Starting and growing your Materials company

The Starting and Growing your Materials Company-day is an initiative of K.U.Leuven Department Metallurgy and Materials Engineering and Leuven Materials Research Center in collaboration with Leuven Research and Development (LRD) and Leuven.Inc.

Who are your first contacts when you want to start up a spin-off company in Materials? How to proceed? What business plan to write? Who are your role models? What are the critical ingredients of capital, niche market, and intellectual property? How can I make a difference?

This unique event is specifically organized for all masters and Ph.D. students, for postdocs and researchers of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group and/or Material Sciences.
If you want to grab a unique opportunity to meet 'like minded' people and to address your questions to trendsetting role models and leading experts in the field then come and join us on the Materials Spin-off day.

Representatives from industry are also very welcome to meet with inspired researchers and students ready to take off in the materials world.

Some practical aspects
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 (13.00-18.00 h)
Location: Thermotechnisch Instituut, Kasteelpark Arenberg 41, Heverlee

Presentations will be in English

Target public
- Master students, Ph.D. students, postdocs and researchers of the Science and Technology Group and/or Material Sciences
- IOF fellows, Interface departments
- All other interested professionals

Program
- 13h00: Welcome coffee and sandwiches
- 14h00: 'Trends for Materials Research', Ignace Verpoest, Prof. K.U.Leuven Department Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Departement / Karel Van Acker, Coördinator Leuven Materials Research Centre
- 14h20: 'Funding strategies for materials ventures - business models that work', Marc Lambrechts, Senior Investment Manager, Capricorn Venture Partners
- 14h50: 'Ventures in Materials Science at ETH Zurich', Matthias Hölling, ETH - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
- 15h20: Coffee break
- 15h40: 'Incubating and financing materials spin-offs', Rudi Cuyvers, Innovation Manager, K.U.Leuven Research & Development
- 16h15: 'Venturing and starting materials companies by OCAS Ventures', Philippe Vercruyssen, Partner, Ocas Ventures
- 16h45: 'Starting and growing university spin-offs: a real life experience - case 1: Metalogic', Christine Buelens, CEO Metalogic
- 17h15: 'Starting and growing university spin-offs: a real life experience - case 2: Materialise', Fried Van Craen, CEO, Materialise
- 17h45: Closing remarks, Ignace Verpoest, Prof. K.U.Leuven Department Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
- 18h00: Drink