On October 23–24, 2024, the OpenLab at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm hosted the B-BRIGHTER BioInnovation Entrepreneurship Workshop, a dynamic and collaborative event aimed at guiding young researchers in transforming academic innovations into real-world solutions. The workshop brought together early-career scientists, industry experts, and innovation professionals to explore the entrepreneurial journey from scientific discovery to societal impact.
Rooted in the understanding that many scientists aspire to make tangible contributions to society, the B-BRIGHTER BioInnovation Entrepreneurship Workshop was designed to equip participants with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the innovation-to-market pathway. While the initial scope focused on training junior researchers within the project on how to take a concept through proof-of-concept, application testing, and commercialization, the ambition of the initiative soon expanded. The revised objective was to include not only internal participants, but also external bio- and med-tech researchers, thereby fostering a broader and more diverse innovation community.
The target audience for the BioInnovation Workshop consisted of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with early-stage ideas grounded in their scientific work. By maintaining a selective group size of 10 to 15 attendees, the organizers ensured a supportive and dynamic environment conducive to meaningful interaction and tailored mentorship.
Drawing on models such as the Business Model Canvas, the workshop addressed key topics fundamental to commercializing research-based ideas: Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), Investment, Pitching, and Entrepreneurship.
The event was developed in close collaboration with leading innovation organizations, including Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and Karolinska Institute (KI), both of which played instrumental roles in shaping the content and format of the program. Experts from these institutions, alongside invited speakers, led sessions that combined theoretical frameworks with practical applications.
The workshop’s format was centered around a pitch competition, encouraging participants to refine and present their innovative ideas. The two-day agenda blended seminars and interactive sessions, covering essential entrepreneurial skills. Participants received hands-on guidance on building pitches, identifying IPR opportunities, understanding user needs, and financing innovation journeys. The program culminated in a final pitch session judged by a panel of experts, followed by networking opportunities that aimed to foster future collaborations.
The B-BRIGHTER BioInnovation Entrepreneurship Workshop exemplifies the growing movement to bridge academic research with societal application through entrepreneurship. By fostering innovation literacy among emerging researchers and providing structured pathways to commercialization, the workshop supports the mission to offer young researchers insight into how to foster innovation and propel them to societal use and commercial success.