"Midel Photonics" is just the second project selected in this competition for the University of Bonn. "This is really a huge success for the founders, but also for the university and our enaCom offers for people interested in founding a company," says Benita Schuba, deputy department head of the Transfer Center enaCom, who intensively advised the founding team during the application process.
The method developed by the Bonn physicists makes it possible to shape laser beams into the appropriate form. This is arousing great interest in industry, where more and more lasers are being used, for example to manufacture electric motors or cell phone components. Until now, laser beams with a round shape have still been used for the very different processes. "It's like trying to turn any type of screw with a cordless screwdriver with a single cross attachment. With a matching attachment, it would be much easier. You save energy and time and gain quality," explains David Dung of Midel Photonics. With the technology of the start-up project, such attachments for the desired laser beam shape can be produced much more flexibly than existing solutions on the market.
The goal of EXIST research transfer funding is to develop industrial prototypes. For Christopher Grossert, one of the founders, this is a "huge opportunity to catapult basic research into industry." Now the team has the freedom to focus on industrial applications - a whole new chapter for the physics researchers. From customer acquisition to business plans, the scope of work has become more multifaceted. "In the process, we will also develop personally in many ways. But it's exactly what we've wanted to do for a long time. And now we have the resources to do it," says David Dung.
From microscopic to centimeter-sized structures
In order to achieve the set goals in the next 18 months, various challenges arise. "The biggest technical challenge is to take what we can do on a small scale and scale it up to a large scale. From microscopic structures, as needed in science, to the centimeter-sized structures needed for industrial use - and without compromising quality," explains Christian Wahl of Midel Photonics. In addition to these technical aspects, the final company foundation is also on the agenda during the funding phase.
Furthermore, the founders must establish a viable business model with a sales concept and, if possible, acquire follow-up financing. Investors enable start-ups to grow quickly in order to conquer the market. This is also the goal of Midel Photonics. In this respect, the team can draw on the business management experience of co-founder Frederik Wolf through his dual studies in business administration. The founders also receive further support from their expert mentor Prof. Dr. Martin Weitz from the Institute of Applied Physics at the University of Bonn. He is vice speaker of the Cluster of Excellence "ML4Q - Matter and Light for Quantum Information", a research network of the Universities of Cologne, Aachen and Bonn and the Research Center Jülich.
In addition to financial support from the EXIST program, the founders will continue to be helped by the services offered by the Transfer Center at the University of Bonn. "We are totally looking forward to further cooperation with enaCom," says Frederik Wolf. With the know-how and advice of the start-up coaches, the team will be able to further develop the necessary entrepreneurial skills, among other things, so that they can then take off on the market in the future.