At unlock_, we support the most promising Life Sciences & Health (LSH) start-ups and scale-ups through their creation and growth phases every single day. As the premier LSH incubator in the Netherlands, we know exactly what it takes to successfully bring scientific innovation to the market. To truly impact the healthcare of tomorrow, we believe in starting right in the lecture halls.
Together with our partners; Leiden University, LUMC, and Hogeschool Leiden, and with the support of the Kansen voor West subsidy program we offer a standardized ‘educational menu’. This allows us to structurally integrate innovation and entrepreneurship into LSH curricula for both Bachelor’s and Master’s students.
Flexible Modules, Maximum Impact
In the past, entrepreneurship education was often fragmented and set up ad hoc. Our structured menu changes the game by introducing two fixed variants:
The Basic Variant: An intensive module lasting one or several weeks, where Bachelor’s students use (fictional) LSH cases to learn how to build their very first business pitch.
The Specialized Variant: An extensive minor running for 10 to 20 weeks, where Master’s students and junior researchers translate their own scientific research into a full-fledged business plan.
By standardizing these modules, we can easily form multidisciplinary teams (combining medical, technical, and business talent), which significantly boosts the chances of creating breakthrough innovations.
From Research to Startup: Elena’s Success Story
What does this continuous learning pipeline look like in practice? Dr. Elena Naumovska perfectly demonstrates the power of structural collaboration between PLNT, LUMC, the university, and the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP).
Founder: Dr. Elena Naumovska (Postdoc, LUMC)
Research: Development of stem cell-based advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) for Type 1 Diabetes.
The unlock_ Pathway: Elena kicked off her journey as a participant in the very first edition of Ready to Start (ideation). She then advanced to Startup Play (validation) and continued her growth within the unlock_ Incubation program.
Current Status: Elena’s startup StemXBio is formally incorporated, is currently renting dedicated lab space at BioPartner 3, and has already raised over €375,000 in grants and loans.
A Sustainable Future
This project is a win-win: it equips students and researchers with the exact skills needed for a career in the (local) biotech and life sciences industry, while simultaneously accelerating the flow of high-potential spin-offs into our incubator.
The subsidy covers the initial development costs and pilots. The ultimate, long-term rollout will be fully integrated into and sustained by the regular funding of the participating educational institutions.
