Univentum Labs, a special purpose vehicle of the University of Gdańsk, in cooperation with the UG Technology Transfer Centre, is organising the second edition of the Univentum Labs Ideas - Young Fahrenheit competition. It is aimed at young employees, doctoral students and students of the University whose research has commercialisation potential.

The aim of the competition is, on the one hand, to promote interesting research conducted at our university and, on the other, to identify individuals and teams who are carrying out R&D work with market potential. The initiative is aimed at young employees and doctoral students, regardless of their field of science. This year, final-year master's students may also apply. The organisers do not expect business plans, but rather a presentation of research being carried out which, in the opinion of the authors, has market potential - i.e. may become the starting point for setting up an enterprise, e.g. in the form of a spin-off or licence.  

- 'Through its special purpose vehicle, the UG is a co-owner of 7 spin-off companies established by employees of our university,' - says the President of Univentum Labs, dr hab. Wojciech Bizon, prof. UG. - 'We hope that thanks to the second edition of our competition, we will be able to reach a wide group of young university employees and encourage them to try their hand at the market. Last year's winners: dr Marta Krychowiak-Maśnicka, dr Karolina Pierzynowska and mgr Mateusz Baluk are developing their ideas and may soon be able to turn them into marketable solutions.'

The spin-off companies were founded by employees and doctoral students from the Faculties of Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biology, Oceanography and Geography and the International Centre for Quantum Theory. They deal with a wide variety of activities, but there are no solutions from, for example, economics, psychology or education among them. Companies of this type operate, among others, at the University of Warsaw and the Nicolaus Copernicus University.

The competition comprises of two stages. The first lasts until December 15, 2022. By this date, you must complete an application form and briefly describe your research and indicate its commercialisation potential. In the second stage, for which the most interesting ideas will be selected, there will be a short presentation of the idea and an interview with members of the competition chapter. By the end of the winter semester, the winners of the competition will be selected.

More information about the competition can be found at konkurs.univentum.pl