BIST Catalysers 2025

3 Oct 25

- 18 Jun 26

The BIST Scientific Community has a significant track record of fostering disruptive innovation. With the support of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT)/Innovation offices, BIST Community researchers have translated their discoveries into 51 spin-off companies, 41 of which are active, and has generated 250 active patent families. These ventures have collectively raised more than €240 million in private and public funds and are creating a significant number of qualified jobs.

To further strengthen the innovation mindset of the BIST Community, and with the support of the BIST institutional board member Fundació Banc Sabadell and the leadership of the BIST Innovation Commission, BIST is launching the BIST Catalysers programme. BIST Catalysers offers a 92-hour training programme featuring specialised sessions and workshops on innovation-related topics, including fireside
chats, a multidisciplinary innovation exercise and a visit to an innovation hub.

Presentation

Objectives of the BIST Catalysers Programme:

The goal of the BIST Catalysers programme is to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of a cohort of BIST Community scientists—the Catalysers—through training and immersion in innovation ecosystems. Catalysers will include doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, senior scientists, and staff from across the diverse disciplines of the BIST community.
The programme aims to strengthen participants’ innovation mindset by helping them become more comfortable with risk, learn from failure, evaluate opportunities, and identify innovation potential in their own research and collaborations.
BIST Catalysers also seeks to empower the wider BIST community by providing tools and opportunities to translate research into innovation, including innovation-related activities that will be open to all members of the community.

How does the programme work?

BIST Catalysers combines intensive training, peer learning, and exposure to real-world innovation practices over several months. The full 92-hour programme includes:

Core modules on business, patent law, startup funding, negotiation and startup incorporation.
Interactive workshops on creativity, leadership, and entrepreneurial mindset.
Fireside chats with entrepreneurs, investors, and healthcare professionals.
On-site visit to a European innovation hub to explore best practices in tech transfer.
Hands-on innovation project, where participants tackle real challenges and pitch their solutions.
Closing ceremony to showcase the cohort’s work to the wider community.
Sessions combine BIST Catalysers-only activities with open events for the broader BIST Community, fostering visibility, cross-learning, and collaboration.

Kick-off BIST Catalyzers Program