Looking to develop entrepreneurial skills, explore innovative tech ideas, or better understand digital transformation? The PIONEER+ Summer School offers a unique opportunity to gain practical entrepreneurship knowledge through a series of interactive online workshops focused on innovation, startups, and market-driven thinking.
Designed for advanced students, university staff, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers, the programme combines practical insights, startup experiences, and hands-on learning to help participants transform innovative ideas into entrepreneurial action.
Whether you already have a startup concept or simply want to strengthen your entrepreneurial mindset, the PIONEER+ Summer School will equip you with valuable tools, perspectives, and inspiration from experienced founders, investors, and innovation professionals.
Why Join the PIONEER+ Summer School?
The programme focuses on the essential building blocks of entrepreneurship and innovation, helping participants better understand:
- Entrepreneurial career paths
- Customer needs and buyer personas
- Product-market fit
- Investor expectations
- Sales and go-to-market strategies
- Digital transformation and tech innovation
Participants will engage in practical discussions, interactive exercises, and Q&A sessions with startups and industry experts from the RPTU innovation ecosystem.
Programme Information
- 🌐 Format: Online workshops
- 🇬🇧 Language: English
- 🎓 Participation: Open to students and university staff
- 💡 Focus: Tech ideas, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship
Workshop 1: Your Entrepreneurial Career
Date: 13 May 2026
Time: 15:00 – 16:30 CET
About the Workshop
This workshop provides a compact introduction to entrepreneurship and explores different entrepreneurial career opportunities.
Participants will hear directly from two startups within the RPTU ecosystem, who will share:
- Their entrepreneurial journeys
- Key decisions and lessons learned
- Real-life startup experiences and challenges
An open Q&A session will allow participants to ask questions about:
- Starting a business
- Entrepreneurial career development
- Daily startup life
- Common startup challenges
This workshop is ideal for anyone curious about entrepreneurship and innovation-driven career paths.
Workshop 2: Buyer Persona
Date: 08 June 2026
Time: 15:00 – 16:30 CET
About the Workshop
Who are your customers — and what problem are you really solving?
This interactive workshop focuses on customer understanding and product-market fit. Participants will learn how to:
- Create a clear buyer persona
- Identify customer behaviours and needs
- Develop initial hypotheses around product-market fit
- Better align innovative solutions with market demand
Participants will also use a specially developed AI-supported tool that guides them step-by-step through the buyer persona creation process.
By the end of the session, participants will have a stronger understanding of:
- Target audiences
- Customer pain points
- Market relevance
- Solution validation
Workshop 3: How Investors Trick
Date: 08 July 2026
Time: 15:00 – 16:30 CET
About the Workshop
What do investors really expect from startups and founders?
In this session, Frank Petry, serial entrepreneur and business angel, shares practical insights into investor decision-making and startup investment expectations.
Participants will learn:
- What investors look for in startup teams
- Which business metrics and signals matter most
- How to improve storytelling and pitching
- What makes a startup investment-ready
The workshop also provides practical guidance on presenting innovative ideas in a more investor-relevant and convincing way.
A live Q&A session will give participants the opportunity to ask questions directly to an experienced investor and entrepreneur.
Workshop 4: Q&A on Sales and Go-to-Market Strategy
Date: 27 August 2026
Time: 15:00 – 16:30 CET
About the Workshop
How do startups successfully enter the market and attract their first customers?
In this interactive Q&A-focused session, startups from the RPTU ecosystem will share practical experiences and lessons learned about:
- Sales strategies
- Go-to-market planning
- Customer acquisition
- Outreach channels
- First deals and partnerships
Participants are encouraged to bring their own questions and discuss real entrepreneurial challenges with startup founders and innovation professionals.
This session is especially valuable for participants interested in startup growth, commercialization, and market entry strategies.
Who Should Participate?
The PIONEER+ Summer School is ideal for:
- Students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation
- Researchers exploring commercialization opportunities
- Academic and non-academic university staff
- Doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers
- Aspiring founders and innovators
- Individuals interested in digital transformation and startup ecosystems
No previous entrepreneurial experience is required.
Register for One or More Workshops
The PIONEER+ Summer School offers a unique opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills, explore startup thinking, and connect with innovation-driven professionals and peers from across the academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Whether you want to validate an idea, understand your customers, improve your pitch, or learn how startups grow, these workshops provide practical knowledge and inspiration for your entrepreneurial journey.
👉 Register now and join the PIONEER+ Summer School!