UniBE Venture Fellowship

What is goal of the UniBE Venture Fellowship?

The University of Bern aims to strengthen the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Bern and the lnselspital, University Hospital Bern, across all disciplines.

The goal of the UniBE Venture Fellowship is to promote the transfer of innovative research and teaching by means of innovative products or services into society and the economy and to support entrepreneurial early-career researchers. During the fellowship, the underlying research of the innovation is to be continued in order to validate the technical feasibility (proof-of-concept) and to prepare the commercialization accordingly.

What is supported?

The project must be focused on establishing a proof-of-concept with regard to the development of an innovative product or service, and creating the entrepreneurial foundations for successful implementation in society and the economy. Applications with a focus on basic research will not be considered.

The Fellowship includes a funding budget of CHF 100,000, which must not be exceeded. The employment is based in principle on 80% employment. The duration of the Fellowship is usually 12 months (might be shortened if necessary). With the contribution of the UniBE Venture Fellowship the following costs can be covered:

• Salary costs (including social security contributions of the employer)
• Material costs directly related to the implementation of the project
• Costs for project-related travels and networking events
• Expenses for recommended entrepreneurship training
• Costs for the protection of intellectual property

How does it work?

• Individuals affiliated with the University of Bern, the Inselspital or the UPD, holding a Master’s, PhD, or medical degree — and students enrolled in these programs who are within six months of completing their degree — are eligible to apply. Basic research projects are not eligible. 
• Applicants employed at the University of Bern or the Inselspital or the UPD (e.g. as postdoctoral researchers, assistant physicians, or scientific staff) must end their current employment contract before the start of the Venture Fellowship. 
• Applicants must not yet have founded a company related to the product or the service described in the application. Exceptions may be considered, provided the project is still at an early stage.
• A research group leader at the University of Bern, Inselspital, or the University Psychiatric Services (UPD) confirms their support and the access to the necessary infrastructure.
• The application must include a detailed project description (in particular a description of the problem, the innovative aspect of the solution, and the business model), a project plan, information on intellectual property questions (namely on the question of patentability and, if applicable, the status of the patenting process), and a budget.
• Applicants can contact the Innovation Office advisors for assistance in preparing their UniBE Venture Fellowship application via innovationoffice@unibe.ch.
• The application must be submitted to the Innovation Office, which will provide the necessary forms. The Innovation Office will review applications that have been submitted on time and in the correct format to ensure that they meet the formal criteria.
• Applications that meet the formal criteria will be assessed and evaluated by the UniBE Venture Fellowship jury. The assessment will be based on the following criteria: innovation potential, feasibility of the project, implementation plan, and entrepreneurial potential of the applicant.
• Rejected proposals may be resubmitted provided that the application has been substantially revised.
• Please refer to the regulations and guidelines for the exact requirements.

Timeline

Program Partners

Supporters