Partnering for innovation - Journey of an entrepreneur and his innovation mentor

Partnering for innovation - Journey of an entrepreneur and his innovation mentor

2026-01-27T16:45:00+00:00

2026-01-27T19:30:00+00:00

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The EPFL Alumni Eastern Switzerland chapter is delighted to invite you on January 27 to a presentation on Zsolt Katona's innovation journey, supported by Robert van Kommer of the Alliance association located within the EPFL Vice Presidency for Innovation and Impact (VPI).The event will take place at Regus Signature Space, next to the main train station, Bahnhofquai 11. Please arrive at 5:45 p.m. to ensure the smooth running of the program. The event will take place in English.PresentationDuring the presentation, we will hear the story of Zsolt Katona, from his early academic research to the founding of a digital startup, and Robert van Kommer, innovation mentor at Alliance, who supported him throughout his journey. It will also be an opportunity to learn about the breadth of activities that EPFL and Alliance undertake to promote innovation and foster collaboration between researchers and the industry. The event will conclude with a networking aperitif, where you’ll have the chance to meet the presenting duo, the VPI and Alliance teams, as well as fellow EPFL alumni.Speaker biographiesAbout Zsolt KatonaZsolt Katona has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He worked for big pharma companies and helped to develop and build up small size companies.About Robert van KommerDrawing on over ten years as an innovation mentor at Alliance, Robert van Kommer enables impactful innovation in data, machine learning, and agentic software, provides guidance on associated IPR strategies, and supports the identification of suitable research partners. He masters the innovation process of research-based projects, from science to market.Practical InformationRegistration is open until January 18th, 2026.Cancellation deadline: January 18th, 2026. Please submit any cancellation requests directly via the event website. No refunds will be issued after the cancellation deadline.Program5:45 p.m.: Doors open, welcome at Regus space, and check‑in6:00 p.m.: Presentations by Alliance, VPI‑EPFL, and the innovation journey of the duo Zsolt Katona & Robert van Kommer 7:00 p.m.: Networking aperitif with the presenters and the Alliance Innovation team8:30 p.m.: Event endsWe look forward to seeing you there!The event is kindly supported by 

https://epflalumni.ch/en/event/partnering-for-innovation-journey-of-an-entrepreneur-and-his-innovation-mentor/2026/01/27/1090