Research and venture creation
Candidates pursue frontier research while defining and validating a route to real-world impact.
New programme 2026
Innovation PhD
Advance frontier AI research while creating the ventures of tomorrow.
The need to act
Research excellence with a pathway to impact
The Innovation PhD pilot is being designed to combine rigorous AI research with venture creation from the outset.
Scientific, societal and technological impact
The programme is built for people who want their work to advance knowledge and create tangible societal or economic value.
A new kind of doctoral journey
Rather than starting solely from a research question, candidates work back from an ambitious socioeconomic outcome.
In development
This programme vision is being developed with potential partners and participants; it is not yet a final policy document.
Why it’s different
Designed for ambitious AI-enabled outcomes
The programme links problem discovery, research excellence and venture development in one integrated experience.
Opportunity spaces
Candidates begin by analysing a societal challenge in AI or an area where novel AI methods can create change, before moving toward a research-driven solution.
Problem–solution pull
Candidates identify the strongest problem–solution fit first, then align it with AI research capabilities—not the other way around.
Cohort experience
A cohort of like-minded creators is immersed in entrepreneurship and research ecosystems, with shared training and milestones across participating research environments.
Deep-tech foundations
Comprehensive analysis, research infrastructure and networks help candidates turn complex ideas into scalable solutions.
The three-year journey
From a problem worth solving to a launch-ready sciencepreneur
Each year builds the research contribution and the pathway to impact in tandem.
Year 1 — Scoping & outcome definition
Map the problem space, assess the state of the art and develop a validated problem–solution fit through scoping and techno-economic analysis.
Year 2 — Solution & business model
Develop a research-based solution in a participating research environment while meeting research milestones, building a team and validating the business model.
Year 3 — Launching & thesis submission
Integrate the research into a scalable solution, prepare for investment and submit the thesis equivalent, including research, scoping and business-model work.
Who it’s for
For impact-driven creators and change makers
The programme is intended for applicants with a Master’s-level STEM qualification and the motivation to turn research into meaningful change.
Academic aptitude
Candidates need the academic foundations to undertake rigorous doctoral research in a frontier area.
Entrepreneurial mindset
Creativity, problem solving, first-principles thinking, resilience, empathy and self-actuation are central to the candidate profile.
Sense of urgency
Applicants should be able to explain why a problem matters now and why they are well placed to address it.
Collaborative drive
The journey calls for fast iteration, lateral thinking and active engagement with a research and entrepreneurial community.
Support and community
Candidate-led, with guidance from research and venture experts
The programme is designed as a candidate-driven endeavour, supported by complementary academic and entrepreneurial mentorship.
Academic advisors
Academic mentors provide guidance and access to scientifically excellent research, treating the innovation focus as an enrichment of scientific pursuit.
Entrepreneurial mentors
Investors, industry experts and entrepreneurs complement academic mentorship with experience relevant to building ventures.
Research network
Participating research environments provide a shared cohort experience across training and key milestones.
Programme details
A doctoral degree with an integrated thesis equivalent
The Innovation PhD meets the standard requirement to advance the state of the art through rigorous research, while developing the scientific contribution and route to impact together.
Awarded by the home institution
The degree is awarded by the candidate’s home institution and follows its doctoral regulations.
Research, validation and translation
The thesis equivalent brings together problem scoping, a novel research contribution, prototype validation and a pathway for deployment.
Developed as a local pilot
The local pilot brings the concept into a Tübingen setting while the programme design is refined.
Get in touch
Ready for pioneering?
Whether you are a principal investigator, researcher or educator, or a future sciencepreneur ready to take the leap, we would like to connect.
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