Entrepreneurial competences training programmes for scientific personnel: Bootcamp and Outlab
About this good practice
In order to promote scientific entrepreneurship, one of the fundamental axes is to raise awareness and train the scientific community in entrepreneurial skills. To this end, Fomento San Sebastian (FSS) has created an itinerary to improve these skills for researchers consisting of two phases: 1) awareness-raising and 2) training in scientific entrepreneurship skills.
1) Bootcamp program is an intensive 1-day workshop to raise awareness and encourage scientists to start an entrepreneurial project in the researching line they are working on. It is aimed at scientists who have any interest in entrepreneurship. The programme consists of entrepreneurial coaching, a testimonial part of scientists who have already made the path from the laboratory to the company and practical work with a hypothetical idea to turn it into a business project.
2) Outlab program is presented as training for scientists who are engaged in research and have an idea for a technology-related business. The aim, therefore, is to train scientific community in skills to help them with the creation of companies so that they can transform laboratory ideas into business projects. Through different sessions with specialists in different subjects for approximately 30 hours, they give shape to the idea that they have worked on in the laboratory so that it becomes a business project. The topics covered in the programme include: financing, business model, certification, intellectual property, marketing,...
Resources needed
The cost of each Bootcamp programme is about 1.300€
The cost of each Outlab programme is about 10.500€
Evidence of success
In terms of the number of participants, Fomento San Sebastian have trained and raised the awareness of almost 40 scientists with these programmes.
These programmes have only been running for few editions, so it is pretty soon to obtain relevant data, but we have been able to establish a path from these programmes to our business creation services, with 3 participants currently having expressed their interest in exploring the possibility of setting up a new business.
Potential for learning or transfer
The problem faced by Research Centres with regard to transferring their projects to the market is a global problem, as traditionally the research community has focused mainly on research.
In recent years, the need to transfer scientific personnel to the business world (by joining companies) has become a reality, but also the need for the scientific personnel of the Research Centres themselves to lead the projects that can be converted into business. And above all, they must be able to manage the projects from a business perspective.
These programmes therefore support the need for business leaders in the spin-offs of the Research Centres.