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Dozens of promising scientific projects, which despite their market potential often end prematurely without systematic support, never reach commercialization. As of the new year, the CEITEC Innovation Accelerator program offers researchers a helping hand. This initiative is specifically focused on the transfer and application of research into practice and can become a key step in the challenging journey from laboratory to customer.The CEITEC Innovation Accelerator programme is directly focused on the transfer and application of research into practice. | Author: CEITEC BUTAlthough fundamental research remains crucial to science and should not be sidelined, rapid application of research outcomes into practice is what ultimately makes research truly successful – something top global universities understand well. That is why the emergence of spin-offs and start-ups is such a sought-after outcome in academia. CEITEC BUT has been aware of this for a long time and has been supporting its scientists since 2015. Now, however, this support has taken on a structured form with defined parameters and long-term vision.
The newly established CEITEC Innovation Accelerator program offers up to two years of support for selected projects, totaling 2 million CZK. The program is a collaboration between CEITEC BUT, which provides full technological infrastructure, funding, and administrative workspace, and JIC, which contributes consultations on business plans and other related areas. “This task is overseen by Martin Zadražil, former CEO of Tescan Orsay, a company known for developing electron microscopes. His extensive experience is invaluable, and I believe his support significantly increases the chances of project success on the market,” explained Jan Nedvěd, Secretary of CEITEC BUT. He added that the purpose of these business consultations is primarily to identify the right path to market and avoid dead ends. Martin Zadražil also serves as a member of the expert independent committee that evaluates submitted projects. Applicants can consult their ideas with him even before potential approval, allowing them to receive early feedback and refine their proposal. Once the committee sees potential in a project and commits support, close collaboration begins to tailor the project so that the final product is competitive and market-ready. Although the call is open to researchers outside CEITEC, there are specific conditions applicants must meet. The first and perhaps most important is that they must be employed at CEITEC BUT during the project’s implementation. “We know that meaningful research requires full commitment. That’s why we require an employment workload of at least 0.8. This ensures the applicant receives sufficient funding to focus fully on the project,” said Jan Nedvěd. Researchers must therefore reduce or suspend other commitments and possibly pause their studies. Once the support period ends, they can resume all previous activities. The second key condition is an option for CEITEC BUT to receive a future equity share if the project reaches spin-off stage, for example as an LLC. “The goal of the Innovation Accelerator is mutual benefit. Researchers gain risk-free access to our facilities, devices, and expertise. If the project succeeds and R&D results are applied in practice, our institute benefits from future company revenues, which can be reinvested into supporting further innovation projects,” explained Nedvěd. Jiří Ehlich (left) and Jiří Spousta (right). | Author: CEITEC BUTWhen Jan Nedvěd says the program is risk-free, he mainly means that if the project does not reach the final stage or enters the market and fails, CEITEC will impose no penalties. Researchers are not pressured to achieve results under threat of repayment, fines, or being barred from other BUT opportunities. “They get a chance to test the applicability of their idea and bring it to commercial life. But if after a few months they realize, for any reason, that they cannot continue in the Accelerator, it's not a problem – the project can be ended. The program is funded from non-public sources, and we’re glad to offer help. At the same time, we understand there’s no need to reach the finish line at the cost of complete exhaustion,” he explained. Failure in the Accelerator is therefore not a shame for the researcher or CEITEC. On the contrary, if the researcher returns later with another promising idea – or wants to continue the original one – they can be supported again.
Currently, two projects are running in the CEITEC Innovation Accelerator. The first, led by Jiří Ehlich, focuses on the integration of electrical systems with biological ones. In other words, he aims to develop universal devices that can influence cells or tissues using electrical current. “We already have experience with building reactors for culturing cells or microorganisms, which we equipped with electrode systems to influence the biological material inside,” he explained. The Accelerator will now support further development and production of electrochemical systems for biological applications. The second project, led by Jiří Spousta, builds on his previous academic work – specifically his master’s thesis on the local oxidation of vanadium layers in an electron microscope chamber. “In the CEITEC Innovation Accelerator program, we’d like to create an accessible method for viewing cross-sections and studying material defects through local modification using an electron microscope,” he said, though without further detail. To qualify for support, Jiří Spousta had to suspend his doctoral studies and now fully devotes himself to developing a device that will act as a peripheral add-on to a microscope. “Thanks to Martin Zadražil, I now have a clear plan on how to advance this project and identify my target audience,” Spousta concluded. Source: CEITEC BUT