Practical, personalised support for students, educators, researchers, and staff working toward the green and digital transformation.
Whether you are a student exploring an innovative idea, a researcher looking to commercialise your work, a startup seeking expert advice, or a university professional strengthening innovation capacity, the LOTUS Helpdesk is here to support you.
Through the LOTUS Helpdesk, you can request a one-hour online support session with an expert. Following the submission of your request, the LOTUS Secretariat will review your inquiry and match you with the expert whose knowledge and experience best address your needs.
Whether your challenge relates to entrepreneurship, innovation, research commercialisation, startup development, institutional innovation or capacity enhancement, we are here to help you make the right next step.
Innovation rarely follows a straight path. Whether you are validating an idea, launching a startup, translating research into market applications, or strengthening innovation practices within your institution, timely guidance can make a significant difference.
The LOTUS Helpdesk is the central support mechanism of the LOTUS project, designed to connect members of the LOTUS ecosystem with experienced experts across entrepreneurship, innovation, technology transfer, startup development, and higher education innovation.
The Helpdesk is designed to provide an initial support session of up to one hour, free of charge for eligible beneficiaries. Depending on the nature of your request, you may also be signposted to additional LOTUS activities, opportunities, or resources that can further support your innovation journey.
Every request is matched with a real person — an entrepreneur, researcher, or innovation professional from across the LOTUS consortium.
Receive guidance on developing entrepreneurial ideas, validating concepts, preparing for innovation competitions, or identifying the next steps for turning knowledge gained into practice.
Explore pathways for research commercialisation, technology transfer, intellectual property management, spin-off creation, and innovation funding opportunities.
Receive support in developing institutional innovation services, technology transfer activities, entrepreneurship support mechanisms, and collaboration with external innovation ecosystems.
Access tailored guidance on business strategy, customer validation, investment readiness, technology commercialisation, growth planning, internationalisation, and innovation management.
Have an innovative idea but haven't yet established a company? The LOTUS Helpdesk can help you evaluate your next steps and connect you with the expertise most relevant to your journey.
Every request is unique. Depending on your needs, LOTUS experts can provide guidance on topics such as:
If your request falls outside these areas, we will still do our best to connect you with the most appropriate expertise available within the LOTUS network.
Getting started is simple: submit a short request describing who you are and what support you need. The LOTUS Secretariat reviews every submission to understand your objectives, then matches you with the expert whose experience and availability best fit your request.
You'll be invited to a free, one-hour online session to discuss your challenge and get tailored guidance. Afterwards, your expert or the Secretariat can point you toward other LOTUS programmes, events, or resources to help you take the next step.
Submit your request today and let us help you identify the right next step.