Training Course Looks at Key Issues in HPC Technology Transfer

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The 2020 Technology Transfer Course at HLRS.

The course offered insights into theoretical and practical dimensions of entrepreneurship in the academic sector.

For the second time, the Technology Training Course was held at the University of Stuttgart on March 5 and 6, 2020 as part of the EU-program Eurolab4HPC. HRLS led the organization of the event.

This two-day course equipped academic researchers from all over the world with a basic understanding of the entrepreneurial process, how to generate business models, and the managerial challenges that are a part of technology transfer. It analyzed the environments of academic entrepreneurship, looking at the types of opportunities that are available, as well as how decisions are made depending on the opportunities pursued. The focus was on the unique challenges involved in founding and managing academic entrepreneurial ventures. Moreover, lecturers addressed the analytical and administrative domains of technology transfer, as well as managerial behaviour.

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The course combined both theoretical insights into entrepreneurship and practical considerations concerning the presentation of technologies and business ideas.

In preparation for the course, participants were asked to read Harvard case studies looking at NanoGene Technologies, Inc. and Walnet Ventures. While the former case provided details on technology transfer from within the university, the latter explicitly focussed on business planning activities. These case studies were discussed in the afternoon sessions. On the second day, participants presented and discussed their own case studies in an interactive session, enabling productive interaction among participants and lecturers.

Participants received a certificate at the end of the course.