LSE Summer School '26 Reflection with Antonia Antova

Antonia Antova reflects on her LSE Summer School experience and the opportunity to explore the intersection of healthcare, business, and innovation. Read about the key lessons she took from the programme and the perspectives gained from working alongside an international group of peers.

Our Scholar

My name is Antonia Antova. I am a fifth-year medical student with a strong interest in the intersection of medicine, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Alongside my medical studies, I am currently developing my career at AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I have become increasingly convinced that transforming healthcare requires not only scientific and clinical expertise, but also a deep understanding of how innovative ideas are built, funded, and brought to patients.

My long-term ambition is to lead and build healthcare businesses that create meaningful improvements in patient care. This vision motivated me to apply for the London School of Economics Summer School and enroll in FM200: Fundraising for Startups. I wanted to gain the financial and entrepreneurial knowledge necessary to complement my medical background and better understand what it takes to turn innovative healthcare solutions into sustainable businesses.

A Glimpse Into a Typical Day of an LSE Summer Scholar

A typical day began with a 20-minute walk through London to the Marshall Building. I always liked arriving early, giving myself time to revise the assigned readings with friends from the course while catching up over coffee before lectures began. Those informal conversations often became just as valuable as the classes themselves, allowing us to exchange perspectives and challenge each other's thinking.

The lectures began with the theoretical framework before bringing the concepts to life through business cases and practical problem-solving exercises.This was where theory truly came to life.

Our lectures were followed by a lunch break, usually spent together discussing the day's topics before returning for the seminar sessions. We worked through additional business cases, solved practical fundraising challenges, and collaborated on developing our own startup business plan, applying the concepts we had learned in class.

After another walk back home, the day was far from over. Most evenings were dedicated to independently working through Excel models, practicing the valuation techniques introduced during lectures, and preparing the materials for the following day. Although demanding, the routine was incredibly rewarding, as each day built upon the previous one and gradually strengthened both my analytical skills and entrepreneurial mindset.

Academic Perspective & Course Application

For me, the course represented something much larger than learning finance. My goal was to develop the knowledge that will one day enable me to lead healthcare ventures capable of improving patient outcomes. As a medical student, I understand the clinical challenges facing patients and healthcare systems. Through FM200, I began learning the financial language needed to transform promising healthcare innovations into organisations that can successfully attract investment, scale, and ultimately make a real difference. The course pushed us to read widely and work through real deals, analysing which growth strategies work best in which contexts- organic versus aggressive expansion; how funding should be allocated differently depending on the type of business model. We learned how investors evaluate opportunities, structure funding rounds, and weigh risk against growth potential, which meant getting comfortable calculating and interpreting metrics like LTV and CAC, unit economics such as ARPU, and recurring revenue indicators like ARR and MRR to refine strategic approaches.

One of the most valuable aspects of the course was working on our business plan alongside classmates from diverse professional backgrounds. Everyone brought a unique perspective- whether from finance, consulting, technology, or entrepreneurship, which enriched every discussion. Learning to combine these different viewpoints while presenting and defending our ideas mirrored the multidisciplinary collaboration required in the real business ecosystem.

Cultural Immersion & Social Experiences

One of the most memorable aspects of the Summer School was the international community. Every conversation introduced me to a new perspective, whether discussing entrepreneurship, education, personal experiences, career interests. It was inspiring to spend time with ambitious individuals from around the world, each pursuing their own goals while sharing a genuine curiosity to learn from one another. The friendships and professional connections built during those weeks are something I know will continue long after the programme itself. London has always drawn me back in a way I can't quite explain, as I always knew that city held something meant for me, and being there felt like it’s the place where dreams could truly take shape.

Life After LSE Summer School

One characteristic that has consistently defined my journey is my drive for continuous growth and my determination to keep moving forward. The Summer School was an important step in this path, reinforcing my motivation to continue expanding my expertise across medicine, business, and innovation while pursuing opportunities. Returning from London, I came back with strengthened  confidence that combining medicine with entrepreneurship  is the path I want to pursue throughout my career.

My Advice for future applicants

If you're considering applying, start by choosing a course that genuinely aligns with your long-term ambitions rather than simply selecting one that sounds impressive. Think about the skills you want to develop and how they fit into the bigger picture of your career. Do read about the topic you are choosing. Go prepared. It truly makes a difference. Finally, make the most of every moment once you're there. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and get to know the people around you. Some of the most valuable lessons happen outside the lecture theatre, through conversations with classmates who come from completely different backgrounds.

For me, LSE was much more than a summer course. It was an opportunity to broaden my perspective, build lifelong connections, and take another meaningful step toward my goal.