What is your business idea?
In close collaboration with research infrastructures and core facilities, we develop analyses to better understand the dynamics of user communities, usage patterns of instruments, and cooperation networks. Research infrastructures and core facilities are institutions that provide complex instruments for science, such as light sources, lasers, particle accelerators, or telescopes. These are critical infrastructures of our modern society. In times of political uncertainty and tight funding, they must operate efficiently, resiliently, and sustainably, and be at the heart of strong, excellent user communities. With our expertise, we make their data tangible and provide actionable knowledge for strategic decisions.
What challenges do you address?
We process data that is already being collected, such as project applications, publications, final reports, or statistical metadata, and integrate it into a data ecosystem. Based on this, we generate analyses using large language models and complex algorithms. Key questions from research infrastructures include: Who uses the instruments and how frequently? How can we model collaboration networks and their social, cognitive, or geographic dynamics?
We address the challenges that research infrastructures and core facilities face when conducting user analyses. These are resource-intensive, time-consuming, and require specialized expertise. The situation is made even more difficult by increasing complexity: a growing diversity of instruments, more interconnected user communities, and increasingly flexible access models and usage structures.
With our solutions, we can significantly optimize the massive resource usage that research infrastructures and core facilities are already investing in this task. This is evident in our pilot studies, such as those with the Swedish photon source MAX IV or with the Core Facilities of the Bonn Technology Campus at the University of Bonn. Our analytical tools use AI to uncover previously hidden patterns in the data-insights that would have remained invisible to the human eye.
Your tool is a "Service for Science"--what does that mean?
Our service is a "Service for Science" because we founded the company from within the scientific community, for the scientific community. Our research was fundamental to the creation of the company. Years of studying the organization and governance of research infrastructures allowed us to develop a deep understanding of how these facilities operate and what challenges they face.
It further entails the rewarding challenge of transitioning from being researchers to entrepreneurs. Especially now, during the shift from academic roles to running our own company, it is very important to communicate this transition clearly. We have a wide network of researchers working at various infrastructures and core facilities-our target audience. We are open with them about our change in role.
How did your idea come about, and how are you organized?
The idea emerged at Lund University in Sweden, at the Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies , where I was a DAAD PRIME fellow from 2022 to 2023. At the same time, I was affiliated with Sweden’s largest research infrastructure, MAX IV. During this time, we developed our business model.
Nicolas is our expert in handling sensitive data as well as in organizational and network research. Kristofer, as a data analyst, develops AI-based approaches and algorithms. I bring a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of research infrastructures, along with a broad network in the field. We are an international team working from both Germany and Sweden-and it works very well because we are extremely well organized.
Starting a company is always a risk. We approach it with both courage and optimism, believing good things will happen in the future-but we also have the necessary respect for the task and understand the responsibility we carry.
What was the Prototyping Grant useful for?
We received the prototyping grant from the University of Bonn at the end of 2023. It gave us our first funding to build technical infrastructure. We used it to develop our prototype "Tiller," an AI-based knowledge database that we tested with staff from European XFEL , the world’s largest X-ray laser located in Schenefeld near Hamburg. The grant also gave us the opportunity to think deeply about crucial topics like data protection and legal implications of AI.
How did the EXIST Women program help you?
Alongside the prototyping grant, the EXIST Women program was definitely a major milestone. I grew both professionally and personally. The Transfer Center enaCom supported me very well with many workshops and seminars. It was also through this program that I met my mentor, who has been an entrepreneur for over 30 years. Her expertise is unmatched-especially when it comes to everyday business challenges.
What advice do you have for founders?
If you want to start a company, seek support and ask for advice. Do not try to figure it all’out on your own, be patient with yourself and the process. Everything takes more time than you initially expected.
What support did you receive from the University of Bonn?
The startup advisors from the Transfer Center enaCom were incredibly helpful and always available. They helped us develop and refine our business model and supported us in addressing key challenges. We also made extensive use of enaCom’s workshop offerings.
Tiller Alpha GmbH.
