The Laura Bassi Fellowship 2025-2026 was awarded to Dr. Gresa Latifi, formerly affiliated with the Chair of Technology and Innovation Management, TUM School of Management. The program supports female scientists who pursue innovative research and is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Sciences and the Arts as part of the initiative "Equal Opportunities for Women in Research and Teaching". It is open to graduate students with a focus on gender and diversity studies, as well as to postdoctoral researchers in all disciplines.

Gresa Latifi’s project focuses on the most common exit route for venture-backed firms—trade sales. It investigates how cultural distance between a startup and a potential acquirer affects acquisition likelihood between them and whether affiliation with (reputable) venture capitalists (VCs) can mitigate this barrier. The project also explores how trade sale process unfolds the perspective of venture capital investors and how payment structures in VC-led acquisitions—cash, shares, or mixed—are determined. Conducted in collaboration with Prof. Joachim Henkel (TUM School of Management) and Prof. Siddharth Vedula (TUM School of Management & Miami University) the research aims to provide new insights into how venture capital shapes acquisition processes and outcomes.   

Dr. Latifi, whose research focuses on entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurship and innovation management, aims to use this opportunity to further advance her research on venture-backed exits, expand international academic collaborations, and deepen insights into how venture capital shapes acquisition processes, deal structures, and entrepreneurial outcomes. The Laura Bassi Fellowship recognizes her research achievements and supports the development of scholarly work that contributes to a better understanding of startup exit dynamics and innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems.