The DESY Start-up School 2026 offers coaching and webinars for scientists interested in discovering their entrepreneurial potential! Register to participate between April - July 2026.
DESY Start-up School
The DESY Start-up School offers an educational program designed to equip scientists, engineers, and students with entrepreneurial skills. Business planning is one of the most crucial factors in launching a successful start-up. Like any entrepreneur, scientists must identify the services and products that best serve their future clients. That is why the Start-up School curriculum focuses on business planning: the foundation for growth and success in the market.
The application phase will open in February 2026. If you would like to receive a notification when applications open, please contact katrin.schoenert@desy.de
The Start-up School will provide scientists with tools for business development, budgeting, marketing strategies, and financing. It supports anyone developing a business model in a scientific setting on their journey to becoming a special kind of entrepreneur - a #sciencepreneur.
The DESY Start-up School Offers:
- A three-month incubation program (free of charge) to help launch your idea on the market
- Tailored webinars designed to help scientists become entrepreneurs
- One-on-one coaching sessions with experienced CEOs
- Access to a European network of like-minded innovators contributing to the world of tomorrow
- Insights into the upcoming 3D X-ray microscope PETRA IV and its potential to enhance your business ideas or R&D services.
Turning Science into Business
Candidates with a concept for a scientific service company are invited to apply for one of the fifteen available slots at the DESY Start-up School. These scientific services should be based on advanced analytical and experimental techniques and may:
- Explore new industries or fields that can benefit from synchrotron measurements,
- Provide solutions to facilitate beamline measurements,
- Offer high-precision solutions for quality assurance and standardization,
- Develop hardware solutions (with integrated services) related to synchrotrons,
- Incorporate data analysis and/or AI methods,
- Create commercial computing environments.
A Safe and Challenging Space for Innovation
All participants are required to maintain the confidentiality of any information shared within the framework of the DESY Start-up School. We strongly encourage applications from female scientists. Our team of mentors and CEOs includes experienced female entrepreneurs who will support you on your journey to becoming a founder.
The DESY Start-up School is part of the PETRA IV preparation project and receives funding from BMFTR and the Helmholtz Association. It is free of charge and open to scientists and engineers worldwide, regardless of their research institute or employer. The program is administered by the DESY Start-up Office.
