Are you working on a technology or a project at CERN that may be the basis of a spin-off or start-up? Or maybe you are working on a project that may benefit from CERN technology? CERN’s network of Business Incubation Centres (BICs), spread across currently eight member states, are ready to support startups working with CERN technology with funding, office space, mentoring etc. in the respective countries. 

 At EM-U  #82 , you will learn about how the BICs can help turn start-up ideas inspired by CERN into profitable businesses. Frederic Sauzet from our French BIC and Francesco Colonna from our Swiss BIC will tell us about the road towards getting accepted into their CERN Supported incubator. They will also share their “hands on” knowledge of the ups and downs of setting up your company on their respective sides of the Swiss/French border. 

About the speakers:

Frédéric Sauzet is the Head of InnoGEX, the French Business Incubation Centre of CERN technologies.  He holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and an executive master of business administration. At InnoGEX he supports the creation of new start-ups and assist entrepreneurs in taking CERN technologies to the market. He develops a strong ecosystem with local partners that can help promoting entrepreneurship. At InnoGEX, he provides office-space, expertise and support in accessing finance.

Francesco Colonna is Senior Project Manager Innovation at PARK INNOVAARE, the innovation park located at the Paul Scherrer Institute. As a key element of its ecosystem, PARK INNOVAARE hosts the Swiss Business Incubation Centre of CERN technologies. Francesco is the contact person for all companies willing to establish their business or pursue their R&D at PARK INNOVAARE. He is a PhD physicist and a trained innovation manager. Before joining PARK INNOVAARE, he gained experience in fundamental and applied research working at the Fraunhofer Institute IWM, the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, and the Materials Innovation Institute in Delft.