Entrepreneur in Residence

Recently graduated Ph.D. holders and researchers engaged in company development are invited to utilize KU Lighthouse's office space, meeting rooms, and access to domain experts at no charge through the Entrepreneur in Residence program to advance their innovative ideas. 

As an Entrepreneur in Residence, you will foster an environment that facilitates interactions between new teams and seasoned student entrepreneurs. A willingness to share knowledge and experiences is essential for the learning of others.

Admission Criteria

To become an Entrepreneur in Residence, you must:

• At least one member of your team must have a connection to KU as an alumnus, employee, or student.
• You are applying for admission as an individual, but multiple team members may apply, provided at least one has a connection to KU or has participated in a program or course at KU Lighthouse, SCIENCE Innovation Hub, SUND, or Human & Legal Innovation Hub and is actively engaged in our community.
• You must demonstrate motivation and experience sufficient to share knowledge and insights for the benefit of others. Specifically, you should be a founder or member of a startup with relevant experience, although still in the early stages, such as having established CVR, secured funding, achieved sales or market readiness, or possessing other evidence of proof-of-concept or MVP. Please note that if your company generates revenue, we will assess your application based on its scale and the relevance of free office space.
• Regular presence at UCPH Lighthouse for your company is required.

Failure to meet these obligations will result in a review of your membership, which may be terminated with two months' notice.

Obligations

• Participation in 4-6 mandatory meetings per year with the other Entrepreneurs in Residence.
• Organizing and communicating community events (weekly community breakfasts, Friday bars, summer parties, Christmas lunches, etc.) in collaboration with startups, students, and staff at KU Lighthouse.
• Serving as a mentor for new teams in our programs as needed, such as meeting with teams facing challenges similar to those you have encountered, giving small presentations, etc.
• Acting as a superuser of the facility and conveying the culture, house rules, and providing tours as needed.
• Continuing to share your network, experiences, and results: funding, milestones, best practices, valuable contacts, etc.

Applications are processed on an ongoing basis.

Membership as an Entrepreneur in Residence can be extended for 12 months at a time following a brief expectation meeting. Applications and extensions are assessed based on 1) capacity at KU Lighthouse, 2) the startup's experiences and engagement, and 3) efforts to accommodate a broad range of expertise across industries as much as possible.

Application and Admission

Applications are processed on an ongoing basis. Once the application is approved, there will be a two-month notice period at any given time.

At the end of the calendar year, reapplication is required through a brief expectation meeting. Applications and extensions are assessed based on 1) capacity at KU Lighthouse, 2) the startup's experiences and engagement, and 3) efforts to accommodate a broad range of expertise across industries as much as possible.