How do you turn your own research into a compelling startup concept and convince potential investors with a pitch?

SNI doctoral students took their first steps on this path in mid-October during the two-day startup workshop “From Lab to Startup” in the old town of Solothurn. Under the professional guidance of Anna-Elina Pekonen from the University of Basel's Innovation Office and Mauricio Campos, coach and owner of a consulting firm, the eight participants learned what it takes to convince investors of their business idea with a clear, structured, and inspiring pitch.

Based on their own research projects or completely different personal ideas, the doctoral students had already conceived and developed initial business concepts before the workshop. During the course, Pekonen and Campos provided them with valuable guidance, tips and ideas, as well as individual support for the development of their respective start-up concepts – so that all participants were able to present an impressive pitch at the end of the intensive two days.

At the end of the event, Pekonen, Campos, and the head of the SNI Doctoral School, Dr. Andreas Baumgartner, were spoiled for choice when it came to selecting and awarding the best pitch. The close decision went to Bryan Benz, who is researching new nanofabrication methods for silicon nanowires with magnetic tips as part of his doctoral thesis at the Paul Scherrer Institute and the Department of Physics at the University of Basel.

Start-up foundation as an option
The start-up workshop, which all SNI doctoral students attend once during their dissertation, took place for the second time in this format this year. The program, developed specifically for the SNI doctoral school, aims to encourage young researchers to consider founding a start-up and to reduce the barriers to doing so. The doctoral students gain the necessary initial knowledge to evaluate their scientific results not only in terms of scientific publications, but also in terms of applicability – thereby contributing to the solution of societal challenges.

A big thank you goes to Anna-Elina Pekonen from the University of Basel's Innovation Office and Mauricio Campos for the professional execution, and to all participants for their entrepreneurial spirit!

SNI PhD School