A one-year experiential program consisting of three learning modules and a summit, empowering PhD & Postdoc researchers to: -- Act as innovation catalysts within ISTA research clusters -- Scout emerging innovations and surface high‑potential projects -- Facilitate tech transfer & commercialization with XISTA Innovation -- Engage with industry and ecosystem partners through vertical challenges. At the end of this course participants will be able to: 1) Identify high-potential scientific discoveries suitable for tech transfer. 2) Distinguish platform vs. application technologies 3) Recognize “commercial signals" in academic research by understanding application potential, push vs pull strategies and differentiating between solution-finding-a-problem versus problem-finding-a-solution modes of innovation.
Target group: Researchers at all stages of their careers, including PhD students, postdocs, and PIs.This includes researchers from all fields from computer science to plant biology who are curious about the "how-to" of translation but are not yet ready to commit to a full-semester Masterclass. This course counts toward the essential skills requirement for PhD students.
Prerequisites: None
Evaluation: Attendance and participation as well as assignments:
1) Identify at least one innovation with commercial potential
2) Construct a trend and strength Matrix of your research cluster at ISTA
Teaching format: None
ECTS: 1.5 Year: 2025
Track segment(s):
Core curriculum
Teacher(s):
Prudence Donovan
Francesca Besostri
Edmundo Sánchez Guajardo
Teaching assistant(s):
- Teacher: Francesca Besostri
- Teacher: Prudence Donovan
- Teacher: Edmundo Sánchez Guajardo