Science2Business Challenge 2018 – how knowledge becomes business
1st of March 2018 the first Science2Business Challenge took place at the new ZWI.space at the Campus of the University of Graz.
At the first Science2Business Challenge inventors of three universities (University of Graz, Graz University of Technology, Medical University of Graz), in the frame of Knowledge Transfer Centre South, worked together with students on their brand-new technologies to bring them to entrepreneurial implementation.
The interdisciplinary teams incubated new ideas and evolved them into several Napkin Sketches. These are short, concise key ideas for commercial exploitation of the developed technologies.
Three key ideas have been created for each technology, followed by Napkin Sketches. Ideas having the highest approval by the audience were transferred to a business concept, defining tasks and challenges regarding market implementation.
Winner of up to Eleven Academy – from left to right: Bernhard Weber (CEO ZWI), Thomas Pickl (Graz University of Technology), Tatiana Soto-Bermudez (University of Graz) Michael Freidl (Research Management und Service/Knowledge Transfer Centre South, Technologietransfer)
The technologies:
Night Vision Algorithm – methode for the enhancement of the quality of dim images (Manfred Hartbauer, University of Graz): The algorithm successfully enhances the contrast and brightness of dim images and removes noise while preserving fine details and object contours. The technology was developed in bionic research from the behavior of the Latin American Bee.
Optosense – High-resolution optical 3-axis sensor to navigate medical devices (Christian Baumgartner, Graz University of Technology): A highly sensitive joystick, which is adaptable any time to a wished force and movement range. It is immune to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference and includes no moving parts, while providing an extremely high resolution.
LightMatters – OptoFluidix Platform (Christian Hill, Medical University of Graz): Measuring instrument platform for the analysis, manipulation, separation and characterization of nanoparticles and nanostructured objects. The idea is based on the scientific finding that light exerts force on matter. Analogous to wind, light also pushes illuminated objects in its direction. This minimal force is sufficient to put smallest particles into motion through so-called photon momentum from a focused laser source and results in characteristic movement behavior.
The Science2Business Challenge 2018 is a new series of events of the Knowledge Transfer Centre South.
Prices of the event were sponsored by ut11.net – The Company Builder for Mobile Startups and The Department for Economic and Tourism Development (City of Graz). Many thanks!
Contact person:
Michael Freidl
Office of Research Management and Service at the University of Graz
michael.freidl@uni-graz.at
Pictures: Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
written by: Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, TK
on: 07/03/2018