On February 20, the research teams and technology transfer officers of S3E Start delved into their second webinar, focusing on the theme of "Success stories: navigating from the Lab to the Market". This insightful session featured esteemed guests João Seixas, CEO of TargTex, and Elif Begüm Elçioğlu, CEO of NANOPLEXIA Technology, both distinguished alumni of HiSeedTech Projects, namely HiTech and S3E Start.

The purpose of this webinar was to foster an informal conversation with these two guests, enabling program participants to grasp the inherent challenges in creating a startup and gain insights into how the guests navigated and overcame the challenges they faced. While the article is extensive, its content is very inspiring, particularly for those who are thinking of embarking on an entrepreneurial journey.

Meet the guests:

• João Seixas completed his master's in Chemistry in 2003 at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST, Portugal) and holds an industrial Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry in 2011 from the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (Portugal). With a career spanning academia and industry, he co-founded TargTex in 2019, a groundbreaking Portuguese biotech startup focused on developing targeted therapy for Glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of brain tumor. Under João's leadership, TargTex secured a remarkable 14 million euros from the EIC Accelerator. If you want to know more about this achievement click here and if you want to hear the episode of Fala-me De Ciência with João, click here.

• Elif Begüm Elçioğlu holds a degree and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Middle East Technical University (Turkey). Currently serving as an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Eskişehir Technical University, a position she has held for several years. With an entrepreneurial spirit, she co-founded NANOPLEXIA Technology at the end of 2023, a startup dedicated to developing nanotechnology solutions for improved energy devices and systems. The startup received the Seal of Excellence granted by TÜBİTAK 1812 BİGG Investment Based Entrepreneurship Support Program (BIGG Investment), in partnership with the TÜBİTAK BİGG fund. Last year, Elif participated in S3E Start with the Nano-Ink team, and you can watch the pitch here.

Following a brief introduction of the webinar guests, the conversation took on an informal tone, aiming to distill key insights from each speaker. The conversation was followed by the questions:

Key Questions Discussed:

1. What motivated you to start your own business? What drove you?

Elif shared her journey, detailing the transition from studies to teaching and the compelling drive to establish her own company. João reflected on his journey, emphasizing how the achievements of role models and the positive impact of their work inspired him to embark on a similar path, consistently opting for challenging yet rewarding opportunities.

2. What led you to join the HiTech and S3E Start Program?

Exploring the factors that led them to join the HiTech (for João Seixas) and Start Start Program (for Elif Begüm), the Turkish researcher revealed her three-year-long idea for the company, seeking programs to accelerate her work. Despite being funded by a national organization in Turkey, she discovered S3E Start through a friend, viewing it as a one-semester course to develop her idea. She chose to apply and has no regrets. On the other hand, João Seixas looks back to 2018 when there weren't as many accelerators and programs in Portugal focused on deep tech. He said he knew he wanted a program that was hands-on, and when he heard about HiTech (now S3E Start), he had excellent feedback and how it was a game-changer for some colleagues.

3. How has this journey impacted your professional life?

Elif emphasized that without the program, she wouldn't be as prepared for the industry world. It facilitated her in presenting her startup to investors who typically do not use the same language as researchers. João expressed, that the program 'Prepared me to launch a company.' He elaborated by stating that he learned how to position the product, making it appealing to investors. João also advised program participants that it will equip them with what they need to become successful entrepreneurs.

4. Do you believe you would have been as prepared for your journey if you hadn't participated in the program?

Despite their different years - João participated in the program in 2018, and Elif in 2023 - both agree that they wouldn't have been as prepared. The program has equipped them with important tools necessary for researchers looking to transition from the lab to the market.

5. Has the program influenced the way you manage your team or your perception of teamwork?

Considering that teams in the program can have a maximum of 5 members, it was important to mention that Elif's team began the program with 3 researchers. They consistently shared their work and found ways to reconcile and delegate the right tasks - at this point, Elif emphasized how crucial it was to have the S3E Start team, as well as the support of her mentor.

As for João, there was even a specific question about the composition of his team. He assured that the team members who started the project with him are the same ones continuing with it, and any additional services they require are outsourced. You can watch their final pitch in 2018 and learn more about the team here

6. Current Stage of Companies:

After this question above, both illustrated that the companies were at completely different stages. NANOPLEXIA Technology is still in its early stages, actively developing its technology and conducting research. It is partially funded through capital acquired from an entity in Turkey. On the contrary, TargTex has reached a significantly advanced stage, having secured €14 million in funding. Consequently, it is poised to further strengthen its research and development efforts as it continues to grow as a startup.

To conclude the webinar on a positive note, both guests generously shared valuable advice with the 50 participants in attendance. While the specific details of this advice are exclusively reserved for our participants, we express our sincere appreciation to both João Seixas, CEO of TargTex, and Elif Begüm Elçioğlu, CEO of NANOPLEXIA Technology, for their enlightening testimonials.

For more information about HiTech, click here, and to explore S3E Start, click here.