BREAKit: Experiential Learning Itinerary

There is need to go beyond technical specialisation and cross boundaries among domains to create innovations. This requires transversal skills such as leadership, teamwork, customer development, market validation, communication, prototyping solutions, etc. The project BREAKit proposes a training path to help researchers and other technical professionals to transform knowledge generated in R&D projects into innovations in the market.

BREAKit provides an experiential learning itinerary to develop and practice transversal skills with a focus on creating value for potential customers of your research. It also provides the participants with the possibility to meet other researchers in this exciting journey to innovation and market arena.

Previous participants said about this programme:

This training program was just right kind of training for my career after doctoral studies. It gave me new view to my research and the skills that I have really needed, now that I am working more with commercialization and project management. Learning by doing with great colleagues around Europe, professional teaching and well-organized training offers excellent environment for learning and personal development.

Why join BREAKit?

• You will be able to better define your professional career, completing your abilities with cross-disciplines abilities related to innovation, markets, communication, leadership and team learning.
• You will learn to understand customer needs applying lean start-up methodology to develop innovations.
• You will participate in 3 international 2-day workshops with other researchers and graduated students in Raw Materials, where you will be able to share insights and practices derived from projects and experiences and to co-create new knowledge. You will also have follow up coaching sessions along the itinerary that will help you to orientate and progress in your project.
• You will learn to create value from your knowledge and research, involving the user and customer needs, and the economical perspective. You will contact with industry to collect feedback: the potential market is analyzed to identify the feasibility of business opportunities.
• You will be part of the EIT RawMaterials international community, promoted by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology, having the opportunity to promote and expand your network of contacts for future projects with industries as Outotec, Relight, Monolithos, Research Centers as VTT, RISE, TECNALIA and International Universities as Mondragón and Lappeenranta University of Technology.
• You will learn with other researchers and doctoral students working in the same areas of interest related to Raw Materials. Sharing knowledge and experience in dialogue sessions and working in groups will help you to improve your skills and to progress in your project.
• You will participate in dialogue sessions with experts in the process of transferring knowledge to the market. During the workshops, you will visit start-ups and incubators in different fields.

More information is available here.

Programme duration

Starting date: 17.09.2018
End Date: 30.06.2019

Tentative dates for international workshops

• Workshop 1. Helsinki (Finland): 17 – 18.10.2018
• Workshop 2. Stockholm (Sweden): 06 – 07.02.2019
• Workshop 3. Bilbao (Spain): 08 – 09.05.2019

Participants’ commitments

• Working on your project or thesis of interest for your organisation.
• Attending the 3 international workshops and participating in them actively sharing findings and own experiences.
• Participating in project coaching sessions between workshops.

How to apply

Lappeenranta University of Technology: Terhi Virkki-Hatakka
TECNALIA: Ana Arroyo Muñoz

Deadline for applicants: Friday, 7 September 2018

Target participants

Researchers, students in their final stages of their PhDs and Post Doc students with a good technical background in Raw Materials, willing to explore their potential beyond technical skills and aiming at improving their skills on innovation & intrapreneurship, communication, business models, customer needs and markets.

Learn more about the BREAKit project here.