SMILE at a Glance SMILE is a cooperation project of the Leipzig University, the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). The project is being supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Free State of Saxony.

Overview Since August 2006, SMILE (Selbst Management Initiative Leipzig) has been working to establish the entrepreneurial spirit at Leipzig’s universities and research institutes Students, graduates, and academic personnel who have entrepreneurial ambitions receive support in the form of individual coaching sessions on various aspects of the prestart-up phase The focus of the programme’s activities is on the personality and the goals of the individuals, who are encouraged and prepared for a life of self-employment and lifelong learning Between 800 and 1000 participants take part in approximately 80 activities of different types each semester Nearly 400 start-ups were established in the last 10 years SMILE is supported by the ESF, the Free State of Saxony and the Leipziger Stiftung

Co-operation HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management Leipzig University International SEPT Program Chair for Business Management, in particular Marketing HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management Chair for Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Department Knowledge and Technology Transfer German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ) SMILE is a cooperation project of the Leipzig University, the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). The project is being supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Free State of Saxony.

Locations Leipzig University HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management Economics Humanities and Sociological Studies SMILE.medibiz HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ)

Our focus Realizing+ Using Potentials and Aptitudes Expanding + Developing Potentials and Aptitudes Recognizing + Discovering Potentials and Aptitudes

LIFE

LIFE – Leipzig idea competition for start ups LIFE is an idea competition and no business plan competition LIFE has low starting barriers: encourages to “test” own idea Feedback from SMILE Team, Jury and public Ideas as starting point for entrepreneurship coaching -> often ends in serious business a few years later Good reference and practice for “serious” business plan competitions Event gives networking opportunities for industry, city and entrepreneurs Organised since 2016 together with a start up competition of the local bank SPARKASSE

LIFE – Leipzig idea competition for start ups

Coaching Process SMILE SMILE.medibiz

SMILE Innovative Business Model Week Monday: Diagnostic Day Pitch of the business idea Strength-Weakness-Analysis Tuesday: Value Proposition Day Definition of concrete customer values of the business model Wednesday: Innovation Benchmarking Day Benchmarking of other business models based on the Ten Types of Innovation Thursday: Business Model Canvas Day Developing of a full business model using the Canvas approach Friday: Presentation Day Pitch of the business model

EngagementInnovations Management Tools Structure & Process Innovations Branding & Channel Innovations Network Innovations Customer EngagementInnovations Profit Model Innovations

Team Building Motivation of Master and PhD graduates to build interdisciplinary teams Professionalization of team members Attracting experienced professionals

Funding SMILE developed an extensive network to provide tailor made financing to young companies: Public money through local government, EU, etc. Crowdfunding/crowdinvesting Local venture capital Strategic investors Local banks

Funding 1.000th EXIST Business Start-up grant for graduates from Leipzig University SMILE is a cooperation project of the Leipzig University, the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). The project is being supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Free State of Saxony.

Healthcare & Biotech In the region of Saxony, the sunrise industry of biotechnology – especially red biotech – is in particular being developed in Dresden and Leipzig Leipzig has a proud heritage as a centre of research. Leipzig University, including its Faculty of Medicine, was founded in 1409, and has the second-oldest uninterrupted history of any university in Germany The dynamic juxtaposition of hospitals, research institutes and businesses working in the life sciences Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Leipzig University Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology LIFE – Leipzig Research Centre for Modern Diseases Research-intensive enterprises (Vita 34, Bioplanta, c-Lecta…) SMILE is a cooperation project of the Leipzig University, the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). The project is being supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Free State of Saxony.

Example: Life Science 29 start-ups in Life Sciences, 23 still active in the market More than 150 new full-time jobs More than EUR 22,5 million raised in funds EXIST (Start-up Scholarships, Research Transfer) SAB (Seed-Grant, R&D Network) HTGF High-Tech Gründerfonds TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Saxony Crowdinvesting SEEDMATCH Others (FORMAT, MNT ERA NET, KfW...) SMILE is a cooperation project of the Leipzig University, the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). The project is being supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Free State of Saxony.

Contact www.smile.uni-leipzig.de SMILE Christian Hauke Beethovenstr. 15 Room 1.2.11 04109 Leipzig Germany Tel: +49 (0)341 97 37 043 Fax: +49 (0)341 97 37 119 Email: christian.hauke@uni-leipzig.de www.smile.uni-leipzig.de SMILE is a cooperation project of the Leipzig University, the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). The project is being supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Free State of Saxony.