Where the mysteries of the universe and entrepreneurship met

Miguel Angel Salazar Valdivia is a Civil Engineer by profession with an infectious zeal for innovation and a genuine entrepreneurial spirit. He left his native Santiago (Chile) last September to quench an appetite for knowledge and pursue his passion through the world renowned MSc Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management at Nottingham University Business School.

Miguel explained: "When I was thinking about what to study after high school, my first thoughts were related to space. Understanding how the universe was created, how it works, and what are the underlying forces that control everything encouraged me to pursue a career as an astronomer. As physics and maths were my strengths it seemed like a logical career choice. 

"However, being able to use those strengths to design and create better and more resistant structures to resist earthquakes, and hence save lives, inspired me to undertake a first degree in civil engineering and ultimately led me to the MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management at Nottingham".

Chile is one of the world's most seismically active countries. Lying within the notorious Pacific Ring of Fire, it has suffered some of the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history.

"Regardless of the career, my fascination and curiosity about the universe never ended", enthused Miguel. "So, when the opportunity came up to undertake an internship with CERN in Switzerland, I fulfilled a dream".

The European Organization for Nuclear Research - or CERN as it is more commonly known - was established in 1954 and operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Miguel was chosen as one of just fourteen students across the world to participate in the CERN Entrepreneurship Student Programme between July and August with the aim of implementing knowledge and skills acquired through the MSc to explore, evaluate and exploit CERN technologies to develop concepts for new ventures.

According to Miguel: "It was an honour to spend time at the most important and prestigious centre of research in high physics in the world. They work to understand the mysteries of the universe, how the world is constructed, the big bang process, and the forces that explain the way the universe works. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics are evidence of its work and contribution.

"CERN's ongoing process of creating cutting edge technology for its own research has enabled it to leverage this knowledge to help solve real-life problems for society, the environment, and industry.

"We worked for five weeks identifying potential new technologies through feasibility studies, market evaluation of identified technologies emphasising the possibility of exploitation through a start-up, and developing a plan on how to commercialise the chosen technology with relevant coaching in high-tech venture creation.

"The knowledge acquired through the MSc in Entrepreneurship at Nottingham was crucial in providing a route map and specific tools to develop the process. Concepts such as problem solving techniques at 'Ingenuity in Practice'; new venture creation; developing a business plan with a clear value proposition; positioning in the value chain and deconstruction of the value chain for new business opportunities; the focus on a specific solution for a particular problem; and the complementary capabilities for the right team all proved invaluable. They gave me the necessary foundation to perform effectively as an entrepreneur in residence at CERN.

"All the participants have been invited back to CERN later this year to explore further the project developed during our five week internship. The idea is to hopefully reach a licensing agreement with CERN to start a new venture from its technology.

"The way that after many years, I ended up working with cutting edge technology used to understand the universe in the context of my masters will be as mysterious as the universe itself. However, the reason to go back is certainly due to the learning and knowledge acquired through the MSc Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management at Nottingham University Business School.