From Research to Business A (2026)

The course is fully booked! Please sign up at the waiting list. 

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration, phdcourses@adm.aau.dk.

Welcome to From Research to Business

Description: AAU wants to promote innovation and business creation as career path for more of our PhD candidates and as a means of making societal impact from our research. This course helps PhD students understand the entrepreneurial landscape, what it takes to be successful, and they have a chance to assess whether this is something for them. The course has a high priority from AAU Innovation.

Prerequisites: All PhD students are qualified to participate. Some elements of the course refer to Danish business structure and law, but those are introduced in the course for the benefit of international students.

Learning objectives: Knowing the general terminology of entrepreneurship. Experience different ways to view businesses and their lifecycles. Knowing the legal structures supporting businesses in Denmark.  Having considered the purpose and contents of a business plan.  Understanding the use of a viable business plan to obtain impact funding. Knowing financing options and understanding their pros and cons. Knowing different types of investors, their motives and expectations. Knowing the basics of immaterial property rights.  Having considered different marketing approaches and their links with the business model. Knowing about local structures and organizations supporting startups. Understanding options for IPR protection.

Teaching methods: Classroom dialogues to investigate motivations and the logic of business as compared with the academic world. Presentations by experiences and successful entrepreneurs and investment managers

Criteria for assessment: The students must complete a business model canvas for their own business idea to graduate the course.

Key literature: Notes and slides from the teaching sessions.

Organizer: John Rasmussen

Lecturers: John Rasmussen and Gert Spender-Andersen

ECTS: 2.0

Time: 14 and 15 January 2026

Place: Fibigerstræde 2 room 125

City: Aalborg

Maximal number of participants: 30

Deadline: 24 December 2025

ECTS: 2

Day 1 (14/1-26):

9-9:45: Welcome

• Introduction of teachers
• Expectations and learning goals
• Introduction of students and their ideas

9:45-10:15: Why become an entrepreneur? (John)
 
10:15-10:30: Break
 
10:30-11.30: Startup journey “from studying Geologist to IPO” (Casper)

11:30-12:00: Investor types (John)

12-13: Lunch break

13:00-13:30: Go to market (John)

13:30-14:15:  Marketing - Principia case (Gert)

14:15-14:30: Break

14:30-15:00: Legal matters (Gert)

• Forming a company
• Risk management and costs
• Employees

15:00-15:30: Open discussion

 Day 2 (15/1-26):

 9:00-11:30: Business model canvas (BMC) workshop (Gert & John)

• Intro to BMC
• Create your own BMC.

11:30-12:00: The TKS Case Early stage spinout (Gert)

12:00-13:00: Lunch

13:00-14:15: An investment manager's view (Morten Lindblad)

• What is a viable business idea?
• What is expected from an entrepreneur?
• What is the product?
• Choice of entrepreneurship strategy
• Expectations from investors in general

14:15-14:45 : Break

14:45-15:15: IPR protection strategy (Gert)

15:15-15:30: Corporate identity case: AnyBody Technology (John)

15:30-15:45: Intro of assignment & Open discussion (Gert & John)

Organizers:

• Professor John Rasmussen - jr@mp.aau.dk
• Special consultant Gert Spender-Andersen - gsa@adm.aau.dk

Lecturers:

• Professor John Rasmussen - jr@mp.aau.dk
• Special consultant Gert Spender-Andersen - gsa@adm.aau.dk
• Special consultant Casper Birkmose Mejer – casperbm@adm.aau.dk
• Morten Lindblad, CEO of Nordic Data Group

Important information concerning PhD courses: 

There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

For external PhD students: This course is a general course and is prioritised for PhD Students enrolled at Aalborg University. If there are available seats, PhD students from other universities will be accepted. You will be notified shortly after the deadline if you have been accepted.

To attend courses at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology you must be enrolled as a PhD student.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course.

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration at phdcourses@adm.aau.dk When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.