Pranay Kasturi (PPRE 2019-21, India), currently working as a researcher at the University of Oldenburg and OFFIS Institute for Information Technology, participated in the first cohort of the "Top-Talents-Track" programme to develop entrepreneurial ideas through an intensive three-month curriculum.
The Young Entrepreneurs in Science (YES) program of the Falling Walls Foundation in Berlin supports master's students, doctoral candidates, and postdocs in discovering their entrepreneurial potential – in a practical, interactive and directly related way to research.
As part of the Top Talents Track, selected young researchers develop their start-up ideas further in a three-month intensive programme. PPRE alumnus Pranay Kasturi was one of 20 participants from all over Germany and part of the first programme cohort.
In various workshop modules, the participants deepened their skills that enable the transfer of scientific knowledge to entrepreneurial impact – for example in the areas of networking, intercultural cooperation, design thinking, financing, legal foundations and intellectual property. The workshops were accompanied by inspiring experts and mentors from science, the start-up scene and venture capital and led to measurable progress in the project ideas.
A special highlight was the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin. In the Venture Track, participants gained exclusive insights into the world of science-based start-ups and were able to get to know the perspective of investors during the Venture Reverse Pitch. The concluding Sciencepreneur Night also offered the opportunity to make contacts with potential mentors in a relaxed atmosphere and to receive valuable feedback.
If someone is interested in applying to future cohorts, they can reach out for more insights on the process and the programme experience at pranaykasturi@gmail.com