Bachelor / (Executive) Master Thesis at the Center for Strategy and Organization
📌 Key facts
- When: Start anytime. Applications are open!
- How to apply: Send us an e-mail (at the end of this page) with your CV, grade report and research interest.
- 📌 Key facts
- 💡 Background
- 🦾Who We Are
- 🎯 Goals and Topics
- 🎓 Profile
- ➕ Additional Information
- 📄 Requirements for Work
- 📝 How to Apply
- 📬 Contact
💡 Background
Fresh off the press: Recent breakthroughs in magnetically sensitive proteins and quantum biological effects suggest entirely new ways to interface with living systems. “Quantum proteins” leverage quantum phenomena (e.g., spin dynamics and magnetic sensitivity) to enable applications such as non-invasive imaging, remote control of cellular processes, and novel sensing technologies.
While the underlying science is still emerging, early research indicates significant long-term potential across biotechnology, healthcare, and medical devices. However, the commercial landscape, viable applications, and market potential remain largely unexplored.
Understanding how these technologies could translate into real-world applications, and where significant economic opportunities lie, requires structured market research, industry interviews, and strategic analysis.
🦾Who We Are
I am a PhD student at the Chair focusing on deep tech entrepreneurship. My educational background is in physics, focusing on particle physics and quantum information theory. I am pursuing my PhD during an educational leave from my work as a consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.
The Chair for Strategy and Organization is focused on research with impact. This means we do not want to repeat old ideas and base our research solely on the research people did 10 years ago. Instead, we are currently researching topics that will shape the future. Topics such as Agile Organizations and Digital Disruption, Blockchain Technology, Creativity and Innovation, Digital Transformation and Business Model Innovation, Diversity, Education: Education Technology and Performance Management, HRTech, Leadership, and Teams. We are always early in noticing trends, technologies, strategies, and organizations that shape the future, which has its ups and downs.
🎯 Goals and Topics
The goal of this thesis is to develop a structured understanding of the market potential of quantum proteins. The work will be mixed-methods, initially structured by industry interviews but later driven by financial analysis. Potential deliverables include:
- Market Landscape
- Identify and map key research groups, startups, and companies working on magnetically sensitive proteins and related technologies
- Analyze emerging application fields (e.g., imaging, therapeutics, biosensing)
- Use Case Identification
- Evaluate the most promising commercial applications
- Assess technical feasibility vs. market need
- Market Sizing
- Develop top-down and bottom-up market sizing models for selected applications
- Identify key value pools and revenue drivers
- Industry Insights
- Conduct expert interviews with researchers, biotech companies, and investors
- Derive insights on commercialization timelines, barriers, and opportunities
- Strategic Implications
- Identify potential business models and go-to-market strategies
- Highlight white spaces and opportunities for venture creation
🎓 Profile
Students should have a strong academic background and passion for deep-tech, specifically biotech- and physics-related. Strong analytical and communication skills are preferred.
Ideal students will additionally have a background in biology/chemistry/physics or be willing to go the extra mile to enable a detailed technical understanding of the subject matter. In addition, experience with GTM/market sizing is a plus but not a prerequisite - we are happy to provide some input from our practical experience.
➕ Additional Information
- If you are interested, we could organize a 1-2 week lab assistance, working hands-on with quantum proteins to better understand the technology
- The thesis will involve significant qualitative work, especially expert interviews and synthesis of emerging research
- You will gain exposure to cutting-edge scientific developments and their commercialization pathways
- We can support access to relevant experts, researchers, and industry contacts where possible
📄 Requirements for Work
Students should have a strong academic track record, good communication skills, and display a high degree of independence.
We do not want your research to gather dust in some corner of bookshelf but make it accessible to the world. Thus, in addition to your final theses, we ask you to develop the following:
- Infograph - visually represent some of your work (find examples here)
- Slide Decks - summarize your research and results
Please note that these deliverables are not officially required.
📝 How to Apply
If you are interested, please contact Philipp Sonnenschein via email (Subject: Application Quantum Protein Thesis - [Name]) by submitting your CV and grade report. Please also briefly outline your tentative research idea/interest in the email, as well as your ideal start date.
We're greatly looking forward to hearing more about you!
📬 Contact
Philipp Sonnenschein (Chair for Strategy and Organisation)