Venture Exploration

Your research has the potential to create real-world impact — but how do you identify meaningful applications, understand market needs, or evaluate whether your work could become the foundation of a startup?

Venture Exploration is designed specifically for PhD candidates and researchers who want to explore the entrepreneurial side of their research in a low-threshold and flexible way. The course introduces entrepreneurial thinking, opportunity exploration, and innovation methods tailored to the realities of academic research.

Whether you already have a concrete application in mind or are simply curious about the societal and commercial potential of your work, Venture Exploration helps you take the first steps toward translating research into practice.

Venture Exploration is a largely asynchronous and self-paced program that allows researchers to engage with entrepreneurship alongside their PhD or research activities. The course combines flexible online learning with optional coaching sessions.

Throughout the program, participants work through practical exercises designed to help them reflect on the application potential of their research, better understand users and stakeholders, explore possible problem-solution fits, and identify pathways toward innovation or venture creation.

The focus is not on writing a business plan or immediately founding a startup. Instead, the course aims to help researchers gradually build an entrepreneurial mindset and gain confidence in exploring opportunities beyond academia.

Here’s what you can expect from the program:

Flexible & Self-Paced

Complete online modules and exercises at your own pace and fit the course around your research schedule. Optional coaching sessions provide additional support and feedback when needed.

Explore the application potential of your research

Opportunity Identification

Learn how to identify real-world problems, unmet needs, and potential application areas connected to your research.

User & Stakeholder Understanding

Explore who could benefit from your research and how to better understand user perspectives, challenges, and contexts.

Entrepreneurial Thinking for Researchers

Gain first insights into entrepreneurial mindset, innovation processes, and how research can create societal and economic impact.

Validation & Exploration

Learn lightweight methods to test assumptions, gather feedback, and explore whether an opportunity is worth pursuing further.

Innovation Pathways

Understand different ways research can move toward impact — from collaborations and technology transfer to startups and venture creation.

Optional Coaching Sessions

Participants can join optional coaching and feedback sessions with entrepreneurship educators and experts to discuss ideas, challenges, and next steps.

You do not need to have a startup idea or previous business knowledge to join Venture Exploration. The course is intentionally designed as an accessible entry point for researchers who are curious about entrepreneurship and innovation.

Whether your research is highly technical, scientific, social, or creative — Venture Exploration helps you better understand how it could create value beyond academia.

Learning Goals

• Explore the entrepreneurial and societal potential of your research
• Identify real-world applications and unmet needs connected to your work
• Understand basic entrepreneurial and innovation processes
• Learn methods for user research, validation, and opportunity exploration
• Reflect on possible pathways from research to impact
• Gain confidence in exploring entrepreneurship as a researcher