Advice 💡
Use your PhD to explore.
Graduate school is an incredible launchpad - experiment with projects, build networks, and try different approaches before settling on a path.
🔑 The Takeaway 🔑
Tyler’s story shows that leaving academia can open doors to creating something entirely new - leveraging your scientific expertise, curiosity, and problem-solving skills to build ventures that push technology forward.