The Hightech Ventures podcast gives you the inside look at what it takes to create successful science-backed ventures. We truly want to understand the entire process from lab to IPO and hone in on the people involved - entrepreneurs, tech transfer specialists and investors - most of them working backstage, relentlessly. Anna-Lena and Thorsten talk to those getting their hands dirty, those who don't shy away from the complexity but see the opportunity to create lasting impact based on the newest advances in science and technology.
#20 Dietmar Harhoff on entrepreneurship and research as perfect complements
“High tech” or “deep tech” sits, by definition, at the intersection of research and entrepreneurship. Leveraging both domains’ complementarities is key for successful innovation. That is why we invited Prof. Dietmar Harhoff to join this week’s episode to shed light on some of the most important questions around how to make tech transfer happen.
Dietmar is, first and foremost, the Director at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition. He has been observing global invention and innovation activities for decades through the lens of a researcher and gained a very rich understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Due to his outstanding expertise, Dietmar has been invited to be an advisor for and board member at several public and private organizations, such as the German government through the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI), Angela Merkel’s “innovation dialogue”, the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND), the German Accelerator, or the Siemens Technology Accelerator. He truly understands deep tech innovation from a scientific and very practical perspective.
In this episode, we talk about what levers to pull in a deep tech ecosystem to increase entrepreneurial activity in general, how to fix the role of tech transfer offices, the need for more private capital to fund deep tech innovation and incentive systems that are conducive for tech transfer.
5 May 2022
#19 Jacinto Sá on transparent solar cells and doing what’s best for the success of the company
Jacinto is Chief Science and Innovation Officer and most importantly founder and brain behind the technology of Peafowl Plasmonics as well as Professor at Uppsala University in Sweden. We learn about his journey from research to startup and he gives us an understanding of plasmonics, the physics of solar cells and the new opportunities his research brings. With a platform technology like his, Jacinto shines light on how he thinks about finding the best use case for your technology.
We learn about the specialties of the Swedish tech transfer system, how they think in a circular manner but also about the moral responsibility that Jacinto thinks lies on scientists to make use of their technology. And most importantly, we get to know Jacinto as someone who is a master at separating his ego from the success of his company. We hear the story of how he found an external co-founder and CEO and built a trustful relationship with him to make Peafowl Plasmonics succeed.
19 Apr 2022
#18 Silvio Bonaccio on ETH Zurich‘s “magic formula” for world class tech transfer
This episode is with Silvio Bonaccio, the Head of ETH transfer at ETH Zurich. Silvio is a chemist by training with an outstanding experience in technology transfer and years of industry expertise from Nestle. He is the kind of person not seeking to be in the spotlight although he deserves it way more than many others in the world of high-tech innovation. Silvio is humble, kind and lets facts speak.
Since the ETH Zurich is a global leader in education, science and tech transfer, we dive deep into ETH’s magic formula and special ecosystem. A key ingredient is the incredible amount of smart people from all over the world. For Silvio technology transfer is “all about the people”.
Another focus of this conversation is how to structure tech transfer deals. There is quite some debate what actually makes a deal spin-off and venture capital friendly. Silvio outlines ETH’s policy in detail and also stresses why expectation management is key.
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