EPFL Startup Launchpad · PDM in Startup Project

PDM in Startup Project

Apply to do your master's thesis (PDM) inside your own startup project, supervised by an EPFL professor. This form tells us what you are building, who will supervise you, and what you want to achieve academically and commercially over the six months.

Before you start

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General information

Internal — not published

So we can identify your file and come back to you. The date of your application is recorded automatically when you submit.

Full name *

EPFL section *

The section that will deliver your master's degree.

Email *

Phone *

SCIPER number

Optional — it speeds up the administrative side if you are selected.

Mandatory industry internship already completed *

When do you expect to complete it?

The internship must be settled before the PDM starts.

Startup project description

What you are building, and why you want to spend your PDM on it.

Project name

Q1Describe your startup project *

One sentence: what it is, and for whom. Plain language, no jargon.

One sentence max

Q2What is, or could be, unique about your project and/or its potential? *

What sets it apart — a technology, an insight, an approach, a position no one else holds. If the uniqueness is still potential rather than proven, say so.

Two sentences max

Q3How long have you been exploring or working on this project? *

Since when, and in what form — a course project, a semester project, evenings and weekends, full time.

One sentence max

Q4Are you alone on this project, or do you have future co-founders? *

If you are not alone, name each person and say whether they are currently a student, an alumnus/alumna, or something else.

Keep it short

Q5What is your main motivation to participate in this program? *

Why this program, rather than a classic PDM in a lab or in industry.

Three sentences max

Professor supervisor

The EPFL professor who would supervise and grade your PDM. You need one, and the section has to recognise them for that role.

Professor's full name *

Lab name and specialty *

Affiliation — school and section *

Accredited by the section to supervise and grade a PDM *

If you are not sure, ask the professor or your section — it is a hard requirement.

Have you already discussed supervising your PDM with them *

What was agreed?

Have you been in relation with this professor or the lab in the past *

Directly (a semester project, an assistantship) or indirectly (a course you followed).

Nature of the relation

Q6Will you build on the lab's intellectual property, or from scratch? *

Are you expecting to use the lab's existing intellectual property and/or receive significant contributions from the lab in developing your technology — or will you build everything from scratch, on open-source resources, or on your own existing proprietary development? Be straight about this: it determines what has to be agreed with EPFL before you start.

Three sentences max

Academic objectives

A PDM is graded academic work first. Bullet points are recommended throughout this section.

Q7What are your academic objectives for this PDM? *

What you will actually study, develop or demonstrate, stated so a professor can grade it.

Three sentences max · bullets recommended

Q8How will this technical development be useful to your startup? *

The link between the academic work and the company you want to build.

Three sentences max · bullets recommended

Q9Why this professor and this lab to reach your objectives? *

The specific expertise, equipment or track record that makes them the right fit.

Two sentences max

Q10Any ideas on the methodology and type of research you plan to use? *

Experimental, computational, theoretical, field work — and roughly how you would proceed. A first idea is enough.

Two sentences max

Q11Does your PDM have budget sensitivity? *

Does reaching your academic goal require a certain amount for consumables, equipment, fabrication or other expenses? If so, indicate the amount and what it is for. If not, write "No".

Three sentences max · bullets recommended

Business objectives

What the project should look like commercially by the end of the six months.

Q12What key business objectives do you aim to achieve by the end of the six-month program? *

Concrete outcomes, not intentions — what will be true in six months that isn't true today.

Three sentences max · bullets recommended

Q13Do you already have an idea of the future business model? *

Who pays, for what, and roughly how. Current thinking is fine if it is still open.

Two sentences max

Q14How do you foresee the future of your project after the PDM? *

Founding the company, continuing part time, a PhD, joining another program, or deciding later.

Two sentences max

Market analysis

Who you are building for, and who else is already there.

Q15Describe the market you plan to address, including its size and key players *

Best available estimate is fine — say where the numbers come from.

Three sentences max · bullets recommended

Q16Which segment are you addressing? *

The narrow, specific group you would serve first.

Two sentences max

Q17Have you already connected with this segment, and how will you access it? *

Interviews, pilots, a community you belong to, a channel you can reach.

Two sentences max

Q18Who are your existing competitors, and what is unique about them? *

Direct competitors, alternatives, and the status quo. If you have a competitive landscape chart or comparison table, paste a link to it in the last section rather than describing it all here.

Bullets recommended

Q19How close are you to launching, and what milestones remain? *

Beta, pilot, first users, certification — and the key steps you still need to reach along the way.

Three sentences max · bullets recommended

Comments

Optional

Anything not covered earlier.

Additional comments, and links

We can't accept file attachments through this form — please share links (Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, GitHub…) set to "anyone with the link".

Before you submit

We review every pre-assessment and get back to you as soon as we can. Bear in mind that this is a highly selective process, so we recommend having a backup plan — such as a classic PDM in a lab or in industry — in case you are not selected.

Your application goes straight to the program team. You'll see a confirmation here once it's in.

Questions about the application or the program? Marius Conti, Program Lead · marius.conti@epfl.ch.