A well-designed innovation process is characterized by a perfect interplay of awareness raising, scouting, coaching, networking and transfer, creating an environment that generates breakthrough innovations. Explore this dynamic ecosystem by participating in the Profound Innovation Track during the International Staff Training Week 2024 at Freie Universität Berlin. This exclusive program offers you the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the inner workings of the institution through hands-on job shadowing.

As part of this specialized program, we are excited to offer two individuals at time the chance to immerse themselves in our daily work processes of our Innovation Management, Founders Advisor and Technology Transfer Team.

 

Please have a look at our program.

If you are interested to apply for participation in this programme, please fill in the application form before February 7, 2024. Late applications cannot be considered. Selection results will be communicated via email in early March.

For this track, there are 6 spots available.

 

More information on Profund Innovation and its teams

Profund Innovation is the service institution for knowledge and technology transfer within the research division of Freie Universität Berlin. In our activities to support innovation, we work with scholars, scientists, and researchers to explore the application potential of their research and consult on what the most suitable path of commercialization is.

Profund Innovation's areas of responsibility are based on the concept of the innovation chain and represent an innovation process from the development of an idea to the market launch of a product or service. The team is divided into the following areas:

The Innovation Management Team plays a multifaceted role and is responsible for various important tasks. Their task is to support scientists in identifying innovative ideas in ongoing projects, validating these concepts and finding suitable funding programs or cooperation opportunities for the implementation of the idea. Beyond the research-to-market process, they play a central role in actively promoting the personal development and qualification of members of Freie Universität Berlin for transfer and entrepreneurship.

The Founders Advisor Team provides advice and guidance to those graduates, students, scientific staff, or PhD interested in starting a business on developing their business ideas, creating business plans, and navigating the entrepreneurial process. Their tasks include organizing training sessions, improving pitch and presentation skills, putting them in touch with other entrepreneurs, industry professionals, investors and stakeholders, and coaching them on the legal and regulatory aspects of starting and running a business. In addition to their advisory role, they collaborate with academic programs and play a central role in monitoring founders' progress and actively promoting and organizing access to the shared programs and resources of Science & Startup - a joint platform of the start-up services of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and Charité Universitätsmedizin.

The Technology Transfer Team plays a critical role in bridging the gap between academic research and the commercial marketplace and facilitating the translation of innovative ideas into real-world applications. Their tasks are to foster collaborations between the university and industry partners and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology between academia and the private sector. They also assist researchers in applying for grants and funding opportunities to support the development and commercialization of their innovation. The team organizes information events, educates about funding programs and creates networking opportunities. In addition to their networking role, they work closely with colleagues in the patent team to explore licensing and commercialization opportunities.