SNI doctoral students showed great enthusi- asm and dedication as they learned how best to pitch a business idea. Bryan Benz won the jury over with his presentation. (Images: A. Baum- gartner, A. Pekonen, University of Basel) Communication and entrepreneurial spirit Tailored courses for SNI doctoral students The aim of the SNI PhD School is to provide doctoral students with an excellent scientific education. We also support these young researchers in communicating their research clearly and exploring its applications and commercial potential. There are also regular internal events that offer insights into different areas of research. As part of their four-year doctorate, doctoral students com- plete the workshops “Rhetoric and Communication” and “From Lab to Startup.” In the rhetoric workshop under the guidance of science journalist Atlant Bieri, they learn to present their research convincingly and memorably and to prepare them- selves for high-level interactions. They further consolidate these presentation skills in the workshop “From Lab to Startup,” where they learn to develop their business ideas and present them clearly and convincingly. Based on their own research projects or their own personal ideas, the doctoral students develop business concepts that they elaborate and optimize thanks to individual support from Anna-Elina Pekonen (Innovation Office of the University of Basel) and the coach and management consultant Mauricio Campos. At the end of the two-day event in October 2025, all participants gave a convincing and impressive talk. Bryan Benz won the jury over with his pitch on new nanofabrication methods for silicon nanowires with magnetic tips. Report on “From Lab to Startup”: https://bit.ly/3MSNOm5 “From Lab to Startup shows what happens when cutting-edge science meets an open, entrepreneurial mindset. Our goal was to help PhD students see their research through an entrepreneurial lens – as a poten- tial solution to real-world challenges. In just two days, the participants turned complex research into clear and convincing startup stories, and watching them gain confidence in their ideas was rewarding. The level of engagement, creativity and en- ergy they brought to the workshop was impressive. It was fantastic to be part of this journey again.” Anna-Elina Pekonen, Head, Entrepreneurship Education, Innovation Office, University of Basel 21 SNI Annual Report 2025