Lab to Market: Bridging Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a new initiative between Columbia University and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) aimed at empowering a new generation of scientist-entrepreneurs in Greece. The initiative aims to equip students and researchers with the business skills, mentorship, and industry connections needed to turn their groundbreaking ideas into viable, scalable ventures.
The Nov. 10 information session featured presentations by Columbia Engineering's John Kymissis and Ivy Schultz that provided an overview of the initiative’s structure, goals, application process, and the support ecosystem behind it. Among the key aspects of the initiative they highlighted:
- An 18-month training sequence
- Personalized mentorship from international experts
- A fully funded immersion experience in New York’s innovation ecosystem
"Columbia’s mission is to ensure that breakthrough ideas don’t stay in the lab — we help innovators build the skills, networks, and confidence to bring their technologies to the world."
- Professor John Kymissis, associate dean for infrastructure and innovation, Columbia Engineering
