"Find a problem to solve and get passionate about it" — Interview with Emanuele Laurenzi of ImpactLab FHNW

26.07.2022 11:20, Tracy Woodley

During the summer months, we ask people who stimulate the Swiss startup ecosystem to provide the Venturelab community with food for thought, inspiration, and recommendations. For this year's Summer Series, we’ll be interviewing personnel from the country's leading higher education institutions about the diverse and unique programs available to support rising entrepreneurs across Switzerland. This week, we speak to Emanuele Laurenzi of ImpactLab at FHNW School of Business.

Name: Emanuele Laurenzi
Job title: Lecturer and Senior Researcher at the Intelligent Information Systems Competence Center, FHNW School of Business.
What I do: I create stimulating conditions for students to learn about the applications of innovation and information systems and I investigate how artificial intelligence systems can support organizations.


How would you summarize the mission of ImpactLab? 
ImpactLab’s mission is to create supportive conditions for FHNW students to develop innovative and entrepreneurial mindsets.

What are the main programs/resources offered by ImpactLab?
At ImpactLab, we offer multiple services, including tailored coaching with my colleague Dario Mayer and me. We also recommend mentors who are best suited to students' project needs. These mentors belong to our pool of experts and are academic or industry experts. We also facilitate matchmaking between the startups and interested students. Recently we established an OMiLAB Node at the FHNW, which is a laboratory where students are given access to tools and methods for creating prototypes, including cyber-physical systems. 

Additionally, we provide training through regular events such as the MAKEathon, the Swiss Innovation Challenge, the Swiss Startup Challenge, the Summer School Entrepreneurship, the NEMO Summer School, and the Winter School Entrepreneurship. ImpactLab produces learning materials and webinars and hosts networking events with successful entrepreneurs to encourage our students. 

Lastly, ImpactLab maintains partnerships with accelerators, such as Venture Kick, Microsoft for Startups, and Startup Academy Mittelland, where our students can continue to receive support after completing their studies. 

Who are the people behind ImpactLab? What makes you all excited about supporting entrepreneurs? 
Dario Meyer and I are the co-Managing Directors of ImpactLab. The steering committee consists of Prof. Dr. Knut Hinkelmann, Prof. Dr. Arie Hans Verkuil, Prof. Dr. Rolf Meyer and Dr. Barbara Eisenbart. We are all excited about supporting our students in pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing our students turn their ideas into innovative startups. Their success is our success!

Could you please share two or three success stories from FHNW that you are especially proud of? 
Three FHNW bachelor students— one from the International Management study program and two from the Business Information Systems study program— had the idea to revolutionize b2b-trade through messenger-based e-commerce solutions. None of the students had experience with startups and were clueless about what it takes to open a legal entity. After just three months of incubation at ImpactLab, the students funded the company McomTech and secured their first client. Their solution simplifies order processing and has led to a 10% revenue increase for their first customer. McomTech was among the winners of the Swiss Start-up Challenge 2021 and is now tackling new markets and customers while looking towards its first financing round.

A master's student from the MSc in Business Information Systems, after being inspired by the Silicon Valley study tour that we offer as a module, dared to create an AI-powered recommendation system for everyday cooking. He submitted the idea to the second edition of the MAKEathon and was selected for implementation. The student created the company Noonli out of this business idea. Using data about preferences, cooking styles, and allergies, Noonli suggests daily or weekly meal plans. The company aims to simplify life while ensuring healthy eating. Noonli was also among the winners of the Swiss Start-up Challenge 2021.

What are the key strengths of FHNW that make it a great place for entrepreneurs? 
At FHNW, students are continuously supported with professionalism and dedication and are taught the best practices from various industries.

Which fields of technology are the startups from FHNW especially strong in? 
Digitalization and artificial intelligence. This is mainly thanks to the direct support of both the Master of Science in Business Information Systems and the Intelligent Information Systems Competence Center, which I am affiliated with. A few related modules offered in the master's program are Digitalization of Business Processes, Artificial Intelligence in Business Processes, Knowledge Processing and Decision Making, Business Intelligence, and Data Science. McomTech and Noonli are examples of startups that offer business process digitalization and implement artificial intelligence, respectively. Another startup you might hear about soon is DigiGem, which aims to create medical Digital Twins for drug discovery and development. 

Once a year, our students are given the opportunity to attend the MAKEathon and learn about the latest advances in AI while working on challenges alongside academic and industry experts. MAKEathon will take place this year from September 30th to October 2nd, 2022.
 

Can you share a surprising moment observed during your work at ImpactLab and what you learned from it? 
This is my first experience managing an incubator, and what has surprised me the most is the passion and enthusiasm that students put into chasing their entrepreneurial dreams. I love it!

Which book would you recommend as a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur?
Definitely, the book titled Time to Get Launched: 7 Keys to Succeed with Your Startup, which is co-authored by our colleague Prof. Dr. Rolf Meyer and master's student Slavisa Tavic.

What is a piece of key advice that you’d like to share with every new founder? 
Find a problem to solve, and get passionate about it!

Finally, what is your vision/prediction for the startup community in Switzerland?
My wish is for the community to reach a stage where each stakeholder— universities, incubators, accelerators, startuppers, experts, innovation hubs, and investors— will be part of a single innovation ecosystem with the common interest of supporting each other in the creation of better conditions for moonshots and unicorns!

© FHNW Photographer credits: Raul Surace

 
Available support for FHNW spin-offs:  
ImpactLab
Venture Kick
Innosuisse Start-up Trainings 

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Notable startups founded by FHNW alumni: