Guidelines for innovation projects

Transcription

1 Hasler Innovation A development programme from the Hasler Foundation aimed at assisting the preparations for a company startup in the ICT area (financing of innovation projects). Guidelines for innovation projects

2 Guidelines for innovation projects Index of contents Index of contents Background Current situation The Hasler Foundation approach to support Anticipated results of innovation projects Who can be considered for an innovation project? Support conditions Application Who can submit an application? Structure and content of the application Letter of recommendation and confirmation Decision process Decision criteria Deadlines Company start-up Background 1.1. Current situation New technologies that might have market potential are frequently developed at universities (as part of a dissertation or master s thesis). The question raised in this specific case is whether this opportunity can be exploited through a company startup. The decision to set up a company is particularly inviting if the potential is considered significant. The following then often happens: the company is set up with the help of funds laboriously scraped together, but with great expectations. However, commercial - 2 / 8 -

3 success does not follow because the individuals either lack ideas on how to generate earnings with this newly developed technology or their approach is naive. The reasons for this are frequently: focus on technology half-baked product (technology o.k., insufficient thought given to customer benefit) lack of market understanding insufficient or one-sided personnel resources The ambitious dreams end in ruins The Hasler Foundation approach to support The newly qualified holders of a doctorate or Master s degree remain at their university / institute for a limited period where, on the basis of their innovative dissertation or Master s thesis, they develop a product which offers sufficient marketability and receive coaching on a professional approach to a company startup: Application of the technology for the benefit of a client group Conversion of the technological innovation into a product 1 : technical system application support supplementary elements / components industrialization pricing marketing etc. To enable a company to be set up with realistic prospects of success the technology-based approach of the potential company founders must be replaced by a market-driven approach: an understanding of what a product is an understanding of the market an understanding of the mechanisms of how earnings are generated or how money can be earned. The key preparations for setting up a company are: establishment of a team whose members together possess all the characteristics required for the successful management and further development of a company (management and Board of Directors) 1 A product comprises the totality of a specific offering and its overall benefit as perceived by the customers. - 3 / 8 -

4 formulation of an effective and sustainable strategy creation of a business plan based on the strategy and realistic assumptions securing the Intellectual Property Rights. Relevant further training as well as support provided by an experienced coach is a condition set by the Hasler Foundation but one which is also supported Anticipated results of innovation projects Innovation projects should create the conditions required for a successful company start-up. These requirements are from the technical aspect production of prototypes development of tools etc. from the commercial aspect marketing concept (how do I structure my product and how do I earn money from it) review of the product idea through the initial implementation of the marketing concept, including own sales efforts resource planning for the organisation and expansion of the company finance plan (costs and revenues; proof of commercial viability) summary of the commercial planning within a systematically structured Business Plan, together with internal logic and fact-based plausibility etc. from the entrepreneurial aspect creation of the personal and personnel conditions required to successfully manage the company strategy development protection for the technological and commercial know-how preparation for the company start-up etc. 2. Who can be considered for an innovation project? Those who can be considered for an innovation project include holders of a doctorate or master s degree in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) whose dissertation or master s thesis has produced innovative results which can be developed into a marketable product with sufficiently high earnings potential for the envisaged company start-up. - 4 / 8 -

5 As a general rule the innovation project should commence no later than six months after the individual has gained his/her doctorate or master s degree. The application for the innovation project must be submitted in conjunction with a university profession (mentor) who will make the necessary infrastructure available for the duration of the innovation project. The financing of the infrastructure will be provided via the university. 3. Support conditions Support will be provided for an individual or a team of two persons. The support is normally provided for a period of one year but no more than 18 months. The persons receiving support must work full time on the innovation project and may not be deployed for other projects or tasks of the hosting institution/university. Any patents created during the period of the innovation project are the property of the hosting institution/university. However, this institution/university must give an undertaking to grant the recipients of the support with an exclusive right of use under advantageous terms and conditions which is also available in particular to any subsequent company start-up. These terms and conditions must be agreed on commencement of the support and be accepted by the Hasler Foundation. If an innovation project is approved the Hasler Foundation will pay the hosting institution/university the following all-inclusive amount: CHF 100,000 per person and year The employment of the recipients of the support, as well as the provision of the necessary infrastructure for the innovation project, is the responsibility of the hosting institution/university. If the project is terminated prematurely the hosting institution/university must refund the support funds provided by the Hasler Foundation on a pro rate basis. 4. Application 4.1. Who can submit an application? The application must be submitted by the beneficiary of the planned innovation project. A letter from the university must be enclosed with the application giving a binding confirmation that in the event of a positive decision from the Hasler Foundation the recipients of the support will be employed by the university and have access to the necessary infrastructure. - 5 / 8 -

6 4.2. Structure and content of the application The application must contain the following elements: 1) Completed Proposal Form for Innovation Projects (to be downloaded from the Hasler Foundation website) 2) Definition of the project (max. 10 pages) Summary Project idea Brief description of the results of the dissertation or master s thesis Description of the product idea based on these results, stressing the innovative aspects and anticipated client benefit Deliberations on the Unique Selling Propositions of the future product, the competitor situation and the business model (how do I earn money with this product?) Project objectives What is the innovation project intended to achieve project and what are the anticipated results? How will the innovation project impact on the intended company start-up? What are the criteria for the success of the project? Project course of action How are the project objectives intended to be achieved? Will a special methodology be used? Project plan Work plan and timetable Milestones (defined and verifiable interim results) Resources required Project financing Planned expenditure (salaries, social security contributions, expenses, other project costs) Planned income (funds provided by Hasler Foundation, addition sources of financing) 3) Applicant s personal details 4) Enclosures Occupational objectives Suitability for this project The applicant s full CV (Enclosure) The mentor s CV incl. list of publications (Enclosure) The application must be sent in Adobe PDF format to the Hasler Foundation (contact@haslerstiftung.ch). Please do not send any other documents. If additional documents are required to reach a decision these will be requested by the Hasler Foundation. - 6 / 8 -

7 4.3. Letter of recommendation and confirmation A letter of recommendation and confirmation must be sent by the mentor by separate post (not ) to the Hasler Foundation, addressing the following points: Assessment of the project idea Qualification of the applicant Why am I supporting this innovation project? Confirmation that the applicant will be employed and provided with the necessary infrastructure Confirmation that the Guidelines for Innovation Projects (this document) are acknowledged as binding 4.4. Decision process On the basis of the documents submitted a decision will be made whether to approve or reject the application. If the application is approved the applicants will be invited together his/her/their mentor to give a presentation to the relevant committee of the Foundation Board. The final decision on whether to provide support will be made on the basis of the documents and the presentation Decision criteria The product idea is based on an innovative technology in the ICT area. The underlying technology, either per se or through its application, represents an advance in ICT and exceeds the boundaries of the acknowledged state-of-theart. Technology and/or process cannot easily be copied. The sponsors of the innovation project and future company founders have clear objectives in mind, combined with ambition and a distinctive desire for success. Know-how and skills are appropriate to the objective. The market potential of the innovative product, process or service is clearly identifiable. The innovation project is based on a transparent, targeted plan (interim targets, deadlines, costs). - 7 / 8 -

8 4.6. Deadlines Applications for innovation projects can be submitted at the standard deadlines of the Hasler Foundation: Application until end of february (28/29) end of june (30) end of october (31) decision until end of june end of october end of february 5. Company start-up The aim of the innovation project is to create the conditions required to establish a successful company in the market. If a company is founded after the innovation project has been completed the Hasler Foundation will be prepared in any event to make a financial contribution towards this company start-up. There is however no legal entitlement to this contribution. - 8 / 8 -