Laura Bernal

Laura Bernal is the DDE Venture Builder Incubator Programme Manager, the PhD focused programme of the University of Edinburgh, that aims to support students and early career researchers transform research into commercial opportunities.

She started her professional journey as the radio host of a program on innovations around the globe. This role got her excited about research and innovative solutions where she moved into the creative agencies’ world as an account executive. Laura moved to the UK to pursue a masters in Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship and upon completing she was inspired to start her own business based on the concept of Open Innovation. Since then, she has been involved in the start-up ecosystem in different ways – from being a mentor to securing grants, pitching to investors, developing projects with academics, being part of accelerators, delivering workshops, providing consultancy for incubators and building a tech company based on data management.