Maximizing Impact: Entrepreneurship and Academia Career Pathways in Innovation Ecosystems

Universities play an active role in the regional innovation ecosystem which encompasses many other stakeholders such as companies, start-up businesses, and NGOs with whom they interact and cooperate. Early and mid-career researchers are often faced with questions around their career pathways in academia and/or entrepreneurial ecosystems beyond the traditional tracks. With shifting global priorities, how can next generation academics maximize their impact?
• How can universities provide innovation hubs tailored towards early and mid-career researchers that focus on academia-industry partnerships? What are the needs and how can they be expanded to include sustainability and internationalization?
• What criteria should one evaluate in determining whether to follow a path as an entrepreneur or not? Relatedly, can a detour on the path of entrepreneurship still allow a pathway back to academia / professorship?

• Dr. Mridul Agrawal
  Co-Founder & Managing Director, iuvando Health GmbH
• JProf. Dr. Daniela Giménez Jiménez,
  Faculty of Business and Economics, TU Dortmund University
• Dr. Willy Das
  Research Scientist and Curriculum Innovation Manager, Lehigh University

Moderator: 

• Prof. Dr.-ing Gerhard Schembecker
  Vice-Rector, Finance, Professor for Plant and Process Design, Department of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, TU Dortmund University

Room: Foothill G1