How to unlock the potential of academic research: The Power of Early-Stage valorisation and entrepreneurship

TU Delft's Impact Studio believes in the power of academic research to drive societal change and commercial innovation. We are excited to announce a milestone in our journey: our cross-university Ideation Lab in collaboration with the 4TU Federation. This initiative, focused on High Tech for a Sustainable Future research (HTSF), unites the strengths of four Dutch technical universities to amplify the societal impact of academic research. 

by: Rosalie Lemmen

Re-thinking entrepreneurship in our Ideation Labs: complementing “founder first” with “science first”

In the startup world, founders are often seen as the driving force behind success, but this view overlooks. The untapped societal and commercial potential of research lacks an entrepreneurial founder. Whereas researchers drive innovation at universities, expecting them to lead commercialisation or market introduction is often unrealistic.  

Our “science first” approach shifts the focus to research itself, enabling researchers to contribute meaningfully without needing to become entrepreneurs. In our Ideation Labs, we connect researchers to entrepreneurial students. and supported by workshops and coaches they explore the potential of the research outputs. This approach ensures that researchers can contribute without having to lead the entire commercialisation process.  

Our Ideation Labs generate university spin-offs, reveal opportunities for licensing deals, and help researchers refine their work to align with societal needs. Additionally, the lab supports the preparation of impactful grant applications. We foster industry collaboration, and open doors for new research opportunities. Students benefit by gaining hands-on entrepreneurial experience, preparing for their own ventures or careers after the lab or potentially stay involved with the researcher. 

We have learned through our Ideation Labs that validating ideas is never a waste of time — insights may sometimes differ from what is expected, but also devalidated (business) ideas provide relevant input for future research agendas or license-agreements.

Scaling sustainable innovation with the 4TU Ideation Labs  

The 4TU Ideation Lab focuses on innovations aligned with the High Tech for a Sustainable Future (HTSF) programme, addressing global challenges in sustainability.  Eleven technologies from TU Delft, Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Twente, and Wageningen University & Research have been selected to participate.  

The 4TU vision for Ideation Labs 

Roelyn van der Hoek, 4TU Impact Programme Manager, highlights the importance of the Ideation Labs in accelerating research commercialization: “Our primary goal is to transfer knowledge to the market more quickly and enhance societal impact. By participating in this Ideation Lab, we focus on innovations (or ideas) that now remain in the busy heads of researchers. We help them move forward.”  

An essential part of the Ideation Lab’s approach is the involvement of students, who bring fresh energy and entrepreneurial curiosity to the process. “By involving students from day one, they gain valuable experience in the practical side of entrepreneurship," Roelyn adds. "They only help accelerate the market exploration, and can also potentially start their own startups with the skills they have learned, or potentially stay involved with the researchers’ innovations.” 

Measuring Success

After six months, all teams will present their findings. Roelyn emphasises that success is measured not solely by the number of launching startups. "Success for us means that both researchers and students feel they have gained valuable skills and insights. Startups may emerge, but conclusions may also be that there is no relevant market need for the research. Either way, both researchers and students have insights and skills which will help them move forward, and they can use in either further research, new startup ideas or in their future career.” 

Marina Bos-de Vos, a TU Delft researcher, is currently exploring the practical relevance of her value communication methodologies through the Ideation Lab. 

“For our methodology, we want to validate its practical relevance. As a busy researcher, I don’t have the time to do this, even though it's a crucial moment. That's why it's fantastic to have students involved, with their open and independent perspective, to explore market opportunities. It would be amazing to see my research make impact beyond the university, and I‘d love to collaborate with others to make that happen." 

Konstantinos Chanioglou, a Master’s student in Computer Science and Engineering at TU Eindhoven, shares: “I am participating because I want to follow the entrepreneurial path after my studies. This Ideation Lab is the perfect opportunity to explore and develop entrepreneurial skills in a supported environment. During my Master’s, I’ve worked on many software engineering projects, including one I considered turning into a startup, but I lacked direction. Now, I’m learning how to identify market needs and approach customers.” 

Looking ahead 

As we continue to scale our impact, the Ideation Lab demonstrates what is possible when academic research is paired with entrepreneurial support. Whether by refining research to meet societal needs or empowering students to innovate, the goal remains the same: unlocking the full potential of academic research to make a meaningful difference. 

Interested in collaboration ro learning more, contact the Impact Studio Team at impact-studio@tudelft.nl . 

Want to learn more about Impact Studio and all of our offerings? Visit the website