Entrepreneurship & Startups: New service at MCI

In-house point of contact for students and employees interested in starting their own business

Higher Education Institutions, just like businesses, find themselves confronted with constantly changing market requirements and challenges. If nothing else, this is about identifying new business opportunities and potentially exploiting them, if desired. One way of doing so is by intensifying industry relations (e.g. through exchange of knowhow, cooperation, utilization of synergies), in order to have one’s finger on the pulse of time.

Additionally to these institutional considerations, a higher education institution also has to fulfill its societal role, which requires the creation of promising career options, including the alternative of being an entrepreneur.

Word-renowned universities like Stanford University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have understood this and have begun many years ago to keep startups close to their institutions, by providing them with top-notch services. Startup accelerators and research hubs are just some of the many examples in this regard.

MCI has focused on the topic of entrepreneurship from the beginning but has now decided on professionalizing its startup and entrepreneurship activities. In this regard, Benjamin Suitner will be responsible for implementing these structures while also acting as a single point of contact for all students and employees of MCI.

Anyone interested or curious about starting their own business is more than welcome to arrange a confidential, informational meeting without any commitment – regardless of the current status quo of the project or idea.

Provided services include:

• Constructive feedback regarding the business idea

• Hands-on support for concrete issues like business modeling, sales planning, strategy planning etc.

• Mentoring & Coaching throughout the various stages of the startup/company

• Connecting clients with the regional ecosystem

• Acting as an active interface to the research departments (e.g. for research projects or assignments)