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Thursday, 26 October 2023

Six young ICN2 researchers embark on a journey from science to business with ESADE and BIST

by Virginia Greco

A new edition of the 'From Science to Business' course, taught by high-profile professionals from the ESADE Business School, has just ended. Six young researchers from our institute participated and returned with a wealth of new knowledge on entrepreneurship, business planning and how to bring brilliant technological solutions to the market.

The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and ESADE Business School recently organised a new edition of the course “From Science to Business”, a hands-on workshop on entrepreneurship in research. Oriented to senior and postdoctoral researchers, staff, and doctoral students who are part of the BIST community, this course is renowned for its pioneering curriculum designed to equip scientists with the skills and acumen to translate research findings into real solutions.

Through five intensive days of workshops, mentoring sessions, and immersive experiences, participants had the opportunity to learn how companies create value in a competitive environment and how to navigate the complex landscape of entrepreneurship, market analysis, and strategic planning. More importantly, the hands-on approach allowed them to experiment and understand the process of creating a new venture and the role that scientists and engineers play in it.

Six ICN2 researchers from different groups — Dr Emigdio Chavez Angel (Atomic Manipulation and Spectroscopy), Marta Delgà (Advanced Electronic Materials and Devices), Saptam Ganguly and Dr Xin Wen (both from the Oxide Nanophysics group), Dr Sohini Sinha (Nanostructured Functional Materials), and Massimo Urban (Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors)— participated in this year’s edition. Each an expert in their own field, they pooled their knowledge, ranging from biotechnology, to microscopy, to advanced materials, nano-biosensors, renewable energy and more, and embarked in a journey from scientific discovery to entrepreneurial excellence.

I think that this unique collaboration between the worlds of science and business is crucial,’ comments Dr Emigdio Chavez Angel, ‘we see as promising researchers transition from the laboratory to the boardroom, determined to bridge the gap between innovation and application.’ We are certainly looking forward to witnessing the innovative solutions that this new generation of scientists will bring, as a result of close collaboration between science and business with the aim of shaping the future together.

Photo: (From left to right) Massimo Urban, Dr Sohini Sinha, Marta Delgà, Saptam Ganguly, Dr Emigdio Chavez Angel and Dr Xin Wen.