Become a treasure hunter
Unlock the power of chemistry patents!
Treasure Hunting Summer School
From Patent to Product: Summer School with Real Impact
Together with TU Berlin’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management Department, we’re hosting a one-of-a-kind Summer School on Chemistry Patents & Innovation – a hands-on seminar for students and researchers.
Over five days, you’ll work in interdisciplinary teams (5–6 people) to explore a curated pool of real patents. Your mission? Turn cutting-edge research into real-world business ideas.
What to expect:
Work with patents selected for their high potential for application from Technische Universität Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität.
Meet the inventors and gain insights directly from them
Collaborate with peers from diverse academic backgrounds
Develop and pitch a chemistry-driven business concept
Who can apply?
Every interested PhD candidate or Post-Doc affiliated to universities and universities of applied sciences.
Master students regardless of your study background, age, gender, or anything else! (for Master students, this is a non-curricular course offering and you can receive a "Leistungsschein"/ performance certificate for 6 ECTS points)
Before the Course, you will spend some time preparing yourself. If your registration was successful, you will get access to the online platform of TU Berlin (ISIS) to select the patent that you want to work on during the course, start doing some basic research about the technology and watch some introduction videos. This preparation is necessary for the course. You will also get materials to research the patent and understand the technology behind. You will be provided with several online lectures covering important business topics such as market research, market sizing, business modelling, impact assessment, etc.
During the Course, you will form interdisciplinary teams to work on your selected patent/ technology. Through an exciting mix of workshops and feedback sessions with experts, you'll develop profitable market ideas on how to valorize your selected patent. Those market ideas can result in a start-up business model, a plan to sell or license the patent, a research grant proposal or free license/ open-source recommendation. You will be supported throughout the whole process.
After the Course. If you discover real potential and want to turn it into a startup or research project, we’ll help you take the next step.
While patent rights aren't transferred during the course, universities are open to supporting promising teams—through collaborations with inventors, access to research groups, and clear pathways toward licensing or spin-off.