Lifting CERN entrepreneurs to new heights

How can an international research institution help employees who wish to leave their comfort zone for the risky endeavour of starting a company? CERN encourages the creation of companies as a way of disseminating technology developed here. But what else can be done to foster these initiatives?

William Rode, a technical student in CERN’s Knowledge Transfer Group, studied spin-off creations in some leading research institutions as part of his Master's thesis in entrepreneurship at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. William, who was offered a ticket to attend the Lift14 conference in Geneva, shares some insight into how we can support entrepreneurship at CERN:

"A while ago I attended the Lift conference in Geneva. The conference explores the business and social implications of technology innovation through talks and workshops, as well as through art and discussion. Innovation is at the core of the conference and is reflected in the open-mindedness of the participants. The culture also very much encourages entrepreneurship. One of the workshops I attended was hosted by AP-Swiss, a company working with the European Space Agency (ESA) to promote the applications of space technology and infrastructure. At this workshop, several start-up companies presented how they had made use of space technology. Like ESA, CERN’s Member States have expressed a wish to make CERN's technology available to industry.

So how can CERN support the creation of new companies? During my time at CERN I interviewed the founders of several companies which  started in different research institutions to try to answer this question. Through these interviews, one thing became clear: there needs to be someone who is willing to take initiative and commit themselves to the project. Understanding the motivation of these people willing to entrepreneurially commit themselves may help us to offer better support.

All of the founders I interviewed had been at a crossroads at the time they decided to make the entrepreneurial commitment. Some had recently finished their PhDs, some had seen their limited-duration contract expire and others had waited until retirement before starting the venture. At these crossroads, starting a company is typically one of many routes that can be chosen, and this path is often the most daunting. Trying to start a company is a scary endeavour and it is often psychologically strenuous for an entrepreneur to step into unknown territory. One thing that can help reduce this psychological burden is an institutional culture which is accepting and encouraging of entrepreneurship.

The entrepreneurial culture at CERN is still in its infancy. My impression has been that, depending on the department, expressing a wish to start a company can be met with varying reactions. I believe it is important to further improve this culture, to ensure that a positive impression is given to entrepreneurs at a crossroads. Fortunately, the current entrepreneurship environment at CERN is still developing, and initiatives with potential to further develop the culture are emerging.

We can learn from the culture of the Lift conference by fostering an environment that accepts and encourages entrepreneurship. This will provide important support for people at a crossroads. Starting a company will always be a risky path to take, and not everyone has the appetite for risk. But an encouraging, supportive culture may help tip budding talent onto the entrepreneurial path."

by William Rode