Start-ups: 20 ausgezeichnete Professorinnen und Professoren, die das Gründen an Hochschulen fördern

Berlin. Innovative ideas often emerge from universities, but few make the leap into the business world. The reason: most students focus on academic success rather than entrepreneurial endeavors. Professors and researchers can play a crucial role in this regard. By promoting entrepreneurship, imparting start-up knowledge, and establishing connections with investors or funding institutions, they boost the likelihood that scientific concepts will transform into viable business models and successful spin-offs.

The Unipreneurs initiative aims to provide a platform for professors who dedicate more effort than others to fostering entrepreneurship within their institutions. Several of these individuals are being honored with awards by a jury. "These distinguished individuals substantially contribute to establishing an entrepreneurial culture in universities and, therefore, also serve as significant drivers for Germany's innovation and future-readiness," stated Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU).

"Science and entrepreneurship are a mindset," Ugur Sahin, co-founder of Biontech, will say in his acceptance speech for one of the award recipients. This year, a total of 20 academics have been awarded the Unipreneurs Prize. They were selected from over 800 nominations. Despite diverse backgrounds, almost all of the prize winners have a shared experience: many have already ventured into entrepreneurship and gained valuable insights.