career path to "out of academia"

Tuesday, 15 September 2026, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (in English) online via Zoom (see HERE)
“From postdoc to innovation: science meets entrepreneurship – a male and female founder report” (University Leipzig)

How do you make the transition from science to entrepreneurship? In this “coffee conversation”, two founders talk about their personal journeys between research, funding and start-up development – authentically, approachably and with plenty of room for questions.

To kick things off, Dr. Christian Sonnendecker, co-founder of ESTER Biotech, will talk about his current transitional phase: still employed at Leipzig university and funded by EXIST Research Transfer, his team is already working intensively on the spin-off. He will provide insights into how a scientific idea becomes a company – and what opportunities and challenges this transition holds.

A female founder (to be announced) will add to the perspective and show how one example for how female scientists are shaping their path to self-employment. The event offers scientists considering to leave academia, interested in founding or just in general the opportunity to talk directly to these two role models and ask their own questions.