Some journeys lead back to where they began. For Evan Sengbusch, becoming an advisory board member for the Weinert Center of Entrepreneurship marks a meaningful return to the place that first sparked his entrepreneurial path with a chance to help others find theirs.
Originally from Ames, Iowa, Evan never imagined that entrepreneurship would become a big part of his future. “I really started down that road when I came to UW,” he shared. After arriving in Madison for graduate school, Evan earned both a Master’s and Ph.D. degree in Medical Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While completing his doctoral studies, he also pursued an MBA in Strategic Management in Life and Engineering Sciences (SMILES) through the Weinert Center Entrepreneurship Program in 2011.
It was during that time that Evan began to see the intersections of science, business, and innovation and how they could work together to solve meaningful problems. His academic training in healthcare and technology, paired with his growing interest in entrepreneurship, laid the foundation for a career centered on improving lives through innovation.
Today, Evan serves as a CEO and Board Member of Archeus Technologies, an emerging biotechnology company focused on developing radiopharmaceutical therapies for cancer treatment. These innovative therapies are designed to deliver radiation treatment with greater precision, advancing the future of oncology care.
Before joining Archeus, Evan served as President of Phoenix, LLC, where he specialized in particle accelerators and used them to produce radioactive isotopes — a critical component in many medical treatments. Across each stage of his career, Evan has consistently focused on translating complex scientific ideas into real world solutions that make a difference for many patients and their families.
Behind his success, Evan mentions, is a foundation of mentorship that helped guide his path early on. One of the most influential figures on that journey was his PhD advisor, Thomas Rockwell (Rock) Mackie, a respected entrepreneur and founder of several successful companies. Through Rock’s example, Evan was introduced to the possibility of building a business rooted in scientific innovation. Reflecting on this impact, Evan shared, “He kind of gave me that entrepreneurial bug.” Combined with his experiences at the Weinert Center, Evan discovered a passion for entrepreneurship that would shape him indefinitely.
Now, in a true full-circle moment, Evan is eager to give the same support that once helped him. Reflecting on his own student experience, he recalled, “I remember being able to interact with advisory board members back when I was an MBA student and getting some helpful feedback.” As a new advisory board member, he hopes to offer the same encouragement, perspectives, and mentorship to students as they build ventures of their own.
Evan also understands the realities of entrepreneurship and the resilience it requires. His advice to students is: “Perseverance is perhaps one of the most important characteristics somebody running an early-stage business needs, because things are continually going to go wrong.” He also encourages students to pursue work they care about, knowing that passion is what helps people persist through challenges.
With his combination of scientific experience, entrepreneurial experience, and commitment to mentorship, Evan brings great value to the advisory board. Welcome Evan!
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