The impact of university education upon digital start-ups

With a worldwide shift towards a knowledge economy, universities are seen as a fundamental driver of economic growth. While previous studies have focused on universities’ more direct commercialisation activities, this research investigates the relatively unexplored influence of university education upon graduate entrepreneurship. By considering the digital economy, this exploratory study examines a fast growing sector where knowledge is considered to be a core asset. A global open dataset of digital start-ups is used to evaluate universities’ contribution to the performance of these ventures through the provision of formal technical, business or more general education. The impact of this human capital contribution on the probability of being a habitual entrepreneur in this industry sector, as well as the impact on the probability and rate of reaching the equity investment milestones of “funding” and “exit” were investigated. Prior to the data analysis, using computer science methods, unsupervised algorithms were developed to pre-process and transform the crowd-sourced dataset by linking multiple existing data sources, and it was demonstrated that this approach allows sophisticated natural language processing challenges to be overcome with relatively low technical capabilities. The consequent analysis of the transformed dataset reveals that: (1) having a founder with a university qualification significantly increases the probability of securing funding and successful exit; (2) having a founder with a university qualification in business significantly decreases the duration at which the first funding is secured and exit is achieved; (3) having a technical university qualification has no impact on the duration to securing funding, and increases the duration to exit. Following the empirical analysis, models for digital start-up teams are proposed. The thesis concludes that a consideration of the heterogeneous influence of different types of university qualifications reveals novel insights into the relationship between human capital and new venture performance

Recent Status New Superconducting CW Heavy Ion LINAC@GSI

The demonstrator is a prototype of the first section of the proposed cw-LINAC@GSI, comprising a superconducting CH-cavity embedded by two superconducting solenoids. The sc CH-structure is the key component and offers a variety of research and development. The beam focusing solenoids provide maximum fields of 9.3 T at an overall length of 380 mm and a free beam aperture of 30 mm. The magnetic induction of the fringe is minimized to 50 mT at the inner NbTi-surface of the neighboring cavity. The fabrication of the key components is still in progress and is near to completion. After cold performance testing of the RF cavity, the helium jacket will be welded on. The cryostat is partly assembled and will be finished in the next weeks. The test environment is completely prepared. Advanced emittance measurement is foreseen to prepare for best matching of the heavy ion beam from the injector. Integration of the cryostat into the beam line, the first cool down of the module and commissioning of the RF elements will be performed as next steps towards a complete testing of the demonstrator

Modular expression analysis reveals functional conservation between human Langerhans cells and mouse cross-priming dendritic cells

Characterization of functionally distinct dendritic cell (DC) subsets in mice has fueled interest in whether analogous counterparts exist in humans. Transcriptional modules of coordinately expressed genes were used for defining shared functions between the species. Comparing modules derived from four human skin DC subsets and modules derived from the Immunological Genome Project database for all mouse DC subsets revealed that human Langerhans cells (LCs) and the mouse XCR1(+)CD8α(+)CD103(+) DCs shared the class I-mediated antigen processing and cross-presentation transcriptional modules that were not seen in mouse LCs. Furthermore, human LCs were enriched in a transcriptional signature specific to the blood cross-presenting CD141/BDCA-3(+) DCs, the proposed equivalent to mouse CD8α(+) DCs. Consistent with our analysis, LCs were highly adept at inducing primary CTL responses. Thus, our study suggests that the function of LCs may not be conserved between mouse and human and supports human LCs as an especially relevant therapeutic target

The impact of digital start-up founders’ higher education on reaching equity investment milestones

This paper builds on human capital theory to assess the importance of formal education among graduate entrepreneurs. Using a sample of 4.953 digital start-ups the paper evaluates the impact of start-up founding teams’ higher education on the probability of securing equity investment and subsequent exit for investors. The main findings are: (1), teams with a founder that has a technical education are less likely to remain self-financed and are more likely to secure equity investment and to exit, but the impact of technical education declines with higher level degrees, (2) teams with a founder that has doctoral level business education are less likely to remain self-financed and have a higher probability of securing equity investment, while undergraduate and postgraduate business education have no significant effect, and (3) teams with a founder that has an undergraduate general education (arts and humanities) are less likely to remain self-financed and are more likely to secure equity investment and exit while postgraduate and doctoral general education have no significant effect on securing equity investment and exit. The findings enhance our understanding of factors that influence digital start-ups achieving equity milestones by showing the heterogeneous influence of different types of higher education, and therefore human capital, on new ventures achieving equity milestones. The results suggest that researchers and policy-makers should extend their consideration of universities entrepreneurial activity to include the development of human capital

The impact of university education upon digital start-ups

With a worldwide shift towards a knowledge economy, universities are seen as a fundamental driver of economic growth. While previous studies have focused on universities’ more direct commercialisation activities, this research investigates the relatively unexplored influence of university education upon graduate entrepreneurship. By considering the digital economy, this exploratory study examines a fast growing sector where knowledge is considered to be a core asset. A global open dataset of digital start-ups is used to evaluate universities’ contribution to the performance of these ventures through the provision of formal technical, business or more general education. The impact of this human capital contribution on the probability of being a habitual entrepreneur in this industry sector, as well as the impact on the probability and rate of reaching the equity investment milestones of “funding” and “exit” were investigated. Prior to the data analysis, using computer science methods, unsupervised algorithms were developed to pre-process and transform the crowd-sourced dataset by linking multiple existing data sources, and it was demonstrated that this approach allows sophisticated natural language processing challenges to be overcome with relatively low technical capabilities. The consequent analysis of the transformed dataset reveals that: (1) having a founder with a university qualification significantly increases the probability of securing funding and successful exit; (2) having a founder with a university qualification in business significantly decreases the duration at which the first funding is secured and exit is achieved; (3) having a technical university qualification has no impact on the duration to securing funding, and increases the duration to exit. Following the empirical analysis, models for digital start-up teams are proposed. The thesis concludes that a consideration of the heterogeneous influence of different types of university qualifications reveals novel insights into the relationship between human capital and new venture performance

Experimental investigations on a test rig for small centrifugal pumps

Abweichender Titel nach Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersZusammenfassung in englischer SpracheDiese Diplomarbeit wurde am Institut für Energietechnik und Thermodynamik an der Technischen UniversitätWien an einem bestehenden Pumpen-Kleinversuchsstand für Radialpumpen verfasst. Der Versuchsstand befindet sich im Hydrodynamischen Labor des Institutes. Die Zielsetzung war, den Versuchstand für Kavitationsversuche umzubauen und in der Folge experimentelle Untersuchungen daran durchzuführen. Im Zuge der Umbauarbeiten wurde der Versuchsstand von einem offenen Kreislauf in ein geschlossenes System übergeführt. Dadurch ergibt sich die Möglichkeit die Zulaufhöhe und somit den saugseitigen statischen Druck mittels einer Vakuumpumpe zu regulieren. Diese Druckvariation ist notwendig um Kavitationsversuche zu ermöglichen. Im Zuge der Untersuchungen wurden an zwei unterschiedlichen Laufrädern die H-Q und NPSH Kennlinie sowie der Wirkungsgradverlauf und die mechanische Leistungsaufnahme für verschiedene Drehzahlen gemessen und ausgewertet. Da die wasserführenden Elemente der hydraulischen Maschine zum Großteil aus Acrylglas bestehen, konnten auch optische Untersuchungen der auftretenden Kavitationserscheinungen vorgenommen werden. Beide untersuchten Pumpenlaufräder verfügen über ähnliche Hauptabmessungen, wobei eines durch eine verbesserte Schaufelgeometrie (i.e.: vorgezogene Eintrittskante und doppelt gekrümmte Schaufeln) der Theorie nach ein günstigeres Kavitationsverhalten aufweisen sollte. Dieses verbesserte Kavitationsverhalten wurde anhand der Kennlinien aber auch anhand optischer Beobachtungen verglichen. Das Ergebnis dieser Diplomarbeit ist die Erkenntnis über das Kavitationsverhalten der beiden Laufräder. Sie beschreibt aber auch die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen, die der grundsätzliche Aufbau dieses Versuchsstandes vorgibt.This master thesis was executed on an existing test rig for small radial pumps at the Vienna University of Technology's Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics. The test rig is situated at the institute's hydrodynamic laboratory. The core were to alter the test rig in a way to make cavitation examinations feasible and, furthermore, conduct an experimental study with it. During the alteration process the test rig was transformed from an open circuit into a closed system. This alteration was necessary to enable a variation of the suction head and, therefore, the static pressure on the suction side of the hydraulic machine. This pressure regulation is essential for cavitation experiments. In the course of the experimental study the pump performance curves for two different runners were measured and evaluated. The head curves, NPSH curves, efficiency curves and shaft power curves were measured for different speeds. Given that the water-bearing elements of the hydraulic machine are mostly made of acrylic glass, it was, furthermore, possible to conduct an optical examination of the occurring cavitation phenomenon. The examined runners have similar main dimensions. Only one has a slightly different blade design (i.e.: advanced leading edge and double curvature blades), which should in theory lead to better cavitation characteristics. These improved cavitation characteristics were presented in detail by, on the one hand, comparing the pump performance curves of both runners and, on the other hand, comparing the results from the optical examinations. The findings of this master thesis offer insights into the cavitation characteristics of the two runners and, furthermore, the possibilities and limitations of the test rig¿s basic setup.7

Beam dynamics of the FRANZ bunch compressor using realistic fields with a focus on the rebuncher cavities

The ARMADILLO bunch compressor currently being designed at IAP is capable of reaching a longitudinal pulse compression ratio of 45 for proton beams of 150 mA at 2 MeV. It will provide one nanosecond proton pulses with a peak current of 7.7 A. The system guides nine linacμbunches deflected by a 5 MHz rf kicker and uses four dipole magnets - two homogeneous and two with field gradients - to merge them on the target. For longitudinal focusing and an energy variation of ±200 keV two multitrack rf cavities are included. ARMADILLO will be installed at the end of the Frankfurt Neutron Source FRANZ making use of the unique 250 kHz time structure. This contribution will provide an overview of the layout of the system as well as recent advances in component design and beam dynamics of the compressor

Experiments with a fast chopper system for intense ion beams

Chopper systems are used to pulse charged particle beams. In most cases, electric deflection systems are used to generate beam pulses of defined lengths and appropriate repetition rates. At high beam intensities, the field distribution of the chopper system needs to be adapted precisely to the beam dynamics in order to avoid aberrations. An additional challenge is a robust design which guarantees reliable operation. For the Frankfurt Neutron Source FRANZ, an E×B chopper system is being developed which combines static magnetic deflection with a pulsed electric field in a Wien filter configuration. It will generate proton pulses with a flat top of 50 ns at a repetition rate of 250 kHz for 120 keV, 200 mA beams. For the electric deflection, pre-experiments with static and pulsed fields were performed using a helium ion beam. In pulsed mode operation, ion beams of different energies were deflected with voltages of up to ±6 kV and the resulting response was measured using a beam current transformer. A comparison between experiments and theoretical calculations as well as numerical simulations are presented

Upgrade and Commissioning of the 60 keV Low Energy Beam Transport Line for the Frankfurt Neutron Source FRANZ

The Low Energy Beam Transport line (LEBT) for the Frankfurt Neutron Source (FRANZ) has been redesigned to accommodate a 60 keV proton beam. Driven by a CHORDIS ion source, operating at 35 kV, a newly designed electrostatic postaccelerator has beeen installed to reach the desired beam energy of 60 keV. Additional upgrades to the beamline include two steerer pairs, several optical diagnostics sections and an additional faraday cup. We present the results of beam commissioning up to the point of RFQ injection. Emittance measurements were performed to prepare matching to the RFQ and improve the beam dynamics model of the low energy beamline. Due to the successful operation of the beamline at 60 keV, retrofitting of the RFQ for the new energy has been initiated