Business Englisch lernen › Münster Business English › Unit 8

🔬Unit 8 of 10 · Level B1–B2

Science & Startups

University, Research & New Businesses

Wissenschaft & Start-ups in Münster

🎯 Practise 16 words for talking about research, universities and start-ups – and how science and business work together.16 Wörter, um über Forschung, Hochschulen und Start-ups zu sprechen – und wie Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft zusammenarbeiten. Niveau B1–B2.

📖 16 words✏️ 25 questions💬 Dialogue🗣️ Speaking task

📍 The story Die Geschichte

Münster is a city of science: the University of Münster is one of the largest universities in Germany, and FH Münster – the University of Applied Sciences – works closely with local companies.

Anna takes Tom to meet David Okafor, the fictional founder of a small start-up. His team, made up of former students, has developed a sensor that measures how people sit at their desks.

Could the sensor be built into the WorkWell chair? Tom is curious.

👩‍💼 Anna Becker – project manager, Münster🧑‍💼 Tom Walsh – client from Manchester, visiting Münster

📖 Learn first Erst lernen, dann üben

researchForschung

The university does a lot of research.

researcherForscher

Our researchers work on new materials.

university of applied sciencesFachhochschule

FH Münster is a university of applied sciences.

degreeStudienabschluss

She has a degree in engineering.

graduateAbsolvent

Many graduates stay in Münster.

start-upStart-up, Gründung

David's start-up has eight employees.

founderGründer

The founder studied in Münster.

to developentwickeln

We developed a new sensor.

prototypePrototyp

Here is our first prototype.

investorInvestor

We are looking for an investor.

fundingFinanzierung, Fördermittel

We received funding from the state.

patentPatent

We have applied for a patent.

cooperationZusammenarbeit

The cooperation with the university is very good.

to launchauf den Markt bringen

We want to launch the product next year.

pitchkurze Präsentation (für Investoren)

David gave a two-minute pitch.

incubatorGründerzentrum

The start-up began in an incubator.

⚠️ Typical mistakes Typische Fehler

❌ I studied at the university since 2015.
✅ I have been at the university since 2015. / I studied there from 2015 to 2019.
Since braucht das Present Perfect.
❌ She has a study in engineering.
✅ She has a degree in engineering.
Studienabschluss = degree. Study = Studie oder Arbeitszimmer.
❌ We made a patent.
✅ We applied for a patent.
Ein Patent anmelden = apply for a patent. Erteilt wird es: we were granted a patent.
Score: 0 / 25

Part A · Words – die wichtigsten Wörter

1The university does a lot of ______.

Die Universität betreibt viel Forschung.

Research ist meist unzählbar.

2Our ______ work on new materials.

Unsere Forscher arbeiten an neuen Materialien.

Researcher = Forscher.

3FH Münster is a university of applied ______.

Die FH Münster ist eine Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften.

Fachhochschule = university of applied sciences.

4She has a ______ in engineering.

Sie hat einen Abschluss in Ingenieurwesen.

Studienabschluss = degree.

5Many ______ stay in Münster after their studies.

Viele Absolventen bleiben nach dem Studium in Münster.

Graduate = Absolvent.

6David's ______ has eight employees.

Davids Start-up hat acht Mitarbeitende.

Start-up (auch startup).

7The ______ studied in Münster.

Der Gründer hat in Münster studiert.

Founder = Gründer. Funder = Geldgeber.

8We ______ a new sensor for office chairs.

Wir haben einen neuen Sensor für Bürostühle entwickelt.

Develop = entwickeln.

9Here is our first ______.

Hier ist unser erster Prototyp.

Prototype.

10We are looking for an ______.

Wir suchen einen Investor.

Investor. Inventor = Erfinder.

11We received ______ from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Wir haben Fördermittel vom Land NRW bekommen.

Funding = Geld, Förderung. Founding = Gründung.

12We have applied ______ a patent.

Wir haben ein Patent angemeldet.

Apply for a patent.

Part B · In context – Wendungen und Situationen

13The ______ with the university is very good.

Die Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität ist sehr gut.

Cooperation = Zusammenarbeit. Corporation = großes Unternehmen.

14We want to ______ the product next year.

Wir wollen das Produkt nächstes Jahr auf den Markt bringen.

Launch.

15David gave a two-minute ______ to the investors.

David hielt vor den Investoren eine Zwei-Minuten-Präsentation.

Pitch = kurze Verkaufspräsentation.

16The start-up began in an ______ near the university.

Das Start-up begann in einem Gründerzentrum in der Nähe der Uni.

Incubator = Gründerzentrum.

17The University of Münster is one of the ______ universities in Germany.

Die Universität Münster ist eine der größten Universitäten Deutschlands.

One of the largest – Superlativ.

18I studied ______ Münster for five years.

Ich habe fünf Jahre in Münster studiert.

Study in + Stadt.

19I studied ______ the University of Münster.

Ich habe an der Universität Münster studiert.

Study at + Hochschule.

20The sensor ______ how people sit.

Der Sensor misst, wie Menschen sitzen.

Measure = messen.

21The data is sent ______ an app.

Die Daten werden an eine App gesendet.

Send to.

22This could be a great ______ for the WorkWell chair.

Das könnte eine tolle Ergänzung für den WorkWell-Stuhl sein.

Addition = Ergänzung. Edition = Ausgabe (Buch).

23We're open to working ______ larger companies.

Wir sind offen für die Zusammenarbeit mit größeren Firmen.

Work with = zusammenarbeiten mit.

24How much money are you trying to ______?

Wie viel Geld wollen Sie einsammeln?

Raise money / capital.

25Let's ______ in touch.

Lassen Sie uns in Kontakt bleiben.

Keep in touch.

Well done! · Gut gemacht!You scored 0 out of 25.Sie haben 0 von 25 Fragen richtig beantwortet. Wiederholen Sie die Unit in ein paar Tagen!

💬 Dialogue Lesen Sie den Dialog laut – am besten mit einem Partner.

AnnaTom, this is David Okafor. His start-up began right here, in an incubator near the university.
DavidHi Tom. We're a team of eight – most of us studied at the University of Münster or FH Münster.
TomWhat does your company do?
DavidWe've developed a sensor that measures how people sit. The data is sent to an app, which tells you when to change your position.
TomInteresting! Do you have a prototype?
DavidYes – here it is. We received funding from the state, and we've applied for a patent.
AnnaWe think it could be a great addition to the WorkWell chair.
TomHow much money are you trying to raise?
DavidAbout €500,000. We want to launch the product next year, and we're open to working with larger companies.
TomLet's keep in touch. Could you send me your pitch deck?

🗣️ Your turn Jetzt sind Sie dran

Prepare a two-minute pitch for a product idea (real or invented) – like David's.

  • What problem does it solve? Who is it for? What do you need (an investor, a partner, funding)?
  • Present it to a partner, who asks two questions like an investor.
  • Use: We've developed …, We're looking for …, We want to launch …

📘 Go further – mehr zum Thema: Präsentationstraining auf Englisch in Münster

← Previous · Unit 7Insurance & Finance
Learn. Practise. Repeat.
Persönliches Business-Englisch-Training mit Kenneth Gill: Training & Coaching · Mehr Wortschatz-Quizze auf english-quiz.de · Grammatik auf englisch-grammatik.com

Hartmann & Hale, all companies and characters are fictional; places and facts about Münster are real. · Firmen und Personen sind frei erfunden, Orte und Fakten zu Münster sind echt.

🧭 Neu im Kurs? Die Geschichte von Anna und Tom beginnt im Business English Course.