UU Innovation for students
The future needs your ideas! Innovation capabilities and entrepreneurial skills are about being able to see opportunities, develop ideas, and move from thought to action. These skills are also in demand in the labour market. By working on your idea, you will build valuable experience and credentials for the future while helping to create it.
Together, we can shape the solutions of the future to tackle both small and large challenges, contributing to a better society. Come and develop your idea with us at UU Innovation!
Develop your idea with UU Innovation
We are your sounding board during the first stage of your exciting journey, where you need information, funding, networks and strategies to fuel it. The sooner you get in touch with us at UU Innovation the better.
You do not need to apply to get our support, nor do you need to bring a prototype or business plan or have a prepared pitch. We specialise in the very early stages of development, so you do not need to worry that you are not far enough along. In addition, our support is specially developed so that you can continue studying while developing your idea.
Our support is open to all students at Uppsala University. It does not matter what you are studying, what prior knowledge you have, or what your previous experience is. The support is free of charge and we take no ownership of your idea.
Explore your opportunities
We start with an initial no-obligation meeting. What we discuss stays between us. Together, we will work step-by-step to explore the opportunities and challenges of your idea – and create the conditions for you to develop it further.
Here's how it works:
Define your idea and objectives
Let's chat! Our goal is to get to know your idea, understand where you are in the process, and figure out the exciting next steps together. Whether you're exploring a new service, physical product, design, method, or technology, we're eager to explore the potential of your idea. We're especially interested in discovering whether your concept could offer a fresh or enhanced solution to an existing need, or even carve out a completely new niche.
Evaluate your idea from multiple perspectives
When your idea is in the early stages of development, there are often more questions than answers. We will help you so you can find the answers and focus on the right thing at the right time.
When we evaluate the potential of your idea together, many aspects are taken into account. These include what your ambition is for the idea, what the market looks like, how your idea compares to current solutions, and whether there are opportunities and reasons to protect the rights to it in some way. The focus will vary depending on what your particular idea needs. To test your idea, in some cases (and if needed), we can help you seek funding.
Develop your idea with a sustainable roadmap
Once the basic questions have been answered and you have enough information to determine that the idea is viable for further development, it is time to develop strategies on how to develop the idea further to reach the market. Here, we delve deeper into the issues surrounding the value proposition and also look at funding opportunities, the need to supplement your team, help you find relevant contacts, and discuss sustainability issues.
Take our idea test
Take our test to quickly find out what you need to take your idea to the next level. The test is also a convenient way to get in touch with us. Just fill in your email in the last step and we will get in touch with you!
Get a handle on agreements and ownership when collaborating
Right from the outset, it is important to have an agreement that clearly sets out the rights, obligations and expectations between the parties.
UU Innovation was with me all the way from the idea stage to building the first version of the product. I received guidance in all aspects of what I needed to analyse – including market analysis, research review, beta testing and contact with relevant people who could provide the necessary experience when I got stuck. I wouldn’t have progressed as quickly without all that help. I’m sure of that
Mamduh Halawa, alumnus from the Psychology Programme and founder of Zeeds
UU Innovation was supportive, encouraging, and curious about my idea, which feels incredibly important in the early stages when your idea hasn't progressed much yet. They have guided me step by step, and I've truly experienced it as positive input and advice rather than demands. Furthermore, through UU Innovation, I've had the opportunity to seek funding to validate different aspects of the idea early in the process and prepare for the market. I've secured funding for both branding efforts and concept development.
Ximena Samuelsson-Allendes, alumna of the Bachelor's Programme in Leadership – Quality Management – Improvement and the Master's Programme in Entrepreneurship. She is also the founder of Aidster.
UU Innovation has been there from the very beginning, providing support with contacts and advice for several meetings. We also received financial support, which has been very helpful and enabled us to move forward very quickly.
Fredrik Junerfält, alumnus of the Medicine Programme and founder of RoundBit.
Contact
UU Innovation is a department at Uppsala University, comprising an experienced team with extensive expertise in commercialisation, innovation and business development, intellectual property, and contracts.
Whether you have just a rough concept or have already made some progress with your idea, reaching out to us is a great first step. We are here to assist you at any time – don’t hesitate to contact us and take the next step towards realising your idea!
Network with several partners
We have a broad network and several partners, including Drivhuset Uppsala, the business incubator UIC and Uppsala University’s holding company UU Invest AB. We guide you through the network and help you with contacts, all based on your needs.