Team:UGent Belgium/Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Mission
We are committed to combatting water scarcity and working towards a more sustainable future. We do this by inventing and applying innovative technologies.
Opportunities
Main product line
Given that access to fresh water is a fundamental human right we will ensure that the dewpal designs for fresh water products are available anytime, anywhere. This to consolidate the dewpal brand and our continued commitment. We will keep working with durable materials and are exploring public-private partnerships and innovative distribution models like preciousplatics.com.
Speciality product lines
In parallel to our lead product line we will be serving high tech specialty markets with custom projects.
Molecular diagnostics
We are exploring the molecular diagnostic market as a use-case for our coating mechanism. We want to apply this to other proteins instead of just INP.
We are already in negotiations with an interested party (signed CDA).
Environmental remediation projects
There are a lot of scenarios where you want to save as much water as possible. By example, this can go to extremes at the the international space station. We are talking with Prof. Arne Verliefde to get a first experiment set up.
Protection from water
As valuable as water is, you don't want it everywhere. Just think about all your electronics that you don't want to get wet. That's why we are developing a protective packaging material coated with INP.
Bio-filament
We will be capitalizing on the bio-filament by a webshop and/or partnership with key players in the fast growing 3D-printing industry.
Legal/IP
The acquired know-how of the dewpal iGEM project will be used to incorporate dewpal Inc. We protected the name and logo and have established a draft for a Delaware based C-corporation.
How are we different?
In contrast to other water collecting solutions, e.g. water pumps, dewpal doesn't require tedious installations and big set-up costs.
Dewpal can be 3d-printed anywhere by anyone, that's why we make it open source.
Go-to-market
We really walk our talk. We started all of this with a mission, and this will remain our north star.
We will continue to improve our main product and make it available (open-source) to as much people as possible.
This main product line, together with our mission, will help to promote our speciality product lines.
Partners
We initiated key contacts, by seminars, sponsoring and crowdfunding with angels, VCs in additional to valuable contacts in established environmental industries.
Additionally, we want to work together with governments to manage their water resources more effectively. Especially in countries with a lot of water scarcity.
Funding
We are in active discussions with a Belgian VC in order to have the resources for the adventure ahead, based on our projected cash position.
Also, we are finalising discussions on government grants.
Why will we succeed?
First of all, we are committed to our mission. Entrepreneurship is a bumpy road, and can have extreme ups and downs. When things get tough, we are motivated by the fact that we are significantly improving people's life.
Additionally some students already have an entrepreneurial track record. They have the statute of "Student-Entrepreneur" at Ghent University, which makes it easier for them to combine classes with entrepreneurial ventures.
Our advisor Steven De Blieck has also run a startup during his student-years and is now actively pursuing ventures of his own.
Last but not least, our PI Wim Van Criekinge is a serial entrepreneur. He has founded and exited multiple biotech companies (e.g. Devgen, MDxHealth, Genohm). He is also working on an incubator and investment fund.
