Program Period: February 2021 – November 2021

Place: KI Innovations, Campus Solna

Application period: 1 September – 1 October 2020

Info-meeting: 25 August- 12.00

Application form

 

 

 

 

Are you curious about commercialization and implementation and would like to learn more about the possibilities of how your research could be explored to benefit the patients? If so, this Mentor4 Research program can be for you!

KI Innovations AB (KIIAB) will run a mentorship program for oncology and stem cells and regenerative medicine researchers at KI in collaboration with Cancer Research KI and StratRegen, two of the Strategic research areas (“Strategiska Forskningsområden, SFOs” in Swedish) at KI.

What is Mentor4Research?

Mentor4Research (M4R) program is aimed at researchers who are interested in learning more about the commercialization or implementation of research and collaborating with the business community. It is an exclusive program for scientists who want to widen their thinking and see what possibilities exist for their research. It is based on a successful 10-year track record from the M4R program at the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA -Kungliga Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien) who developed the concept, and with further learnings from the current program at Uppsala University.

M4R requires no prior knowledge of commercialization or implementation. The program is specially tailored to those with little or no experience of commercializing research who want to know more.

The M4R program includes lectures and workshops in addition to mentoring. The program for 2021 is sponsored by Cancer Research KI and StratRegen and is free of charge for the participant. It offers rich networking opportunities, both within and outside academia.

M4R allows researchers to work with a business-mentor to:

  • gain a deeper insight into and understanding of the commercialization or implementation process
  • increase their links with the business community
  • carry out a preliminary evaluation of the commercial potential of their research

The mentors have many years of business experience and are hand-picked based on each researcher’s situation and needs.

Info-meeting will be held 25th of August, 12.00. Depending on the situation at the time it will be held online or in Lecture hall J3:11 Birger och Margareta Blombäcksalen. At the info-meeting we will tell you more about the program. Please register by filling in the application form

Who can apply?

We are looking for researchers in the cancer or stem cells and regenerative medicine research community at KI, who are interested in exploring the potential for commercialization of their research and are eager to learn more.

Note: We especially like to encourage applications from the junior faculty group of principal investigators (PIs) / group leaders.

Other criteria are:

  • Researchers ranging from junior faculty PIs to experienced professors
  • Researchers who have a genuine interest in working closely and openly with a mentor
  • Researchers who are open to developing their skills and network outside their academic comfort zone
  • Researchers who will devote time and commitment to the program and participate in all program activities (in total at least 40-80 hours).

How do I apply?

To apply for Mentor4Research is simple. You only need to provide short answers to a few questions about why you want to participate in the program, your research, and your thoughts on the potential for commercialization.

The application period is open 1 Sept – 1 October. After the deadline 1 October, KI Innovation will manage the interviews with all eligible applicants and matchmaking with the mentors. The final selection of participants will be done by KI Innovations and we will inform you no later than 1 January 2021 if you are accepted into the program.

Short Facts

  • Open for researchers within the oncology or stem cells and regenerative medicine research community at KI
  • The program is free of charge
  • In addition to the individual meetings between mentor and researcher, the program includes seminars and workshops meetings with all participants (see next page for more details).
  • The program starting in February 2021 and end in November 2021.
  • Application open 1 September – 1 October 2020.
  • Interviews and mentor matchmaking Oct – Dec 2020.
  • Final notification by January 1st, 2021.

Contact

For further information or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Patrik Blomquist

Patrik.Blomquist@kiinnovations.se

Preliminary program activities for Mentor4Research 2021

  • February: Kickoff
  • March: Workshop 1 – Protect your idea
  • April: Workshop 2 – Communicate your idea
  • May: Workshop 3 – Commercialization journey, part 1+1 to 1 follow up
  • September: Workshop 4 – How to use your network
  • Optional: Sept –Oct   Educational visit to NLS Days or to pharma & biotechs in Copenhagen (Novo, Lundbeck etc.)
  • October: Workshop 5 – Fireside chat: stories from fail & success
  • November: Final event – Commercialization journey, part

Location: KI Innovations, Solna Campus.

Thumbs up from other researchers!

9.5 on a 10-point scale was the rating when the scientists who participated in the 2019 Mentor4Research program responded to the question of whether they would recommend the program to other researchers. Even the mentors gave an average rating of 9.3 when asked whether they would recommend others to accept an invitation to become a mentor.

 

 

 

https://karolinskainnovations.ki.se/en/mentor4research-2020/