EXIST scholarship for start-up idea PEERSCOPE

PEERSCOPE is an innovative technical system that optimizes video conferences and screen presentations. Users are virtually on two sides of an interactive glass panel on which they can edit the same content as on a touchscreen. Non-verbal signals such as gestures, eye and hand movements can also be transmitted in real time. In this way, PEERSCOPE preserves the naturalness of human communication during virtual collaboration.

Since April 01, 2021, the start-up idea PEERSCOPE has been supported for 12 months in the implementation of an innovative business concept with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy totaling 64,600 euros as part of the EXIST start-up grant.

The EXIST project leader, Dr. Samuel Dawkins, is supported by Prof. Dr. Kilian Singer as EXIST mentor. Both have been researching and teaching together in the field of quantum optics for many years, most recently at the Department of Light-Matter Interaction at the University of Kassel, of which Prof. Dr. Singer is the head.

The idea for PEERSCOPE grew out of the two scientists' passion for innovation in teaching and research. As long-time users of video conferencing systems, they were dissatisfied with their cumbersomeness and ineffectiveness. So, as experts in quantum optics, they leveraged their extensive expertise in electronics, optics, and software development, as well as their experience with online teaching and virtual collaboration, to develop PEERSCOPE.

In June 2018, the invention was filed by the University of Kassel as a patent for examination at the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA). Based on this, a WIPANO grant (knowledge and technology transfer through patents and standards) was obtained. With the support of several scientific collaborators, several prototypes have thus already been developed in 2019 and 2020, which work excellently and have been tested in physics lectures at the University of Kassel, among others.

As part of the 11th UNIKAT Ideas Competition, the start-up idea PEERSCOPE 2019 won the special prize of the Entrepreneurs' Association of Northern Hesse. The experiences in the context of the pandemic show the great need for optimized, virtual communication and suggest a great market potential for this product idea.

The EXIST start-up grant supports scientists, students and alumni interested in founding a company in the development of a business idea and the design of the start-up process. Funding is provided for innovative, technology-oriented or knowledge-based product ideas with significant unique selling points and good prospects of economic success. So far, around 50 projects at the University of Kassel have been supported by the EXIST funding program. The funding includes personnel, material and coaching resources. UNIKAT Gründungsberatung offers an open online consultation hour every Friday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. for questions. Outside of this time, consulting appointments can be arranged.

Further information:

• about PEERSCOPE: peerscope.de
• Lecture Modern Physics at the University of Kassel with PEERSOPE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a2TRIIowKs&list=PLEWVM-KBUSplb0OiAscr2CNvwBVtr9jDj
• to the EXIST founder scholarship: www.exist.de
• on the UNIKAT start-up consulting services: www.uni-kassel.de/ukt/unikat/

Contact:

Sandra Wilhelm
University of Kassel
Start-up Consulting
Tel.: 0561 804 7252
E-mail: sandra.wilhelm[at]uni-kassel[dot]de