“The University of Bonn will put this Start-up Center.NRW funding specifically toward creating new structures for spin-offs in the life sciences and AI,” explains Sandra Speer, Head of the Transfer Center enaCom, which will be delivering the project together with the Faculty of Medicine’s Transfer team. “This will establish it as a leading center for supporting innovative AI and life sciences start-ups in NRW.”
From the life sciences lab to start-ups
An innovative Clinician Scientist Entrepreneur Program is being designed at the Faculty of Medicine to teach medical experts at the University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn entrepreneurial thinking and encourage them to set up their own business. In addition, the network with the pharmaceutical industry will be strengthened so that promising results from the labs can be more easily applied and brought to market. The aim is to provide targeted support for new products and start-ups in the drugs sector in particular and to enhance the start-up advisors’ expertise in this area.
“Start-up studio” for AI use
As well as start-up consulting in the life sciences, the support given to AI-based start-ups is being expanded and tailored to the specific challenges facing spin-offs in the AI sector. A dedicated “AI start-up studio” is being set up at the University of Bonn to this end, where practical applications for AI use will be developed in close collaboration with companies. It will be a place for industry partners to meet coders and developers in order to use scientific expertise to turn industry needs into real-life solutions.
Highly skilled start-up advice
Bespoke coaching and support programs are also being developed for students and researchers keen to start their own AI or life sciences business, while dialogue with companies from Germany and abroad and with investors from relevant sectors is being stepped up. All these support services will make it easier to cross from theory to practice, thus encouraging AI and life sciences innovations from students and researchers and fostering a vibrant start-up culture at the University of Bonn.
About Start-up Center.NRW funding
With the grant program, the state of NRW is helping higher-education institutions to unleash their full potential for spin-offs, prepare the ground for new business ventures and grow a sustainable start-up culture while also strengthening the role that universities play as key actors in regional start-up ecosystems. The money is being provided by the EU from the ERDF and by NRW’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy.
