RISE Workshop series: White font on blue background.

RISE V: Interdisciplinary Workshop Series Turns Research into Innovation

July 16, 2025 /

Seven workshops, over 40 participants, and one shared goal: thinking entrepreneurship through research. The fifth edition of the RISE series at the ENI invited doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to explore new paths between science, career, and societal impact.

From April to July 2025, the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI) at the University of Stuttgart hosted the fifth edition of the workshop series RISE – Research, Innovation, Science & Entrepreneurship. More than 40 doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from diverse disciplines – both from within and beyond the University of Stuttgart – took part to explore the topic of entrepreneurship and innovation in a hands-on way. Some participants joined with concrete startup ideas, while many simply sought new perspectives on their careers, research impact, and the role of science in society.

The series was organized by the ENI-based projects Elements4Founding (supported by the Vector Stiftung) and QCLUB-2 (funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the QSENS Cluster4Future).

The program comprised seven interactive workshops:

  1. Kick-off Bootcamp: Career Path Entrepreneurship – from PhD to Innovator

  2. Design Thinking: Walk Through the Innovation Process

  3. A Roadmap for Product Management in Early-stage Business

  4. Innovate with Impact: Matching Problems and Solutions

  5. Navigating Customer Needs and Business Model Development

  6. Legal Matters, Finance, and Funding: What to Consider in Science-based Innovations

  7. Pitch Training and Closing: Workshop & Get-together

The workshop series was supported by a range of internal and external partners, including TRACES (Transfer Center of the University of Stuttgart), the Design Factory Stuttgart, the Young Entrepreneurs in Science (YES) initiative of the Falling Walls Foundation, and the Graduate Academy GRADUS, which recognizes workshop participation with 0.25 ECTS per session.

RISE exemplifies the importance of entrepreneurship education at the early stages of academic careers. For many participants, the series served as a valuable starting point for connecting their research to real-world impact – whether through a startup or a broader shift in career perspective.

We thank all participants, coaches, speakers, role models, and partners for their dedication, creativity, and the truly inspiring atmosphere!

The next edition of RISE is scheduled for early 2026.

The image shows several pictures of workshop participants interacting with each other.
Impressions from the RISE V workshop series.
Image: Brigitte Schönberger, University of Stuttgart
Contact

If you would like to get in touch with us or have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team around Biggi and Mia via our project mail address!
This image shows Mia Zsohár

Mia Zsohár

 

Research Associate

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