What does it actually take for research to find its place outside the lab?

The National Institute of Chemistry invites you to join a short conversation with the founders of two young deep-tech companies who began their careers in the research environment and successfully transformed their knowledge into innovative solutions. The discussion will offer insight into their first entrepreneurial steps, the challenges they did not anticipate at the beginning, and the key factors that truly matter in the early stages of developing research-based ideas.

The speakers will be Dr. Erik Zupančič, co-founder of AtomQL and developer of a patented approach to building more powerful quantum computing systems using cold neutral atoms, and Matej Klepec, co-founder of MediGuide and developer of AI-supported 3D-bioprinted models that replicate human tissue for surgical planning. The discussion will be moderated by Jakob Gajšek, Director of the Ljubljana University Incubator.

The event will take place on 21 May 2026 at 10:00 in the Main Lecture Hall of the National Institute of Chemistry and is expected to last approximately two hours. The meeting is particularly relevant for researchers who recognize broader potential in their work and are interested in learning how research results can be translated into practical products or services.

You can secure your place at the event through online registration.