JUICE is for ideas bigger than the labs they were created in

Present or select ideas

Got an innovative project in mind? Dive into it solo or collaborate with a team!

Prefer joining someone else's concept? Simply pick a team and relish the collaborative experience.

Our emphasis is on market orientation and engaging external stakeholders: You'll acquire skills in market sizing and tools to identify and analyze users, customers, and competitors.

Let’s dive into the world of interviews!

Count on us for personalized team coaching. During the self-directed phase, connect with stakeholders, and interact with potential users and industry experts.

Post Phase 2, your assumptions and concepts will be put to the test through interviews.

Gain hands-on experience in applying various methods and tools along the way.

Let's tie it all together

We will help you to transform your innovation case into a thorough business model, offering personalized team coaching to support your journey.

Discover the art of pitching and crafting a compelling pitch deck. Hone your business model and pitch during a self-directed working phase.

Immerse yourself in our networking event to expand your business connections.

By the end of Phase 3, you'll have a fully developed business model and pitch deck for your idea.

Showcase your accomplishments

We're here to assist you in perfecting your pitch.

Engage in the Innovation Contest, present your idea to an expert jury, and seize the opportunity to secure 2,500 € in funding.

This financial boost can be utilized for conference trips, training, coaching, or other beneficial activities.

Perrfect your pitch and present your idea to an expert jury at the innovation contest. After completing the JUICE program you will own a JUICE certificate. You'll receive personalized feedback and guidance on advancing your project, empowering you to further develop your innovative idea.

The total workload for all modules of the JUICE program, including workshops, online training, networking events and the final innovation competition, is estimated at six and a half working days.

Three working days may be added for additional work for engaging with stakeholders, adjustments and finalization of the business model and pitch.

The exact time requirement is highly dependent on individual participants and the distribution of workload within each team.

For detailed information about each module, please read the Program Details or time schedule above.

Yes, participation in all modules is mandatory. This includes personal presence at presence events. Please check your availability according to the current time schedule before applying and consult your supervisors to assure your participation throughout the whole program.

The program is taught entirely in English.

You are welcome to bring your own innovative idea. However, people who are only interested in the topics of innovation and science-based entrepreneurship are also welcome to apply. They may join group projects.

Participation for doctoral students and postdocs from both FZJ and RWTH does not involve any costs.

Your idea must be scientifically sound and should ideally relate to your work as a researcher at FZJ or RWTH. It should be a realizable project that holds potential for application outside of academia.

However, initial assumptions and a rough concept are sufficient, as the idea will be further validated during the program anyway. The type of your project (start-up, technology licensing, knowledge transfer project, etc.) does not matter, as the program is suitable for all ways of knowledge and technology transfer.

Please note that you are also very welcome to apply without your own idea. In such a case, you will have the opportunity to join a project of your fellow colleagues and work on it as a team.

You will briefly present your idea at the kick-off meeting of the JUICE Program. The one-minute-presentation does not require any slides or other materials. It should include the key points of your idea.

Please focus on explaining the technology itself and on how it could be applied outside of academia (e.g. solve a problem within the industry or create value for society).

First assumptions are sufficient, as the idea will be further validated throughout the course/program.

The program is specifically tailored to the needs of doctoral students and postdocs in the early stage of their careers (up to three years after graduation).

We suggest that doctoral students in the later stages of their PhD phase (second to third year) apply for the JUICE program.