What we do

Ignition University

A program designed to provide knowledge-generating institutions (IGCs) with entrepreneurship and innovation capabilities, methodologies and standards, fostering an institutional culture that mobilizes students and researchers with an entrepreneurial drive.

What it involves

It builds lasting skills to identify and structure research projects from students and young researchers, giving them the tools they need to turn their scientific ideas into viable and sustainable science- and technology-based startups (EBCTs).

Who it's for

Undergraduate and graduate students and young researchers from higher education institutions.
What it offers

Identifying ideas and projects that could become science- and technology-based startups.
Goal

An entrepreneurial culture that involves the institution's entire community.

By the numbers

editions: 3
teams supported: 22

Track record

2026
Ignition University 2026

The 2026 edition brought together teams of undergraduate and graduate students with R&D results from TRL 2 upward, across different technology areas. Over seven weeks, the teams worked on the commercial validation of their technologies through Customer Discovery.

The process included producing deliverables to strengthen each team's technology portfolio and support their work with the technology licensing offices (OTLs).

teams applied

16

teams took part

12
Winners
- Mentes Transformadoras Chile Instituto de Neurociencia Biomédica, BNI
- Kellu Universidad Austral de Chile
- MicroBioDex Universidad Católica del Maule
- BioRegen Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana
- MyoTensor Universidad Austral de Chile
Taking part in Ignition University broadened our project's market. It also greatly boosted our motivation and, thanks to that, we were able to meet new players and new stakeholders, and to properly size the problem we are trying to solve.

Daniel Méndez Kellu, winning team of Ignition University, Universidad Austral de Chile
Ignition University 2024, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana

The 2024 edition of Ignition University focused on identifying and developing university projects with the potential to become science- and technology-based startups (EBCTs), through training in technology transfer, business development and market validation.

The program was run with UTEM's technology licensing office (OTL) and included mentoring and collaborative work to advance the technological and commercial maturity of the projects.

teams took part

6
Ignition University 2023, Universidad Católica del Maule

This edition, run with Universidad Católica del Maule, worked with undergraduate and graduate students and early-career researchers to identify and validate projects with the potential to become science- and technology-based startups. Using the I-Corps methodology, participants validated their value propositions and customer segments through interviews with potential users and decision-makers.

teams took part

4