Launching scientific innovation on the market is hard, but it does not have to be.
You could join a free startup school focused on helping scientists create the businesses of tomorrow.
Scientists who want to turn to entrepreneurship often lack the business processes to launch their ideas on the market. Like every entrepreneur, scientists need to figure out the best services and products they can offer to their future clients.
They need to think about the business itself, how much money it will generate, how to recruit employees, and how to plan their business development. They might have doubts about Intellectual Property, legal status and the hundreds of small activities that any entrepreneur has to do to create a sustainable business. And some might need funding and investment before they can reach the market, especially if a core technology needs to be tested, refined and launched.
This is why we created a startup school to help scientists become entrepreneurs.
Because we focus on scientists, our programme helps them learn the operational skills that make them better entrepreneurs. A programme to become a very special kind of entrepreneur: a sciencepreneur. The type of people the world needs now to keep innovating.
And we work together with one of the most prominent science institutes in Germany - DESY - one of the world’s leading accelerator centres, to make our programme a leading startup school for scientists.
This is the CAROTS startup school, and if you think about applying, read on:
Programme
The programme takes about 40 hours to complete, split into four months - or about 5 hours per week. Delivering the CAROTS 20.0 Startup School is Pegram Harrison, Senior Fellow in Entrepreneurship, from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
It consists of five webinars, accompanied by coaching and mentoring and culminating with multiple rounds of a pitch to CEOs, investors, and science experts. Because all our collaborators are professionals in their respective industries, entrepreneurs' feedback is operational and improves their projects massively. It is a safe environment to learn, practice and become an entrepreneur.
Five modules and a final event:
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Entrepreneurial Mindset - learn how to think like an entrepreneur - 4 hours.
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Ideation and Business Model Canvas - use the most advanced business model to think all the steps of your business, from ideas to execution - 4 hours.
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Basic Business & Financial Management - improve the numbers, forecasts and business processes that successful businesses rely on - 4 hours.
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Marketing & Sales - learn how to market science to clients and prepare sales pitches that convince clients to work with you - 4 hours.
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Storytelling and Pitching - create an impactful and accurate pitch for your company to convince clients, investors, and stakeholders of the value of your work - 4 hours.
Final pitch: you get the opportunity to present your project in front of entrepreneurs and scientists who have done it before you and are committed to helping you refine your project in real-life conditions.
What we offer you:
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A free, four months programme of incubation to launch your idea on the market
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we provide you with direct access to some of Europe's leading CEOs of scientific service companies
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you take part in tailored webinars specifically designed to help scientists become entrepreneurs
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you get the opportunity to join a European network of like-minded people that are willing to make science contribute to the world of tomorrow
The CAROTS Startup School focuses on practical knowledge transfer.
And this is why we work with experienced CEOs of successful scientific service companies who share their knowledge with the Startup School participants.
After completing the programme, participants will write a short business plan/ canvas and pitch their idea in front of a jury.
Click here to see what our Alumni and CEOs said about last year's school.
What you bring to the table:
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you are a scientist or engineer with experience in an advanced analytical method
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you are playing with the idea of becoming a #sciencepreneur and turning your skills into a business but might need support before releasing your concept to the world
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you want to bridge the gap between science and industry by providing consulting services based on advanced scientific measurement methods
What you need to join:
The scope of the CAROTS STARTUP school is not limited to certain methods or industrial sectors.
We work in physics, life sciences, materials science, chemistry, pharmaceutical research and data analysis.
We know that science is constantly evolving.
If you think you can provide an advanced analytical technique of interest for science-driven SMEs and/or large industrial R&D departments; and that our fields do not yet cover, we are open to learning about your skills and ideas.
A safe and challenging space for innovation
You might already be thinking about your next career step, just exploring different options, or want to gain some business know-how.
By joining the school, you can rest assured that all the parties involved are bound by a confidentiality agreement to maintain the confidentiality of all information accessible to them within the framework of the CAROTS STARTUP School.
The rights of use and publication of the ideas lie solely with the STARTUP School participants.
Key dates: ⚠️ registration closes on 10.04.2022
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The registration will close on Monday, 10.04.2022
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The programme runs from May to October 2022 (with a break for summer)
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All participants will present their idea at the end of October at a pitch event
What do you need to apply?
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Register here or download our application form here. It will take you between 30 and 60 minutes to complete.
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For further information on your application, please contact Dr. Uwe Sassenberg, uwe.sassenberg@desy.de
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All parties involved are bound by a confidentiality agreement to maintain the confidentiality of all information accessible to them within the framework of the CAROTS STARTUP School. The rights of use and publication of the ideas lie solely with the STARTUP School participants.
What is a scientific service company?
Read our two case studies below about Finden, UK, and Exploraytion, Berlin, both successful scientific service companies.
During the CAROTS 2.0 Startup School, you will learn from CEOs of similar companies.
Example of a scientific service company: Dr. Emely Bortel and Dr. Christian Seim conducting data analysis and visualisation of synchrotron-based measurements (photo courtesy of Xploraytion GmbH, Germany) Read our case study on Xploraytion
Example of a scientific service company: Finden research scientist Antony Vamvakeros, PhD, working at ID15, ESRF to develop the next generation X-ray imaging (photo courtesy of Finden Ltd, UK) Read our case study on Finden
Confidentiality agreement
All parties involved are bound by a confidentiality agreement to maintain the confidentiality of all information accessible to them within the framework of the CAROTS STARTUP School. The rights of use and publication of the ideas lie solely with the STARTUP School participants.
Data protection statement
https://www.desy.de/data_privacy_policy/index_eng.html
