Kick-Off of the EIZ Spark Academy: Researchers become entrepreneurs!

Kick-Off of the EIZ Spark Academy: Researchers become entrepreneurs!

Cottbus, Deutschland - On March 4, 2025, the exciting kick-off of the EIZ Spark Academy took place, which is aimed at researchers from various energy research laboratories. The program started with a kick-off session, led by Nina Defounga, the CEO of Tom Spike. A total of eight participants took part in this first module "Development of a Business idea", in which significant topics such as the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship were dealt with.

The meeting agenda also included clear aspects of the Lean startup approach. This methodical framework was originally developed by Eric Ries and focuses on iterative learning, critical thinking and the efficient use of resources. The aim is to found startups more effectively and efficiently, which is supported by the lean startup approach

important topics of kick-off session

A secondary point of the kick-off session was the concept of the problem of solution. The participants learned how to develop sustainable business ideas that are directly tailored to customer needs. The Ball Point Game was also used to enable playful learning.

The participants included Akilan Mathiazhagan, Gökçen Devlet Sen, Markus Strehlau, Mirko Nikodinoski, Nina Defounga, Paul Hamelbeck, Rufat Asgarzade, Sai Ravi Guppa Polasanapalli and Wasif Haider Syed. They were thanked for their active participation, and there was a view of the upcoming modules that aim to accompany the next generation of scientists with entrepreneurial spirit.

The lean startup approach

The Lean Startup approach offers several central concepts. The Build-Measure-Learn Loop enables entrepreneurs to quickly convert ideas into products in order to measure customer reactions and make appropriate adjustments. The concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) supports the simplest version of a product with minimal effort to achieve maximum learning gain.

Another important aspect is the validated learning , which emphasizes learning by testing and adapting the business model based on real customer feedback. Entrepreneurs are often faced with the decision as to whether they should stick to the current business model or make significant changes, which is known as pivot or persevere .

The success of a startup often depends on the environment. According to an article about the Development of startup ecosystems , it is crucial that various actors-including governments, investors and universities-work together to create a favorable environment for innovation. Factors such as access to capital, talented employees and networks are essential for the growth and success of startups.

The EIZ Spark Academy is another step to promote such a supporting ecosystem and to accompany scientists on their way to independence.