From Lab to Launch 2026: Building entrepreneurial skills and strong teams

by Laurène Ramos Martins

Scientific breakthroughs rarely become successful companies through technology alone. Building the right team, one with complementary skills, shared values, and a common vision, is often just as important. This was the central theme of the third edition of From Lab to Launch, held on 23 June 2026 at Start-up Labs Bahrenfeld in Hamburg. Jointly organised by EMBL, EMBLEM Technology Transfer GmbH (the commercial arm and exclusive technology transfer partner of EMBL), Startup Port, and the DESY Start-up Office, the event brought together more than 50 researchers, aspiring founders, entrepreneurs, and innovation professionals to explore how strong teams lay the foundation for successful science-based ventures.

The afternoon opened with a keynote by Moritz Möker, Head of Growth at Holy Technologies, titled The First 20: Lessons from Building the Team at a Deeptech Company. Drawing on his experience helping build one of the company’s earliest teams, Möker reflected on why the first hiring decisions are among the most consequential a start-up can make. Beyond technical expertise, he argued that early employees establish a company’s culture, shape its ways of working, and influence every hire that follows, making recruitment one of the most important strategic decisions founders face.

Building on these themes, the panel discussion, Beyond the Breakthrough: People, Skills, and Mindsets for Innovation, moderated by Jürgen Bauer, Deputy Managing Director of EMBLEM, brought together Jan Adams, Partner at KHAN Fund, Fernando Delgado-Chaves, Co-founder of Galagos, Gitte Neubauer, Head of Cellzome, and Pia Schlemmer, Systemic Coach at Planeteers. Together, they explored the skills, mindsets, and team dynamics needed to translate scientific discoveries into successful ventures.

Throughout the discussion, the panellists explored what it takes to build a successful founding team. Beyond scientific expertise, they agreed that founders need to communicate a vision that inspires others to join them, build trust within their teams, and remain resilient when plans inevitably change. Entrepreneurship, they noted, is inherently uncertain, making adaptability and shared purpose just as important as technical excellence. Rather than reacting to challenges or crisis, successful founders keep their teams aligned around a common vision while navigating change together.

One recurring topic was the transition from academia to entrepreneurship. While researchers are trained to pursue rigorous, thoroughly validated results, several panellists observed that start-ups often need to move forward despite incomplete information. Rather than waiting until every detail is perfected, founders should seek feedback early, iterate quickly, and refine both their technology and business model as they learn.

Communication also emerged as a defining entrepreneurial skill. Whether attracting co-founders, recruiting early employees, or pitching investors, founders need to articulate not only the technology they are developing but also the problem it solves, who it is intended for, and why their approach is different. The panellists stressed that even the most promising ideas are unlikely to gain support if potential collaborators, employees, or investors do not understand their value.

As Jan Adams observed, “Starting a business is easy. Starting a successful business is not.” He encouraged participants to first reflect on why they wanted to become entrepreneurs before finding like-minded people they could trust to help turn that vision into reality.

The discussion also highlighted the value of complementary teams. Successful companies bring together people with different strengths, combining scientific excellence with expertise in business development, intellectual property, finance, product strategy, and leadership. Working alongside colleagues from different disciplines not only strengthens decision-making but also gives researchers new perspectives on how scientific discoveries are translated into real-world innovations.

Building the right team, however, goes beyond complementary expertise. Gitte Neubauer reminded participants that choosing a co-founder or recruiting new colleagues is about more than technical competence. “Find somebody you can have fun with,” she said, emphasising that trust, authenticity, and shared values provide the resilience needed to navigate the inevitable challenges of building a company together.

Following the panel discussion, participants put these ideas into practice through interactive networking activities designed to spark new collaborations. Startup Port’s Co-Founder Meet & Match Wall of Ideas featured ten posters showcasing participants’ research projects and start-up concepts, creating opportunities to present ideas, receive feedback, and identify future collaborators and potential co-founders. At the same time, the Ask Me Anything sessions enabled attendees to discuss team building, entrepreneurship, funding, and technology transfer directly with founders, investors, and innovation experts from across Hamburg’s innovation ecosystem.

The afternoon concluded with informal networking over refreshments and a barbecue, allowing conversations sparked during the programme to continue in a relaxed setting and giving participants additional opportunities to strengthen existing connections and establish new ones.

Now in its third edition, From Lab to Launch continues to strengthen the connection between science and entrepreneurship in Hamburg. By combining practical insights from founders and innovation experts with opportunities to build meaningful partnerships, the event equips researchers with the skills, confidence, and networks needed to take the first steps towards entrepreneurship. Above all, it reinforces one central message: successful science-based companies are rarely built by individuals alone; they are built by strong, complementary teams.