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What we offer

Aspiring entrepreneurs often need guidance along the road to technology commercialization. Indeed, poking around a new technology concept with commercialization in mind represents a long way with consistent progression to maturity.

The bench2biz workshop is there to jump-start a new venture. Participants in the early phase of an innovative idea in science and technology are helped to move from an idea to a concept stage, shape their venture ideas, determine the commercial value and marketability of their idea or invention and set the ground of their business plan.

The workshop is organized yearly in Switzerland.

The dates for 2024 are:

  • 6 November, afternoon workshop on intellectual property and patents (format to be defined)
  • 13 November, 15:00 – 19:00 on-site in Bern
  • 14, 15, 18 November,  13:00 – 18:30 online
  • 19 November 09:00 – 17:30, on-site in Bern with Apéro 

If you want to present your idea and become an idea champion, please fill out the Application Form. The application deadline is October 3, 2024.

Designed for high-technology domains ideas, the programme is addressed to budding entrepreneurs and offers:

  • Unique workshop including fast-paced modules which test each time the marketability of the selected high-tech ideas.
  • An effective and efficient methodology to determine if high-tech or scientific inventions have commercial value and could serve as the basis for new start-up companies.
  • Practical tools to transform an idea into a concept
  • The presence of business and industry experts with real-life entrepreneurship or corporate experience. over the entire workshop, which is brought together around each participating idea into a carefully designed team.
  • Advance early-stage research performed by each team to be translated into real business opportunities

What makes this workshop unique

The format

  • Systematic: 9 idea analysis sessions on the Technology, the Market, the Competition, the Business Model, etc.
  • Collaborative: it is a hands-on, intensive workshop
  • Designed only for high-technology domains ideas in life-sciences, advanced manufacturing, energy and technology sectors
  • Selective: only ideas that can benefit from the workshop are selected

Specific deliverables: 20 key questions are answered and presented in front of a panel of community experts, angel or VC experts

Simulation of an actual start-up team: carefully selected experienced professionals in technology, business, finance, law, management are assembled around each champion idea and work with them on the deliverables.

Community integration efforts: teams are proposed vectors into the community to encourage them taking the next step.

Networking opportunities to meet and share with other young entrepreneurs as well as people important to long-term entrepreneurial success.

Who benefits from the workshop?

Aspiring entrepreneurs

The workshop represents an entry point to other regional heavy support programmes in entrepreneurship training. It’s not a pitch contest but a way to objectively assess the commercial value of your business idea. It represents a way to be introduced to experts and other budding entrepreneurs that may represent your future co-founders.

Community

The workshop represents a major deal flow stimulant and generator and a community-based launch pad for start-ups. Gathering community professionals around real opportunities, it’s not more talk and panel discussions, but action!

What we are looking for

The workshop targets students or young researchers, eager to test the validity of their venture idea and highly motivated to rapidly acquire fundamental knowledge and practical tools to get into the start-up ecosystem.

Coaches and experts with real-life entrepreneurship or corporate experience, technology transfer experts, lawyers with expertise in Intellectual property (IP), technical experts etc. participate on a voluntary basis to the workshop. The effort of the coaches, sponsors, supporting organisations and workshop’s mission is respected every step of the way.