Anniversary ceremony at Haus Dacheröden with numerous guests
Founded on March 21, 2001, the Forschungs- und Technologieverbund Thüringen e.V. (FTVT) celebrated its 20th anniversary on Thursday with a ceremony in the ballroom of Haus Dacheröden in Erfurt.
The event opened with a greeting from Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow and a speech on the “Importance of business-related research for the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises” by Thuringia’s Economics Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee.
In his keynote speech, Prof. Dr. Uwe Cantner, Chairman of the Federal Government’s Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, explained “Transfer – the path from idea to business model”. He was then available for a lively discussion. Benjamin Redlingshöfer, Managing Director of the Thuringian Institute for Textile and Plastics Research e.V., representing the business-related research institutions, emphasized the importance of WINAFO as an “accelerator of technology-oriented start-ups”. Thomas Brock, member of the board of the Forschungs- und Technologieverbund Thüringen e.V. and managing director of the CiS Forschungsinstitut für Mikrosensorik GmbH, introduced the event with a “review and outlook of business-related research in Thuringia”.
The innovative power emanating from business-related research institutions is not insignificant. It facilitates SMEs’ access to basic research results as well as their transfer and application in new processes and products. In particular, the technology competition getstarted2gether, which was initiated in 2019, acts like an incubator /accelerator for young startups and founder teams. The associated transfer speed is constantly increased through ever-improving processes of the implementation phase.
Among the numerous guests were representatives of the Thuringian State Chancellery, the state parliamentary parties, the Thuringian Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Society (TMWWDG), the State Development Corporation of Thuringia (LEG), the Thuringian Development Bank (TAB), the Chambers of Industry and Commerce of Southern Thuringia and Eastern Thuringia, the Thuringian Center for Start-Ups and Entrepreneurship (ThEx) as well as companions and representatives of the individual business-related research institutions and alumni of the past getstarted2gether competitions.
Robert Nowacki from the Erfurt music school “Einfach musikalisch” provided the musical accompaniment on the grand piano.
Within the FTVT, the turnover and the number of employees have almost doubled since its foundation. Ten business-related research institutions bundle 900 employees and generate an annual turnover of 90 million euros. During this time, there have been 15 successful spin-offs with a workforce of over 300 people. The association is a federation of business-related research institutions of various origins and the state representative of the German Industrial Research Association Konrad Zuse.
