Quanten-Entrepreneurship-Labor
Quantum Entrepreneurship Laboratory

The Quantum Entrepreneurship Laboratory is a project-based learning experience that brings together students of different backgrounds with reputable industry partners and selected quantum specialists to explore new commercial applications of quantum computing.

Teams are presented with challenges from industry partners, for which they will have to develop prototypes of quantum software and commercialization strategies for these. Students will be supported with lectures from professors and invited experts as well as from interactions with teaching assistants, in both technical and entrepreneurial topics. The student teams will consist of a balanced combination of physics, management and informatics students.

The students registering to the module at the department of physics will receive tailored lectures on hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, quantum algorithms in the real world, as well as an introduction to entrepreneurship. All roles will go through classes on use-case identification, business plan development, as well as classes on prototyping, pitching, and funding. A large part of the self-study for the quantum specialist and full-stack specialist entails finding and applying the right methods and algorithms to the identified use-case.

At the end of the module, students are able to apply the product development process to quantum technologies and its application domains.

In terms of business knowledge, they are able to analyze markets and user needs, and respond with suitable product features - specifically in the context of deep tech. Furthermore, they understand the factors that are relevant for creating a new business opportunity with emerging technologies and especially quantum technologies.

In terms of technical knowledge, students are able to conduct a technology assessment and to develop a prototype.

Due to the fact that students work in interdisciplinary teams, they learn how to work with and manage interdisciplinary teams.

Furthermore, by working directly with an industry partner, the students will learn to manage stakeholders in a business-to-business product development context.

Students can subscribe the module based on their preferred role in the interdisciplinary project:

• Quantum specialist: module on Quantum Computing and in general Quantum Information Science. Knowledge of quantum mechanics can be useful but not strictly necessary.
• Full-stack specialist: Experience with web and/or mobile application development is highly recommended. The experience could be academic, professional or self-taught.
• Entrepreneur: [Please see module WI001258 at the SoM]

The assessment of the module consists of a project work in which the students develop a prototype for an application domain of quantum technologies in groups of 4-5 students. The project work includes one final project report and two intermediate reports (deliverables, to be submitted throughout the semester) and a final oral presentation of the project.

The final grade is composed of the ideation phase deliverable (20%), midterm deliverable (20%), final deliverable (30%) and final presentation (30%). The deliverables and coaching sessions measure the student's ability to conceptualize industry-relevant solutions and validate their technical and economical feasibility by implementing prototypes and doing customer research. Additionally, documenting their technical solution and opportunity identification process measures the student’s ability to summarize major facts in a clear and concise manner.

With the presentation (With an approximate duration of 10 minutes + 5 minutes of Q&A;), the students exhibit their ability to understand the central challenges of their partner, demonstrate the technical solution developed, and the market opportunity for it. The students present their work with the help of a slide presentation designed to be appealing to the audience, thereby demonstrating their ability to communicate technical problems and ideas also to a non-technical audience and to conduct a discussion about the presented subject.