From R&D to ROI: Turning Research Talent into Business Value
Most companies invest heavily in R&D, yet only a fraction translates into real business value. Why is it so difficult to turn research into revenue?
At this curated side event during Upstream Festival, we bring together corporates, researchers, and venture builders to explore a new model: how Entrepreneurial PhDs and Venture Studios can transform innovation into scalable ventures, while significantly reducing the cost and risk of innovation.
We’ll discuss why traditional innovation approaches often fail, how research talent is underutilized, and what it takes to move from experimentation to execution.
This session is designed for those who want to go beyond pilots and start building real outcomes.
What to expect
• Insights from corporate innovation leaders on the challenges of turning R&D into ROI
• A new approach: co-building ventures with Entrepreneurial PhDs
• Networking with founders, corporates, and deep tech talent
Who should attend
• Corporate leaders in innovation, R&D, and strategy
• PhDs, researchers, and deep tech talent interested in entrepreneurship
• Venture builders, investors, and ecosystem partners
Why attend
• Learn how to unlock business value from research
• Corporate attendees are eligible for a complementary innovation scan
• Discover how PhDs can become venture builders - receive a personal entrepreneurial assessment
• Explore collaboration opportunities with a Venture Studio
• Connect with like-minded innovators during Upstream Festival
About the host
Xablu Venture Studio is a venture studio that builds companies from the ground up. Together with experienced operators and Entrepreneurial PhDs, we transform validated ideas into scalable ventures. We focus on execution, speed, and real market traction, not just innovation in theory.
Are you ready to move from R&D to real ROI? Join us and be part of the next generation of venture building.