A quiet buzz of conversation fills the room at DTU Skylab. Groups of young researchers sit absorbed in discussion, gathered around their laptops - some reviewing notes, others refining ideas and imagining how their research might one day become a startup.
It’s the third morning of the Young Researcher Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (YREB), and the atmosphere is focused, collaborative, and you could say full of momentum. For many, this is their first real encounter with entrepreneurship - and the timing could barely be better.
“I have realised that not everything needs to be perfect to be implemented. The entrepreneurial mindset can be applied broadly and benefit my research. I don’t yet have a startup idea, but I now see that it might actually be possible,” says Iana Medvedeva, an industrial PhD student at DTU Compute.
Her reflection captures a broader shift. A good time to launch a startup is when new technology emerges, and established players are forced to rethink their models, and space opens up for new actors who can move fast and think differently. That moment is now, with AI and large language models (LLM) transforming the digital landscape, says Thomas Riisgaard Hansen, Director of DIREC – Digital Research Centre Denmark:
“It offers startups a wealth of new opportunities. At the same time, we are witnessing a world in flux - geopolitically, for instance - which compels companies to reconsider whom they source from and support. It has never been easy to be a startup, but I can hardly imagine a better time than now.”
Against this backdrop, the Young Researcher Entrepreneurship Bootcamp at DTU offers a timely opportunity for young scientists to explore digital entrepreneurship. Hosted by DTU Compute’s Research School and developed in collaboration with DTU Skylab, CBS, DIREC, and the Pioneer Centre for AI, the bootcamp helps participants translate their research into real-world impact.
Keeping an overview made simple
Over four days, participants work across disciplines to develop ideas, pitch startup concepts, learn about megatrends and IP protection, and hear from young entrepreneurs who have already taken the leap. The bootcamp is not just about business - it’s about mindset, momentum, and the courage to imagine something new.
Associate Professor Nicki Skafte Detlefsen from DTU Compute introduces a practical tool to help startups organize and make decisions about data and source code from the outset. With proper preparation, issues like data handling - which could otherwise harm the business - can be avoided.
“It is clear that people are here to learn. My colleagues and I bring a lot of experience. We haven’t all worked in startups, but we know what it takes to build good AI models. If we can help even one startup get off the ground, that’s fantastic,” he says.
Where technology meets business and ethics
The bootcamp is open to young researchers from all eight Danish universities, ensuring commercial talent is also represented. It bridges commercial insight and technical expertise with support from speakers such as those from CSE – Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship at CBS.
“You might have brilliant technical skills and a great solution, but you also need a solid business model, clear ambitions, and a vision for the type of company you want to build. Technology is deeply intertwined with ethics, human behaviour, regulation, and legislation,” says Marianna Lubanski, Project Manager and Change Agent for Innovation & Impact at CSE.
This is exactly the case for three of the participants. Last year, they took an entrepreneurship course and founded the startup LumenAR. Using nanotechnology, they aim to improve screen visibility in poor lighting conditions. Their goal is to sell the solution to smartphone manufacturers for factory integration.
“We are a technically strong team, but we lack soft skills, which we are developing here. Practising pitching is especially valuable,” says co-founder Alexander Holm Ohrt, a PhD student in photonics at DTU Electro.
