About US
About Nafees Innovations Academy
Nafees Innovations Academy is a STEM education company that turns bioprocessing into fast, hands-on learning for youth and schools. We design labs where students mix, measure, filter, and see real results—so they don’t just watch science; they do science.
Led by experienced industry scientists, our sessions emphasize clarity, safety, and momentum. We handle materials, setup, cleanup, and the “why it matters,” while learners build durable lab habits: safety awareness, aseptic technique, measurement, timing, and simple data interpretation.
What We Do
Nafees Innovations brings hands-on STEM and bioprocessing straight to you.
Mobile STEM Labs: We travel to schools and organizations with everything needed for high-energy, lab-style experiences.
In-School Workshops (On-Site & Virtual): Standards-aligned sessions that feel like real industry labs, designed for classrooms, assemblies, and special STEM days.
Special Events: Interactive science stations and live demos that are fun, photo-ready, and unforgettable.
We also offer our own STEM & bioprocessing curriculum and consulting services to help schools and programs build sustainable, industry-informed STEM pathways for their students.
What Is Bioprocessing?
Bioprocessing is basically using living cells—like yeast, bacteria, or mammalian cells—like tiny factories to make useful things for people. Instead of mixing harsh chemicals in a big pot, we grow cells in a controlled way so they can do the hard work for us. Those cells can make medicines, vaccines, enzymes, and other products that help keep people healthy and make everyday life better.
Here’s why it matters:
It makes modern medicine possible – A lot of today’s medicines (like insulin and many cancer treatments) are made using bioprocessing, not old-school chemistry alone.
It’s gentler and more precise – Living cells can build complex molecules that regular chemistry can’t easily make.
It can be more sustainable – Bioprocesses often use less toxic chemicals and can be designed to create less waste.
It connects science to real life – From vaccines to laundry enzymes to future cell and gene therapies, bioprocessing is behind products people use and depend on.
In industry, we use bioprocessing because it’s the best way to reliably grow, control, and “harvest” what cells make—at a scale big enough to serve entire communities and, sometimes, the whole world.
The L.A.C.K. Mindset
Our Core Vaules
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We lead with love first—seeing every youth as valuable, capable, and worthy of patience, encouragement, and second chances.
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We meet people where they are—adjusting how we teach, support, and communicate so every learner can access the experience.
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We pay attention to the details—how students feel, what they need, and what’s going on at home—because real learning happens when people feel safe.t goes here
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We choose kindness in our words, tone, and actions, creating a lab and classroom culture where everyone feels welcome, respected, and inspired to grow.
At Nafees Innovations, our core values spell LACK: Loving, Accommodating, Caring, and Kindness. When we walk in these values, we lack nothing—because every youth, family, and partner feels seen, supported, and pushed toward their best. Here at Nafees Innovations, we don’t just train great scientists; we build leaders with the heart, discipline, and character to change the world.
“When you lead with love, accommodation, care, and kindness, you lack nothing in STEM education.””
About our CEO and Founder - Nafees Norris
Nafees Norris from North Philadelphia is the Founder and CEO of Nafees Innovations, where he uses his background as a cell culture and bioprocessing scientist to make real biotech feel simple, hands-on, and fun for youth. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Nafees went from being a curious kid who loved science experiments to becoming the first African American to earn a degree in Biopharmaceutical Process Engineering, and now he brings that journey straight into the classroom and lab for the next generation.
By day, Nafees works in industry with mammalian cell culture, bioreactors, and media development, helping design and optimize the same kinds of processes that power modern medicines and cell therapies. Through Nafees Innovations, he translates that high-level work into mobile STEM labs, in-school workshops, and bioprocessing curriculum that students can actually see, touch, and understand. His programs are fast-paced, competitive, and full of movement—built for real kids with real energy, not a quiet textbook classroom.
Nafees is deeply committed to underrepresented youth and families, especially in cities like Philadelphia where access to cutting-edge STEM is often limited. He believes that once young people see themselves in the lab, they start to see themselves in college, in careers, and in leadership. Every workshop, partnership, and curriculum he builds is designed to open doors: from the first time a child holds a pipette to the moment they realize, “I could actually do this for a living.”
At the core of his leadership is the L.A.C.K. mindset—Loving, Accommodating, Caring, and Kindness. For Nafees, STEM is not just about training good scientists; it’s about growing leaders with character, humility, and heart who will change their communities and the industry.