Application for EXIST Funding submitted
We have applied for funding through the "EXIST Transfer of Research" program. The program is offered by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and is partly funded via the European Social Funds.
The funding through EXIST would allow us to work for 18 months on the prototype of Semanux, while still being part of our research group Analytic Computing at the University of Stuttgart. We have submitted a 47-page long description of Semanux, which contains the intended innovation, our past research, our team, our work plan, the market situation, an initial business plan, and eleven letters of support.
Specifically, we have applied for the first phase of funding which is described as the following:
In the first phase, results of research that have the potential of becoming the basis of a start-up business are developed further. The objective is to carry out further resource development to clarify fundamental problems involved in converting academic findings into technical products and processes. The business concept based on these findings should be made into a business plan and the planned business start-up should be prepared systematically.
We are supported by two mentors in our application. Prof. Dr. Steffen Staab supports us as a scientific mentor. He is the head of Analytic Computing and one of the world's leading experts in the research field of the Semantic Web. Prof. Dr. Alexander Brem is the head of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science at the University of Stuttgart and supports us as a mentor in entrepreneurship. In addition, we receive large support from startup coaches from the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science at the University of Stuttgart, its startup network, and the Cyber Valley consortium.
