Stabsstelle Career Center & Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung

Instructors: Manouchehr Shamsrizi, André Nikolski, Anett Lommatzsch, Markus Krutzik

Credit points: 5, not marked

This project-based course aims at bringing together students from various areas who want to join the quantum & deeptech revolution. The Challenge: Transform a specific applied research problem into a commercial business case, ultimately pitching it in front of a panel of quantum experts from academia and industry. Throughout the semester, you will model a business case, while learning to think like an entrepreneur. You’ll receive subject matter lectures by our academic partners and business coaching by experienced mentors and coaches.

Target audience

The Deeptech Entrepreneurship Lab is designed for master's students and above who are strongly  interested in digital and quantum technologies and want to acquire innovation and entrepreneurial  skills in this field. You do not have to bring your own research project, but you can do so. Real projects will be provided. Course language is English.

 Structure and Content

This course is the second of a total of two separate modules. As it is not mandatory to take part in both modules, you can join the course regardless of whether you have completed the first part or not.

and is set up as follows:

1. Research pitch:
    Participants of the previous semester will introduce industry-relevant research topics they have worked on. You are free to work on any of the provided cases or bring your  own project to work on it in an interdisciplinary group. You will then be guided through an innovation and financial modeling process to develop a business case.
2. Pitch Day:
    Your team will work towards the pitch. This phase requires you to analyze your business idea for potential applications, apply a financial model and present it in a way that is understandable to a wide audience.
3. Final Deliverables Phase & Course Reflection:
    As a team, you describe your case work during the semester [SB1] You will reflect on whether the results can be used for an EXIST application  and/or should be further developed towards a startup prototype.

The toolbox taught in the Lab includes:

• innovation processes with Design Thinking
• mindset methods
• agile and classic project management
• financial modeling
• creativity and management techniques such as Ishikawa and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®

Prospects

The next module is scheduled for the winter semester 2025. Then, you could choose another deeptech entrepreneurship topic and apply learned methods and insights to a new research case.

Credits

To earn 5 credit points (not marked), the following is required:

• regular active participation & teamwork on the project task
• writing a reflection on the learning process (individual work),
• elaborating a project paper (team effort) on the developed solution[SB2]

This course is funded by the Masterplan Industriestadt Berlin (HU Innovation Labs) and supported by BERLIN QUANTUM, a joint initiative by Berlin's business community, research institutions and universities that aims to make Berlin an international hotspot for the research and development of quantum technologies.

Law students: Please refer to the website for information on Career Center courses recognized for the BZQ I module for legal education: https://www.rewi.hu-berlin.de/de/sp/2015/anerkennungen/sq