Third Collisions Panel: Entrepreneurship Unveiled
In February 2024 the CERN Alumni community will come together for the Third Collisions event, an eagerly awaited gathering of brilliant minds from a variety of disciplines. One of the anticipated panels is set to unveil the exciting and challenging journey of entrepreneurship, featuring two CERN alumni: Ana Megía-Macías and Christina Yin Vallgren, who will take the stage to share their experiences, victories, and insights on transitioning from academia to founding groundbreaking startups.
Ana Megía-Macías: Pioneering cold plasma technology
With a Ph.D. in Engineering earned in 2014, Ana showcased dedication to research during her tenure as a Researcher at ESS Bilbao, Spain, from 2010 to 2015. In 2015, she joined CERN as a Project Associate, contributing her expertise to the ELENA decelerating ring.
Ana's entrepreneurial spirit radiates through her co-founding roles in two groundbreaking companies. Inspired by a series of entrepreneurial talks organised by CERN, she and a close colleague decided to establish ION BIOTEC in 2016. This company is dedicated to Research and Development in Cold Plasma Technology. In 2021, she co-founded MEDICAL PLASMAS, a company committed to harnessing Cold Atmospheric Plasma Technology for medical applications.
Christina Yin Vallgren: Bridging physics and MedTech
Christina Yin Vallgren's journey from a Master's degree in nuclear physics to co-founding a MedTech company is a narrative that will captivate the audience. After earning her MSc degree in nuclear physics from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, Christina joined CERN as a summer student in 2007. She returned in 2008 for a Ph.D. in applied physics, marking the beginning of a remarkable 12-year journey at CERN.
In 2019, she co-founded Terapet SA, a Geneva-based MedTech company together with Dr. Marcus Palm, a former CERN-physicist and Prof. Raymond Miralbell, former head of the Radiation Oncology Department at HUG and currently Medical Director at QuirónSalud, the first proton therapy facility in Spain.
Attendees can anticipate a deep dive into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, with both panellists sharing personal anecdotes, lessons learned, and advice for fellow CERN alumni.
The challenges of initiating startups and the triumphs of bringing innovative technologies to market will be central themes of the conversation. The intersection of academic expertise and entrepreneurial vision will take center stage, inspiring the audience to explore their own entrepreneurial potential.
Secure your ticket for the CERN Alumni Third Collisions reunion event: https://alumni.cern/page/third-collisions