“Come see us before your idea is finished”
Meet KTH Innovation's latest coach, Andreas Ek
Say hi to Andreas Ek, new business development coach at KTH Innovation, with focus on energy technology. Andreas is a double KTH alum, with experience ranging from large corporations to research-based startups.
“I have studied at KTH twice, with twenty years in between. First I built a foundation as an energy expert, and then I completed a teaching degree last year. At KTH Innovation, I will coach teams who want to explore the potential of their ideas. It is about helping them move forward, but also sometimes challenging the idea to ensure it can actually be realized.”
What experience do you bring into this role?
“I have worked with technical entrepreneurship throughout my career, both in my own companies and in larger organizations. Much of my work has focused on B2B, product development, and bringing research results to market. I have also supported companies in their international expansion and helped build companies that later became part of larger industrial structures, including those connected to Ericsson and Siemens.”
Like KTH Innovation’s eight other coaches, Andreas will specialize in specific fields.
“My primary focus is energy technology, but I will also support teams working with ideas and research in telecom, embedded systems, and edtech.”
Have you had the chance to meet any startup teams yet?
“I met a team in our makerspace that I was able to connect with five pilot customers through my network in the education sector. It is about combining the ability to build networks with the ability to see opportunities and believe in your idea. It is exciting to see how much can happen when the right people connect.”
What would you like to say to students and researchers at KTH?
“Come talk to us, even if you only have an early idea. Do not wait until it feels perfect.”
Do you have any concrete advice?
“If you are a researcher, it is useful to know that we can help with things like structuring ownership, setting an IP strategy, or planning how publications can be aligned with patents and funding. Also, avoid starting a company too early. We need more examples of researchers who succeed both academically and commercially.”
What do you do in your free time?
“I enjoy sailing and building things in the makerspace. I am interested in technology and like working hands-on.”
If you are a student or researcher at KTH with an idea in one of your areas, what should you do?
“Just send me an email if you have an idea or a research result and want to have a chat. You can reach me at andreek@kth.se . Two things that are good to know are that not everyone on the team needs a connection to KTH, and that we have developed a successful business development coaching methodology that is used by hundreds of organizations around the world. I'll tell you more about that in our meeting!”
Text: Lisa Bäckman