«From Lab to Startup» Startup spirit among our doctoral students How do you turn your own research into a compelling startup concept and convince potential investors with a pitch? SNI doctoral students took their first steps on this path in mid-October during the two-day startup work- shop “From Lab to Startup” in the old town of Solo- thurn. Under the professional guidance of Anna-Elina Pekonen from the University of Basel’s Innovation Of- fice and Mauricio Campos, coach and owner of a con- sulting firm, the eight participants learned what it takes to convince investors of their business idea with a clear, structured, and inspiring pitch. SNI post Warm-up exercises, presentations by founders, and the introduction and analysis of participants’ own concepts were elements of the start-up work- shop “From Lab to Startup.” (Images: A.-E. Pekonen and A. Baumgartner) NanoTec Apéro at Straumann in Basel This year’s NanoTec Apéro took place on October 21 at our long-standing industry partner Straumann In- stitut AG in Basel. Participants gained exciting in- sights into the company’s work and current Nano- Argovia projects on ceramic dental implants, en- zyme-based PET degradation, and self-degrading im- plants. A poster session and a guided tour also pro- vided an opportunity to exchange ideas on further research work. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the host and all those involved for this in- spiring event. SNI post Exciting presentations on current Nano-Argovia projects are a key element during the NanoTec Apéro. 38 SNI INSight December 2025