HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND BUSINESS? THE CHALLENGER SCIENCE 2024 PROGRAM TRAINED RESEARCH TEAMS
Over several months, research teams from various fields participated in the new Challenger Science educational program, where they learned how to turn their research findings into practical business plans and bring them to life. The ten best participants showcased their projects in a public finale held on December 4 in Bratislava. The team from the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University won the Audience Award.
Compared to its neighboring countries, Slovakia faces significant challenges in commercializing science and research. A lack of entrepreneurial mindset, funding, and infrastructure for technology transfer often prevents scientists from transforming their ideas into real-world applications. The Challenger Science program aims to address these barriers, promote the commercialization of research, and create favorable conditions for successful technology transfer and innovation.
The program's inaugural edition was organized by the consulting company Civitta in partnership with the ESET Foundation, with additional support from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT Health). Comenius University in Bratislava participated as a community partner.
Over the course of three months, research teams met weekly with consultants and mentors specializing in technology transfer, business, and marketing. Through hands-on workshops, they developed their presentation and communication skills while learning about design thinking and entrepreneurial strategies.
At the final event, the top ten teams delivered professionally prepared, three-minute pitches to convince a panel of judges about the merits of their projects. The expert jury, comprised of Pavol Šajgalík (President of the Slovak Academy of Sciences), Pavol Luka (Chief Operating Officer of ESET), Eva Kováčová (CEO of Glycanostics, the only Slovak company to win an ERC Consolidator Grant), and Michal Nešpor (Partner at the investment firm Crowdberry), posed challenging questions such as: "Who might not want you to succeed?","Do you know who your competitors are?", "Do you have a sales team ready?", "You’ve tested on cells so far — how do you plan to test on humans?", "Is your technology fully developed?"
Among the finalists were three projects led by members of Comenius University's academic community.
Kristína Macáková, a 2023 Falling Walls Lab winner from the Faculty of Medicine, presented a project focused on developing new biological markers for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
Natália Stollárová from the Faculty of Pharmacy showcased a project on tailoring treatments and medication intake based on a patient’s genetic information.
Petra Zahradníková from the Faculty of Medicine introduced InfantSim — a realistic 3D model of a newborn designed to help medical professionals practice minimally invasive surgical procedures. Her presentation stood out the most, earning the Audience Award from attendees, including scientists, organizers, and fellow research teams.
The grand prize — a trip to the prestigious VivaTech 2025 technology fair in Paris — was awarded to the PoxyMed team from the Institute of Polymers at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Their technology, which enables targeted drug delivery directly to the site of action, has the potential to significantly improve treatment effectiveness.
Natália Stollárová, a young researcher from the Faculty of Pharmacy, spoke positively about her experience in the Challenger Science program:
"I learned to think about topics that are not typically part of a scientist's daily work, such as patent protection, the concept of a minimum viable product (MVP), and business model creation. We also gained insight into how scientific startups operate. Every week, we had the opportunity to engage with inspiring individuals from both Slovakia and abroad, building valuable connections and friendships that have already helped push our work forward and open many doors. The program was absolutely worth it, and it reinforced my belief that investing in the entrepreneurial mindset of scientists benefits society as a whole," she said.
Barbora Tancerová