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RISE: Career Path Innovator

RISE stands for Research, Innovation, Science, and Entrepreneurship. This modular workshop series equips researchers with practical tools to translate their research into real-world impact, regardless of disciplinary or personal background. Participation in RISE does not require you to found a business. Instead, the program provides a toolkit to strengthen your innovation skills, mindset, and long-term career development. Through RISE, you will connect with fellow researchers and scientists, engage with experts from the startup ecosystem, and benefit from high-quality training tailored to your individual needs. RISE VI opens with an intensive two-day bootcamp, followed by six in-depth workshops. While participation in the full program is strongly encouraged, you may also select the modules that best align with your goals. As part of the cooperation with GRADUS, doctoral candidates at the University of Stuttgart receive 0.25 LP for each workshop successfully completed.

You should join RISE if you:

  • Are a PhD candidate or postdoctoral researcher affiliated with the University of Stuttgart or one of its partner institutions
  • Have a general interest in entrepreneurship or wish to deepen your knowledge in specific innovation-related modules
  • Want to exchange ideas with peers - beyond your own disciplinary background
  • Aim to acquire practical skills and knowledge for your future career

Do you identify with any of these aspects? Great! Take your time to get an overview of the modules, and then proceed to the registration page to sign up.


Overview of all RISE VI Modules: 

Detailed information on each module

1: Kick-off Bootcamp: Career Path Entrepreneurship - from PhD to Innovator x YES

March 18-19, 9:00-17:00 | frei[raum], Pfaffenwaldring 45, 70569 Stuttgart

We host this kick-off bootcamp together with our partners from the Falling Walls Foundation's Young Entrepreneurs in Science Initiative. Throughout the two days, you will meet like-minded people and role models from industry and startup founders. You will learn all about the foundations of bringing your research into practice - what it takes to transition "From PhD to Innovator", how to build strong and agile teams, and how to navigate through conflict along the way. 


2: Design Thinking: Walk Through the Innovation Process

April 08, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

Since the beginning of RISE, more than 60 researchers have taken part in our workshops on the Design Thinking method - an interative, structured process to solve challenges in innovation endeavours. Conducted by experienced Design Thinking coaches, this module is designed to enhance your understanding of Design Thinking, to develop a new perspective on your research, and to think like an innovator by undergoing the Design Thinking process in a team, solving a challenge from everyday life.


3: Strategic Management in Early-stage Businesses

April 22, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

From research to development to the market - especially in the early stages of innovation, the road is often unclear, bumpy, and can seem like giant task. For this module, Kathrin Lichius (KInderleicht) - trained engineer, startup founder, and experienced workshop coach - will give you insights and an overview on how to build a roadmap in strategic management. You will get the chance to work on your own idea, find inspiration, and get answers to further questions.


4: Innovate with Impact: Matching Problems and Solutions

May 13, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

As researchers, many of us are driven by motives beyond economic interests - we want to make an impact. But what does this mean? How can our innovation from research and science help to tackle the 'grand challenges', and how do we achieve a balance? This workshop will help you to get a better understanding on the impact potential of your idea. You will get a diversity, equity, and inclusion perspective on the opportunities and pitfalls of innovation.


5: Navigating Customer Needs and Business Model Development

May 27, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

Customer centricity is one of the most important paradigms when you are interested in making a change with your research. This workshop is designed for you to understand how we put potential customers into focus to develop viable and sustainable business models. Together with our colleagues from the Transfer Center (TRACES), we will guide you through the process and give you helpful tools to understand and develop customer centric business models.


6: Legal Matters, Finance, and Funding: What to Consider in Science-based Innovations

June 10, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

Especially in the context of research and science, considering a spin-off raises big questions: How do I protect (my) intellectual property? Which legal rights and obligations do I have to consider as an employee, and which options for financial support are there? The general answer: It depends. To get to the root of this topic, we invited Carl Clarenbach (european patent attorney) and Björn Brenner (product owner NXTGN masterclasses), who deal with these questions on an everyday basis, and will help you to make the right considerations.


7: Pitch Training: How to persuade your audience

June 24, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

It is crucial for early-stage founders to exchange and speak about their ideas. This module will train you in an essential skill: presenting your idea confidently and precisely towards several audiences. A public speaking coach and voice artist will guide you through this workshop and will help you to prepare, practice, and deliver a persuading pitch of your idea or project.


8: Closing: Celebrate your progress

July 08, 13:00-17:00 | ARENA2036, Pfaffenwaldring 19, 70569 Stuttgart

For this last session, we invite you to join us to wrap up RISE VI together in an informal atmosphere, to reflect on your learnings and to celebrate your progress. We will share more details about this in the RISE opening session!


Go to registration »


Further information

About RISE

RISE is an initiative of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI). Launched in 2023, RISE aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among researchers at the University of Stuttgart and to strengthen the connection between science and society. Since 2025, we have been part of the QCLUB project within the QSENS Cluster4Future. With RISE VI, the program builds on the experience gained from five previous workshop series conducted in collaboration with trainers and coaches from industry, academia, and startups. The RISE workshop series is part of E4F-Q within the QSENS Cluster4Future, to support scientists to connect beyond disciplines.

Our Network:
Thanks to the funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, as well as the support from our partners at the Transfer Center (TRACES), the Falling Walls Foundation (Young Entrepreneurs in Science Initiative), and the Graduate Academy (GRADUS), we are able to offer these workshops to you for free. It is important to us that all of our workshops offer a practical, innovative, and comfortable environment for all participants to share your ideas, navigate through the ecosystem, and build a strong network for your personal development. We live up to these values and do not tolerate any form of discrimination.

Contact:

If you have any questions not covered in the FAQ section below, please contact our project team around Mia Zsohár: mia.zsohar@eni.uni-stuttgart.de. 



Frequently Asked Questions:

"I am really not sure if founding a business is the right thing for me - does it still make sense to take part?"

Short answer: Yes! In the E4F/QCLUB project, we aim to make you aware of the opportunities that you have with transferring research into practice - but we do not force anyone to found a business! Regardless if you actually plan to found a business or not, you will take away skills for your future career, and to grow your professional network within and beyond academia. Curiosity is the only prerequisite for taking part in RISE.

"What language are the workshops held in?"

All the workshops will be held in English language.

"I am a PhD student at the University of Stuttgart. Do I get ECTS for my participation?"

Yes! Thanks to our close cooperation with the Graduate Academy (GRADUS), you will be able to obtain 0.25 LP for each of the modules. Please reach out to us if this is applicable for you.

"I cannot take part in all the modules - does it still make sense to join at all?"

Yes! Thanks to the unique modular design of the RISE workshop series, you are welcome to take part in the modules that fit best with your needs - of course, we highly encourage you to take part in as many modules as you can!

"Is it possible to join online?"

After the COVID-pandemic, we iterated several options of on-site, online, and hybrid courses throughout the past RISE series and have come to decide that the best workshop atmosphere is usually on-site. Still, if the courses on-site are not accessible to you out of any reason, please get in touch with us and we can find a solution together. 

"I am not affiliated with the University of Stuttgart but another University in Baden-Württemberg. Can I still take part?"

Again, yes! We highly encourage interdisciplinary exchange on a regional level, so please feel free to join our courses. 

"I am a master's student and not (yet) a full-time scientist or researcher."

We welcome you to take part in our courses, please notice that you will not obtain ECTS for your participation. You will receive a certificate of participation instead. If you are interested in similar courses for students, please also look out for the FÜSQ program of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI) on C@MPUS.