STEMup Science and Technology Institute™ and Connexis Search Group Launch National Partnership to Advance Fractional Leadership and Workforce Innovation in STEM and Life Sciences

Professional service organizations—the STEMup Enablers™—will enrich STEM-based enterprises and drive capital-efficient operations.

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- STEMup Science and Technology Institute™ ("STEMup") and Connexis Search Group ("Connexis") today announced a strategic national partnership to accelerate workforce readiness, leadership development, and talent innovation across the life-science and technology sectors.

A key feature within the STEMup ecosystem is the STEMup Enablers™—a network of professional service organizations that provide knowledge, access, and operational expertise to participants in STEMup's education-to-enterprise programming. This collaboration will connect STEMup's multi-generational workforce initiatives with Connexis's expertise in executive recruitment and fractional leadership to establish a new model for talent deployment, venture growth, and capital efficiency in early-stage organizations.

Through this partnership, STEMup and Connexis will identify and support STEM executives, emerging leaders, and innovators seeking flexible career and advisory roles within high-growth ventures. The initiative will pilot fractional executive placements within biotechnology and technology companies while expanding STEMup's Pittsburgh Innovators Apprenticeship Program™ (PIAP™)—a workforce pipeline integrating apprenticeship, mentorship, domain-specific education (DSE), and leadership-readiness programs across regional and national networks. By bridging the human-capital gap and promoting cost-efficient growth, the partnership enables STEM-based companies to scale faster and more sustainably.

"Our collaboration with Connexis bridges the gap between education, employment, and enterprise creation," said Dr. Neil J. Campbell, Executive Chairman of STEMup Science and Technology Institute. "By embedding fractional leadership and executive development into our innovation ecosystem, we are building a more agile, inclusive, and capital-efficient STEM workforce that scales to meet the needs of organizations right here in Pittsburgh and across the country."

Connexis Search Group specializes in recruiting and developing leadership talent across the life-science and technology industries. Its fractional leadership model enables companies to access senior-level expertise in R&D, regulatory affairs, commercialization, and operations—without the costs and constraints of traditional full-time roles. See, https://connexissearch.com/fractional-roles-in-life-sciences/ 

"Fractional leadership has become a growth accelerator for emerging companies and a career multiplier for experienced executives," said Charles A. "Tony" Bishop, President of Connexis Search Group. "Together with STEMup, we are creating new pathways for life-science and technology professionals to engage where their skills are needed most and to help new ventures succeed from day one."

"At Connexis, we believe great leadership is the catalyst for innovation," said Kevin M. Kinsella, Vice President of Connexis Search Group. "By combining our recruiting expertise with STEMup's workforce Innosystem™, we're helping companies find the right leaders faster—and empowering STEM professionals to make a real impact where it matters most."

The joint effort integrates Connexis' national recruiting network into STEMup's Theory-to-Action™ and Coop Model™ frameworks for education, apprenticeship, and venture development/creation. Early initiatives include leadership-readiness programs, executive career coaching, and fractional placements supporting startups and scale-ups in biotechnology, AI, Quantum computing, health tech, and advanced manufacturing.

About STEMup Science and Technology Institute™

STEMup Science and Technology Institute is a nonprofit organization advancing multi-generational STEM education, apprenticeship, and venture development to build a future-ready workforce and inclusive economic growth. Through its Theory-to-Action™ framework and Coop Model™, STEMup integrates domain-specific education (DSE), Apprenticeship (PIAP™), and entrepreneurship to accelerate innovation across regional and national ecosystems. Learn more at www.stemuppgh.org.

About the STEMup Enablers™

The STEMup Enablers™ are a curated network of professional service organizations aligned with the needs of STEM-based enterprises—from startups to small and midsize companies. Enablers provide services in legal, accounting, human capital, training, workforce development, sales, marketing, regulatory, manufacturing, and computational disciplines. Participants in STEMup programs—known as STEMup Scholars™—may select from Enabler partners or other service providers of their choice, ensuring open access and flexibility.

About Connexis Search Group

Connexis Search Group is a national executive search and human-capital consulting firm specializing in the life-science and technology sectors. The firm provides retained, contingent, and a proprietary fractional search services that connect leaders and organizations driving innovation and growth. Learn more at www.connexissearch.com.

The Coop Model™, Theory-to-Action™, STEMup Masters™, STEMup Mentors™, STEMup Enablers™, STEMup Scholars™, and Innosystem™ are trademarks of The STEMup Science and Technology Institute™.

Contact:
Dr. Neil J. Campbell, Executive Chairman | STEMup™ Science and Technology Institute
[email protected] | 301-792-4345 | www.stemuppgh.org

Charles A. "Tony" Bishop, President | Connexis Search Group, Inc.
[email protected] | www.connexissearch.com

SOURCE STEMup Science & Technology Institute