BLOG: EIT Manufacturing Winter School in Porto
My name is Karl Jakob and I'm a second-year junior research fellow and PhD student in materials science. My work focuses on finding sustainable recycling methods for waste cellulose—things like paper and textiles. It's technical and slow work, but it feels important. I stepped away from the lab and flew to Porto, Portugal, for something different: a winter school organized by the EIT Manufacturing Doctoral School, in order to learn how to turn academic knowledge into a business.
The winter school is part of a two-year program. It’s aimed at PhD students, teaching us how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to our research. The aim is to ensure all the money, time, and energy invested in doctoral studies doesn’t go to waste. It's practical, and while starting my own business isn’t in my plans, the skills still matter. Knowing how to analyze the feasibility of your ideas is useful, and so is understanding how business works.
The days were packed. Sessions started at 9 AM and ran until 6 PM. We had lectures, workshops, conferences, and group work. Evenings were more social – dinners, VR games, and sightseeing. I appreciated the variety in activities. Our mentors, Italians Gian-Maria and Sabah, were key to the experience. They helped us craft business models and gave honest, practical advice. They also kept the atmosphere relaxed, which made the long days bearable. The other students – from Estonia, Portugal, and Germany – were great to work with. Everyone brought something different to the table, and the collaboration worked well.
The focus of the winter school was learning to pitch your ideas. It sounds simple, but it’s not. Scientists tend to overcomplicate things. We like details, jargon, and explaining every step. That’s fine in academic circles, but doesn’t work in business. The main challenge was turning a technical idea into something relatable. How do you make people care about cellulose recycling? You focus on the problem it solves – waste management, sustainability – and explain the solution in plain language. I also learned how to tailor pitches to different audiences. Investors care about profits, not technical details, while the general public cares about visuals and how relatable the pitch and the scientist is. That was a shift in perspective for me.
The hands-on parts of the program were useful. Building a business model was one. We learned how to map out our ideas, analyze risks, and think about scalability. It’s all about maximizing potential. Something I’d done before in my master studies, but now I can attach the knowledge better and see the value.We practiced explaining our ideas in under 10 minutes. It’s harder than it sounds, but by the end of the two weeks, I felt more confident. I even pitched my own idea to researchers and potential investors. and got positive feedback.
As mentioned previously, evenings were more relaxed. We had group dinners, tried VR games, and explored Porto. The VR session was certainly a highlight for me. It’s not every day you team up with your peers to fight virtual enemies. It was fun way to bond outside of work. Another highlight was the gala dinner. It was formal, but the atmosphere was light, which made it feel like a good way to end the program.
Porto itself was a big part of the experience. It’s a beautiful city with a lot of character. The riverside is stunning, especially at sunset. The people are friendly, and the food is excellent. I tried francesinha, a dish that’s hard to describe, but I will try my best: imagine a sandwich with layers of meat, covered in melted cheese, and drowned in a beer-based sauce. It’s as intense as it sounds, but worth trying. I also liked pastel de nata, the famous custard tart. The Portuguese do seem to love desserts made with egg yolks. The landmarks are impressive. The city is full of bridges – big, elegant ones that stretch over the Douro River.
This winter school taught me a lot. I now understand how to analyze the feasibility of an idea, build a business model, and pitch effectively. These aren’t skills I expected to gain during my PhD, but I’m glad I did. They’re useful, even if I don’t start my own business. Knowing how to communicate ideas clearly is a skill that applies everywhere. The experience also pushed me out of my comfort zone. That’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. If you’re considering something like this, my advice is simple: go for it. You’ll learn, meet interesting people, and gain new perspectives. Plus, you might get to eat francesinha.
Big thanks to the mentors and organizers for making this happen. Hosting it in Porto was a great decision – beautiful city, friendly people, good food!
