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For behavioral scientists considering a career in public polling research, it helps to have a fascination with numbers.

"Earning a Ph.D. is not a vocational qualification anymore. It equips people to go into all sectors of society."

Being lead programmer "can be a lonely role stuck between the code pool and the management and therefore requires a level of confidence in oneself," says Marchalot's boss, Brandon Smith.

"A mother is continually training in how to manage her time and organise her work. This is key [to success in entrepreneurship], beyond having guts and imagination," says Claire Dutertre.

Ultimately, the success of the venture depends on the enthusiasm of the inventor. However, the tech transfer office plays a big role; a skilled, hard-working expert can be a huge advantage.

Never let an opportunity to talk to a potential investor go by.

Once they are in, young employees often state how surprised they are at how high tech, innovative, and environmentally-friendly today's steel industry is.

"They can be very good computer scientists, but they will not be hired if they don’t fit in the company culture" of Google, says new employee Oliver Heckmann.

"You have a lot to learn, but when you can argue the case of your patent application successfully to a patent examiner, it's great," says Sarah Thompson.

"I used this event to get an idea of how academics should present their ideas to business groups--for example, the need to provide an exit strategy for investors so they can see where and when they will get their money back," says Jonathan Styles.

If you stay in the lab, you can only be as innovative as yourself.

It is a successful formula for this target group.

Young scientific and technical entrepreneurs are not alone in the Netherlands.

I've also learned that entrepreneurship is not about the pursuit of fast money; it's about achieving a long-sought personal goal.

Science editors, says Jonathan Wood, need to be able "to spot a good story and find the right way of getting it across."

Once hired, a chemist’s opportunities are limited only by his or her career ambitions and the company’s needs.

Van Roon's experience at DSM has been "rewarding, because we started an entirely new group; we are learning and making progress."