5 questions for our co-founder Fabienne in IngFLASH

Our co-founder Fabienne Hartmann-Fritsch was recently interviewed for IngFLASH Magazine, as part of her participation at the Technology and Computer Science Weeks organized by IngCH, the Swiss association championing STEM in education (science, technology, engineering, math).

In the interview, she talks about her work at CUTISS, gives tips for founding a start-up, and demonstrates the contribution of the Technology and Computer Science Weeks to the promotion of young STEM talent.

You can read the original piece by following the link here.

1. What fascinates you about your job?

I’m particularly fascinated by seeing how something from basic research can finally be applied to humans and how many years of research go into it before you get permission to test something on humans. Furthermore, the cooperation with the hospitals is very exciting. You see how the doctors work today and how the patients are cared for, and of course you get to see the potential of what our method could look like in the future.

2. Which profiles (courses of studies, personality, professional experience, knowledge) are interesting for your company?

We have people from very different fields working for us, for example, we have engineers in the field of automation to automate our manufacturing processes or biologists doing clinical studies and biochemists working in research on product development. But we also have nurses who look after the clinical studies from the patient side. Of course, we also employ HR, administration and logistics staff. All in all, we have a very broad base. If you have a desire to learn and develop, there are many opportunities, even if you don’t have the perfect CV.

3. Looking back, what tip would you have liked to have received when you founded the start-up?

I think you automatically tend to focus only on the core business and go with that. But it’s just as important to also try to build up the whole company in itself early on and prepare internal processes. It’s worth to set up areas that may not be your own focus clearly right from the start. Because initially, with a small team, everyone knows everything, but now, with around 40 people, that’s no longer possible and you have to delegate and hand over. This requires processes and structures.

4. In your view, what contribution do the Technology and Computer Science Weeks make to promoting young STEM talent?

The Technology and Computer Science Weeks make a very important contribution, because there are many young people who don’t even have these many technical courses of study and professions on their radar. For them, it’s extremely important to see what all the possibilities are. For those who have already informed themselves somewhat, the week is particularly exciting for getting to know better the variety of STEM professions and courses of study. Fundamentally, however, there also needs to be a change in society’s awareness of STEM professions. After all, these are the ones that are shaping the world more and more, for example with automation and digitization.

5. What advice do you have for young people when it comes to choosing a career and a course of study?

From the beginning, choose a course of study and then persist with it. Even if it’s hard to start with – I didn’t like the basic studies at all and I had to fight very hard for them – you should really try to invest in your studies, be ambitious and see them through. Because most courses get better in the following semesters when you can choose more and specialize.