Are you a business professional or angel investor? Find your next success story at JYU!
What is a commercial champion?
A commercial champion is a business expert who supports research teams in bringing their research and development ideas towards the market, typically as part of 1-2 year Business Finland Research to Business (R2B) project, during which they are also paid a salary. The commercial champion operates at the intersection of academic expertise, practical business, and stakeholders, bringing a market-oriented perspective to projects.
Their role is to identify and develop the business potential of ideas and to promote their path to the market together with a multidisciplinary team.
Acting as a commercial champion offers professionals and business partners an opportunity to influence new solutions at an early stage, network with the university community, and contribute to developing future business based on research and innovation.
What is expected from a commercial champion?
Business-oriented mindset and ability to leverage experience
A commercial champion can identify business potential, market opportunities, and development paths for ideas. They assess solutions from the perspectives of customer value, scalability, and profitability.
Ability to analyse and evaluate commercial potential
The role requires an understanding of markets, customer needs, and the competitive landscape. The expert helps crystallise value propositions, identify target groups, and evaluate different commercialisation options.
Experience or capability in development and innovation work
The expert brings practical insight into productisation, service development, and business models. Previous experience in business, development projects, or expert roles supports success in this position.
Collaboration and communication skills
The work takes place in close interaction with researchers, organisations, and student representatives. The role requires the ability to facilitate discussions, structure complex topics, and work effectively in multidisciplinary environments.
Commitment to project goals
The expert commits to agreed objectives, timelines, and roles. They actively participate in workshops, meetings, and joint development work, supporting project progress throughout the collaboration.
Could you be a suitable commercial champion for our research teams?
We are creating a database of commercial champions at the University of Jyväskylä, where interested individuals can submit their information and consent to having their profile shared with selected researchers applying for Business Finland's Research to Business funding.
The data will be stored in the system for five years at a time. After five years, the system will automatically send a confirmation message asking for re-registration if the individual wishes to continue as a commercial champion.
Interested?
You can join the database by filling in the form!
The privacy notice is available in the University of Jyväskylä’s stakeholder privacy statement.
Are you looking for investment opportunities that combine growth, expertise, and impact?
University-based companies are built on high-quality research, new knowledge, and long-term development work. They offer angel investors a unique opportunity to be involved in building future business at an early stage.
Why are university spin-offs attractive investment opportunities?
Research-based competitive advantage
These companies are grounded in academic research and strong expertise, creating sustainable competitive advantages. Innovations are the result of long-term research work.
High growth potential
University-driven solutions often target international markets and address recognised societal or industrial challenges, enabling scalable and significant growth opportunities.
Support and ecosystem around the investment
The university provides a development environment that leverages research groups, multidisciplinary teams, student expertise, and commercialisation specialists. This reduces early-stage risks and supports business development.
Early access to promising innovations
As an angel investor, you can get involved in emerging ideas and teams before broader market entry, offering the opportunity to influence direction and build long-term value.
Impact alongside financial return
Investing in university-based companies is also an investment in expertise, sustainable development, and societal impact. Many companies develop solutions for challenges in health, education, environment, and technology.
Becoming an angel investor
How can you get involved?
The university acts as an active bridge between researchers, teams, and investors, offering:
- visibility into new university-based ventures and teams
- opportunities to explore commercialisation projects at an early stage
- collaboration with commercialisation experts, specialists, and research groups
- structures and support for initiating cooperation
The University of Jyväskylä also has its own investment company, Unifund Oy, supporting the growth of university spin-outs.
Interested?
You can join the database by filling in the form!
The privacy notice is available in the University of Jyväskylä’s stakeholder privacy statement.
