More than thirty participants discussed business start-ups, transfer processes and innovation management at the “Spin-off – but how?” meetup. The focus was on practical insights into funding structures and experience reports from the start-up scene.

Living Lab as a transfer and spin-off platform

In his introduction, Oliver Welz (Living Lab, ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig) clarified the role of the center as an innovation and research center. The transfer projects and spin-offs presented were examples of how basic research can be transformed into market-ready solutions.

Research transfer in practice

Dr. Dirk Wilken (Head of Knowledge and Technology Transfer at Leipzig University) explained the role of his institution as a central interface between science and industry. His team supports researchers in setting up spin-offs, patent applications, commercialization strategies and the development of marketable innovations. One successful example is the spin-off Webdata Solutions GmbH, now part of the company Vistex from Prof. Erhard Rahm’s ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig research group. The company has developed into a leading provider of market intelligence software for e-commerce in the field of semantic web data integration.

Spin-off support through SMILE

Dr. Gunnar Kaßberg presented Leipzig University’s start-up initiative SMILE with its comprehensive range of support services. In addition to the possibility of individual coaching and the joint development of prototypes, SMILE also supports students at Leipzig University in their search for funding and start-up grants and offers events and further training on the subject of start-up management. The English-language program was particularly well received by forward-looking start-up teams.

AI-supported biotech start-up

The highlight of the event was the experience report by Fabian Liessmann (ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig researcher and co-founder of AI-driven Therapeutics). With “CoScientists”, the start-up is developing an AI platform that gives biotech companies without their own AI department access to complex drug design tools. Liessmann emphasized the need for an entrepreneurial mindset for researchers:

• Networking with investors and start-up communities
• Use of university consulting services
• Long-term perspective instead of sprint mentality

The company has already received the start-up prize from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) for its concept, demonstrating the feasibility of AI-based spin-offs.