On May 22nd at 3:00 PM, researchers and young scientists are invited to an interactive online workshop “From Lab Notebook to Deep-Tech Company,” where Jan Neuman, founder of a deep-tech company, will share his experience. NenoVision Co-founder and Director.
“Researchers and young scientists increasingly have to think not only about publications and academic careers, but also about how the technologies they create can become real products and businesses,” invite the organizers, the Consortium of Central and Eastern European Life Science Institutions. Alliance4Life.
The workshop will be particularly useful for doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scientists considering the commercialization of their research results. Participants will have the opportunity not only to listen to the workshop leader's experience but also to reflect on their own professional paths, discuss ideas, and receive direct feedback from an experienced company founder.
Jan Neuman and the first Central European Institute of Technology (Central European Institute of Technology, CEITEC, Czech Republic, Brno spin-off company NenoVision Co-founder and CEO. In 2014, he obtained a doctorate in engineering from the Brno University of TechnologyBrno University of Technology). In 2019, along with two other doctoral students, he decided to turn the results obtained in academic research into a commercial product, experiencing the entire journey from idea to a real company themselves.
Currently NenoVision Manufacture and sell LiteScope equipment on four continents. Among the company's most important clients are institutions such as NIST, ASU, and McGill University in North America, as well as TUM, KIT, and CEITEC in Europe. The company has received the prestigious R&D 100 Award (2024), often referred to as the “Oscar of Innovation,” as well as the highest Czech science award “Česká hlava” in the industry category (2025).
Jan Neuman will talk about his decision to leave academia, building a team and company from scratch, and share insights on what he would do differently today. During the event, participants will learn about the skills and advantages gained during doctoral studies, how to make important career decisions, and why in the world of innovation, it's crucial to “start before you're fully ready.” Practical issues regarding technology transfer, fundraising, and science will also be discussed. spin-off the reality of forming companies.
Admission to the event is free., by pre-registering, to receive Zoom Platform sites.
Programme
(100 minutes including intermission)
Introduction: A Journey in Numbers
“I was once in your exact shoes”
Part 1: What do the doctoral years offer?
Skills, experience, and competencies gained not only in the lab but also outside of it.
Part 2: Decision on the Next Step — Why Not a Postdoc?
It takes courage to start before you feel completely ready.
Interactive Session: Assessing Your Personal Career Path
- Voluntary exchange of experiences and ideas among participants
- Practical tips and feedback from the lecturer
Part 3: How a Company is Formed
- Team creation
- First clients
- Funding and bureaucracy – key takeaways and experience
- Technology transfer and spin-off business creation in practice
Part 4: Where NenoVision is Today and Future Plans
- NenoVision Development Vision 2026
- Brno as one of the world's centers for electron microscopy
Questions and open discussion
- Open conversation without topic restrictions
- Networking and informal conversations
