01. bis 03. Dezember 2025:
Quantum Business Bootcamp: From Quantum Networks to Your Own Business in Bad Honnef –
Deutsch:
Vom 01. bis 03. Dezember 2025 findet im Physikzentrum Bad Honnef (PBH) ein Workshop zum Thema Firmengründung statt. Der Workshop mit dem Titel „Quantum Business Bootcamp: From Quantum Networks to Your Own Business” richtet sich an Masterand:innen, Promovierende und Postdoktorand:innen aus dem technisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Bereich, die wissen möchten, wie sich aus einer wissenschaftlichen Idee ein tragfähiges Geschäftsmodell entwickeln lässt – und welche Schritte auf dem Weg vom Forschungsprojekt zum eigenen Start-up zu beachten sind. Adressierte Themen sind u. a. Unternehmensgründung in den Naturwissenschaften, Patente und geistiges Eigentum, Erfahrungsberichte sowie Förderung und finanzielle Unterstützung.
Aufgrund der hohen Zahl englischsprachiger Interessent:innen wird der Workshop, mit Ausnahme der rechtlichen Themen, in englischer Sprache abgehalten. Für den Workshop sind noch Plätze verfügbar. Wenn Sie teilnehmen möchten, senden Sie einfach eine kurze Nachricht an koordination-qrn@uni-saarland.de.
Die Agenda des Workshops kann hier heruntergeladen werden.
English:
From 01 to 03 December 2025, a workshop on founding a company will take place at the Physikzentrum Bad Honnef (PBH). The workshop entitled “Quantum Business Bootcamp: From Quantum Networks to Your Own Business” is aimed at master’s students, doctoral candidates and postdocs from the technical and scientific field who would like to know how to develop a viable business model from a scientific idea – and which steps to consider on the way from research project to your own start-up. Topics covered include starting a business in the natural sciences, patents and intellectual property, experience reports, as well as funding and financial support.
Due to the high number of English-speaking participants, the workshop will be held in English, with the exception of the legal topics.
There are still spots available for the workshop. If you would like to participate, simply send a short message to koordination-qrn@uni-saarland.de.
The workshop agenda can be downloaded here.
Venue:
Physikzentrum Bad Honnef (PBH)
Hauptstraße 5
53604 Bad Honnef
About the Speakers
Beatrice Andres (VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH)
Beatrice Andres is a senior advisor in the project management agency VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik. She studied physics and earned her doctorate at the Freie Universität Berlin, researching laser-induced spin dynamics. Since 2019, she works in project funding on behalf of the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR, former BMBF). Since then, Beatrice has been responsible for several funding calls in Quantum Communication, including the German Innovation Hub for Quantum Communication, the Grand Challenge of Quantum Communication, and the funding initiative StartUpSecure in the broader field of cybersecurity.
Christoph Becher (Universität des Saarlandes)
Christoph Becher is a full professor of physics at Universität des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken, leading the Quantum Optics research group since 2005. He received his PhD in physics from Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern in 1998 and held two postdoctoral positions: at University of California, Santa Barbara (1999-2000) and at Universität Innsbruck (2001-2005). His current research interests are in the field of Quantum Technologies for Quantum Communication & Sensing, in particular exploration of color centers in diamond as Quantum Bits and single photon nonlinear optics, e.g. Quantum Frequency Conversion, for Quantum Networks. He is full member of acatech and speaker of the research network "Quantenrepeater.Net (QR.N)".
Oliver de Vries (Quantum Optics Jena GmbH)
Oliver de Vries has many years of experience in the fields of laser physics, optical technologies, and quantum optics. After completing his studies in electrical engineering (Dipl.-Ing. FH) and laser and optical technologies (M. Eng.) at the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena, he earned his PhD in high-power laser physics from the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (Dr.-Ing.). With more than ten years of professional experience at the Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Optik und Feinmechanik (IOF) in Jena – where he worked extensively on topics in laser physics and gained his first insights into Quantum Technologies – he contributed his expertise to numerous research and development projects. Since February 2021, Oliver has been CTO of the Quantum Optics Jena GmbH, where he drives the company’s technical strategy and innovation efforts.
Frank Döbrich (Triathlon Transfer GmbH)
Frank Döbrich holds a PhD in Physics from Universität des Saarlandes and continued doing research on the magnetism of nanostructured materials as a post-doctoral researcher at the Universität Luxemburg. Working in the field of technology transfer for over 10 years, he has ample experience in IP-related topics in this environment. In particular, he helps researchers to identify promising inventions and to successfully apply for patent protection. As the Head of IP and Licensing at Triathlon Transfer GmbH he also covers topics such as commercialization strategies and the structuring of license agreements. In this context Frank is regularly involved in supporting the creation of deep-tech spin-offs.
Haissam Hanafi (Quantum Business Network UG)
Haissam Hanafi is a Quantum Technology Manager at the Quantum Business Network (QBN). He represents QBN in the BMFTR-funded SQuaD initiative, where he leads activities in innovation support, technology transfer, and networking to strengthen Germany’s Quantum Communication ecosystem. He coordinates multiple QBN working groups across Quantum Communication, Quantum Computing, Photonics, and Diamond Technologies, and organizes international workshops and industry dialogues. He also supports entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through tailored resources such as the Quantum Business Toolkit and specialized training formats. Haissam holds an international double M.Sc. in Physics and has authored several peer-reviewed publications in nonlinear and integrated photonics.
Imran Khan (KEEQuant GmbH)
Imran Khan is the Managing Director of the KEEQuant GmbH, which acts as a one-stop shop for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Key Management Systems (KMS), and hybridized Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) solutions. He studied Quantum Physics and spent over a decade at the Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) in Erlangen, leading to numerous scientific publications and a leading role in German and European projects like OpenQKD, CivIQ, QCI4EU, SEQRET, and QuNET. Imran is also active in various standardization committees and he is a co-founder of Deutscher Industrieverbund für Quantensicherheit (DIVQSec), where he currently serves as one of its two spokespeople.
Johannes Koeth (nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH)
Johannes Koeth studied Technical Physics at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg and subsequently worked on his doctoral research on the fabrication of semiconductor diode lasers in the wavelength range between 1.5 µm and 2 µm, using epitaxially produced Quantum Film Lasers in the gallium antimonide (GaSb) material system. In 1999, he founded nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH, which he has managed as CEO ever since. In 2019, he was involved in establishing Sensalight Technologies GmbH, a production facility for semiconductor components for mass markets. In 2024, Johannes co-founded Optical Detection System GmbH, a manufacturer of specialized measurement technology.
Linus Krieg (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)
Linus Krieg is a physicist and completed his doctorate at Technische Universität Braunschweig. He has been part of the Quantum Technology Competence Centre (QTZ) at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) since 2023. His area of responsibility includes coordinating the BMFTR-funded umbrella project for Quantum Communication in Germany (Schirmprojekt Quantenkommunikation Deutschland, SQuaD), a joint project consisting of nine partners covering the entire innovation chain of Quantum Communication. SQuaD aims to strengthen the Quantum Communication Ecosystem in Germany. Areas of work include testbeds, standardization, networking meetings, technology transfer, and training.
Tilmann Lahann (Tax & Legal Digital)
Tilmann Lahann of Tax & Legal Digital is a partner at the law firm Lahann, Pikolleck & Partner. He is an attorney and a certified specialist in commercial and corporate law. His main areas of expertise include advising universities, research institutions, start-ups, and investors on technology transfer and corporate law. For many years, he has been supporting deep-tech start-ups across Germany through all stages – from founding and financing rounds to exit. Tilmann is also a network partner at www.digitale-gruendung.de.
Jonathan Noé (Qlibri GmbH)
Jonathan Noé is co-founder and CEO of Qlibri GmbH, a spin-off from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik. After completing a PhD in nanophotonics and quantum optics, he started Qlibri in 2022 together with former colleagues. The company commercializes optical microresonators as platforms for solid-state based Quantum Technology, ultracold atoms, and highly sensitive microscopy of nanomaterials. Jonathan's main expertise lies in commercializing deep tech via bootstrapping and the consequences that this has on IP, personnel, funding strategies, early sales and product development, business model and customer interaction.
Florian Sägebrecht (Technische Universität Dresden)
Florian Sägebrecht holds a Bachelor's degree in Management and International Marketing (Universität Hamburg) and a Master's degree in Business and Industrial Management (Technische Universität Dresden). As a trainer and speaker, he shares his experience from now more than 250+ trainings, various workshops and international projects in the last five years on the topics of entrepreneurship, innovation and change management with representatives from science, business and politics. Florian is coordinator of the 6G launchhub42 ComTech incubator at Deutsche Telekom Chair of Communication Networks at TU Dresden and co-founder of the association GruenderGarten e.V., which has made it its mission to sensitize students of Dresden's universities to entrepreneurial thinking and the implementation of their own idea with the help of appropriate tools and methods.
Mara Schuler-Bermann (Triathlon Transfer GmbH)
Mara Schuler-Bermann holds a PhD in molecular biology and has twelve years of experience in academic research. For the past six years, she has also been active as an entrepreneur and startup advisor. At the Triathlon startup center at Universität des Saarlandes, Mara supports deep-tech founders in transforming scientific insights into successful business models – accompanying researchers on their path from the laboratory to entrepreneurial practice.
Martin Sommerfeldt (MS Beteiligungs- und Vermögensverwaltungs-GmbH)
Martin Sommerfeldt comes from the banking sector and has held various leadership positions at major German banks as well as regional financial institutions. Most of his career was spent in corporate banking management, but he also held leadership roles in retail banking, branch operations, and risk and credit management. He continues to advise medium-sized companies and has been active in the start-up ecosystem as an accredited business angel since 2019. His particular focus areas include FinTech, DeFi, Web3, blockchain technology, AI, VR, energy, biochemistry, and, most recently, Quantum Technology.
Christian Zimmermann (neQxt GmbH)
Christian Zimmermann studied Nanostructure Engineering at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg and subsequently completed an industrial PhD in Physics on semiconductor lasers at nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH, where he also led process optimization and product development. He then worked at the global corporation Novartis/Alcon, where he was responsible for high-precision optical and mechanical mold making, related metrology, and logistics worldwide. As co-founder and COO of neQxt GmbH, Christian is now responsible not only for the business side (processes, structures, project management, facility planning, cash flow, etc.) but also for photonics.
