Thursday evening on October 3rd, Engage, NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship, and NorwAI invited master’s students from various programs to explore the possibilities of AI and the commercialization of their master’s projects.
By Vilde Falck Husum
An invitation to get to know the entrepreneurial possibilities at NTNU
Ingrid Sivertsen, Assistant Professor at NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship, explained how the event was driven by the many great ideas and projects students develop in their master’s theses. However, these often remain untapped. By inviting NorwAI and introducing students to both organizations and startups, the goal was to connect the right people and showcase the potential for commercializing and realizing student projects, extending beyond the scope of their master’s work.
As promised, both snacks and startups were on the menu. William Marleau, CTO at WordSea and Nora Antonsen, CTO at Naya Development, introduced their startups and shared how they navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with it. WordSea, founded by William and his brother, is an app designed to simplify complex words through visualizations and definitions. Its purpose is to make it easier to understand words and concepts while also enhancing vocabulary. Naya Development focuses on data labeling by employing women living in poverty in India. Through their work, women are trained in data labeling, as well as English and personal economy. They provide socially sustainable labor to companies in need of AI services. Although both startups are related to the use of AI, the focus was equally on encouraging students to realize their ideas and master projects into an actual business.
An evening of networking
The program included a presentation from NorwAI, center for research-based innovation in Big Data and AI. NorwAI is a large academic initiative that coordinates research and innovation activities across universities, research institutes and several companies. The students invited this evening were recruited through their connections to NorwAI and included students from NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship, the Department of Computer Science, and Electronic Systems Design.
Nora from Naya led a networking session to help students connect, and the event wrapped up with a Q&A, where students had the opportunity to ask questions to the startups and NorwAI. Networking seemed to be the main reason for most students’ attendance, and Sivertsen emphasized the importance of promoting student collaboration:
«This event is for students connected to NorwAI or for those who want to join a startup or explore the possibilities of realizing their projects. Mostly, we want to encourage collaboration among students from different fields of study» – Ingrid Sivertsen, Assistant Professor at NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship
The hope is to inspire students to get to know each other, connect, and share ideas and interests. Through networking, students have the opportunity to showcase their work and explore the possibility of future collaboration.
AI is trending – “Soon it will be present in all businesses somehow”
When asked about their interest in AI, the students responded: “AI is trending”. However, some of the students from NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship explained that they are not necessarily at the event to start their own AI business. Networking is equally important, as their startups might benefit from AI in the future. Knowing what possibilities exist and who to contact is just as crucial when starting up your own business. Furthermore, they noted that while solving problems with AI has become somewhat of a running joke, it reflects the reality they foresee: “AI will be present in most businesses”.
Apart from the regular consultations with ChatGPT, few of the students have worked much with AI before. However, many expressed an interest in utilizing AI by making the right connections with fellow students, organizations and startups.
«It is cool to hear from startups that have worked with AI and what challenges they have faced. We might encounter some of the same issues» – student at NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship.
Additionally, students noted that this event serves as a great opportunity to map out the interests of other students, as potential collaborations could be relevant in the future. Even though not all students are directly involved in creating startups or projects where AI is the main focus, AI seems to be an omnipresent factor. According to Sivertsen, many startups use AI to automate or streamline processes rather than have it as a core product. She further stated that SeaWord and Naya illustrate different uses of AI, showcasing the many opportunities that lie in utilizing artificial intelligence, whether as a tool or as a product.
Creating a culture and arena for collaboration
By introducing students to the opportunities for commercializing master’s projects and other innovative ideas, the evening aimed to build networks and foster future collaborations between students, thesis projects, and organizations across NTNU. Sivertsen is eager to follow up on the outcome of the event, hoping to have sparked an interest and arrange a follow-up. The goal is to foster a culture of cross-collaboration, and events like this creates an arena for connecting and networking. Siversten is also open to arranging a similar event for PhD candidates and postdocs with long-term research projects. As with master projects, much of the research at NTNU remains uncommercialized. Initiatives like this event, are a step in the right direction toward enhancing collaboration and commercialization.