SDU insights inspire startups on commercialising successfully

Description

Good commercialisation strategies are key to creating successful startups. Yet it’s not always easy for startups to pinpoint the right way to go to market. That’s the driving force behind a collaboration between the University of Southern Denmark and Odense Robotics StartUp Hub, where students offer startups their ideas on how to secure success in the market. 

New technology needs the right commercialisation strategy in order to be a success in the market. That’s why the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) launched Management of Technology, a subject focusing on barriers and opportunities when commercialising new technology. As part of the course, students provided insights on commercialisation to startups at Odense Robotic StartUp Hub located at the Danish Technological Institute in Odense. 

Management of Technology was offered for the first time last year to students from Product Development and Innovation at the Faculty of Engineering. Yet the idea came from the Centre for Integrative Innovation Management at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Here, Associate Professor Marianne Harbo Frederiksen and post.doc Melissa Beach developed and taught the course and ensured a close collaboration with local startups through the StartUp Hub. 

“Marianne and co. hit the nail on the head by focusing on precisely this aspect of innovation. Even though many startups can deliver a five-minute pitch, there is often a missing link when it comes to selling the product. And that’s exactly where the Centre for Integrative Innovation Management can help us,” says Peter Smedegaard, Business Development Manager at Odense Robotics, who works with startups at the Hub.

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