Berlin Universities and Charité Recognize Excellent Research-based Business Ideas

At the closing event of the "Research to Market Challenge" ideas competition on Thursday evening, nine teams were honored for research-based business ideas. A total of 48 proposals had been submitted. This was the first time that the competition was held jointly by Freie Universität, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. A personalized avalanche warning system for skiers and snowboarders, software for diagnosis and treatment planning in patients with heart disease, and realistic models for practicing procedures in veterinary medicine - these ideas for start-ups submitted by researchers based at the three major Berlin universities and Charité - Universitätsmedizin each won first place in the categories Digital, Life Sciences & Technologies, and Cultural & Social in the Research to Market Challenge. Each first prize included 1,500 euros. In university research many good ideas with market potential are not pursued due to a lack of opportunity and know-how. To counteract this, in 2014 Freie Universität along with Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin founded the "Research to Market Challenge" ideas competition.