ROBIN: Boosting Biomedical Spinouts

Jane Palsgaard’s door in the Skou Building is always open - metaphorically speaking. Together with Innovation Professor Claus Elsborg Olesen, she has formalized support for employees at the Department of Biomedicine who dream of entrepreneurship or partnerships with industry.

This initiative is offered through the Research Office for Biomedical Innovation (ROBIN), launched in August 2024.

At ROBIN, researchers can get assistance regardless of how far along they are in their plans. Whether seeking feedback on a conceptual idea sketched on the back of a crumpled napkin or actively fundraising, support is available.

Jane Palsgaard and Claus Elsborg Olesen are happy to attend meetings with potential investors and engage in project planning and business structuring. Their assistance can also be as practical as helping craft an effective slide deck to pitch an idea or providing feedback on innovation applications, focusing on different aspects than traditional funding proposals might.

Currently, ROBIN supports around ten projects while also holding many early, informal discussions.

The work is just as much about motivating researchers and strengthening their focus on the opportunities and rewards of innovation-driven projects, explains Jane Palsgaard, who has served as the department's Senior Consultant for Innovation and Entrepreneurship since September 2023.

“We want to plant a seed in the next generation of researchers that can continue to grow throughout their careers. This fits well with our vision at the Department of Biomedicine - that the work we do should make a difference in society.”

This vision is also reflected in a newly approved PhD course in Biomedical Innovation, set to launch in the spring semester of 2025.

Where to begin?

Researchers can always email ROBIN or knock on the door, says Jane Palsgaard, who previously worked as Alliance Director at Novo Nordisk, Research and Early Development.

“In general, we prefer to get involved as early as possible. But, of course, researchers must be willing to share information, including data, results, and visions. This can be difficult for some,” she says.

However, when researchers embrace collaboration, they gain a sparring partner in ROBIN, equipped with both experience and an extensive network.

“I sense that many have great ideas but don’t really know what to do next - where to start? An innovation project is also an extra workload in a busy life. Perhaps it helps to know you’re not tackling it alone,” says Jane Palsgaard, stressing that the advantages of innovation outweigh the challenges.

“Many researchers find that they start working as a team in a completely new way. And there’s great satisfaction in the societal impact - knowing that your work can directly and tangibly make a difference for patients.”

It is at the top of the agenda

The establishment of ROBIN underscores the Department of Biomedicine’s strong focus on integrating research, education, and innovation, points out Department Head Thomas G. Jensen.

“We are putting innovation at the top of the agenda. We believe in a bottom-up approach and aim to involve everyone with an idea that holds commercial potential,” he says.

“It’s about helping those who already have plans and inspiring those who haven’t yet thought along these lines.”

 

Contact

Senior Consultant Jane Palsgaard
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Phone: +45 22 21 98 99
Email: palsgaard@biomed.au.dk

Innovation Professor Claus Elsborg Olesen
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Phone: +45 61 26 00 35
Email: ceo@biomed.au.dk

This text is based on machine translation