Leen Kawas is a biotech entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Michigan. She created Serial Box, an application that turns books into episodes. Her company is making serialized content, a new way to publish fiction. She develops software for iPhone and iPad apps like Serial Box, HealthStory (a skill-based health education app), and Podcast I Hate My Job (a podcast about difficult bosses).
The idea for Serial Box came to Leen while in the hospital. While recovering from a car accident, she got bored and read some science fiction. She noticed that it was challenging to read sci-fi because of the cliffhangers at the end of every chapter. After finishing the book, she wanted to read more but couldn’t find anything online. Leen Kawas decided to create an app that would solve this problem.
Kawas works to develop new technologies for medicine and healthcare education. Her current project is an iOS application that consists of medical audiobooks. She is also developing a web application for an online community of health professionals. Leen has had two separate incidents that changed her life. The first was the car accident, and the second was when she applied to a scholarship program in graduate school and got rejected. These incidents motivated her to succeed and become a better entrepreneur.
Leen Kawas has created a nonprofit organization called App2Homes that raises money for the homeless community by selling donated apps and games on eBay. The proceeds from this sale are distributed to the homeless nonprofit organization, Community First Foundation, to help provide a home for those without homes.
Kawas’ main goal is to change the publishing industry with her new novel format. She wants to create a new mobile entertainment format and make it very popular as a replacement for television. Leen believes an interesting story can be told in every book and genre. She believes that focus is one of the most important things an entrepreneur needs.