Delegation trip strengthens transatlantic cooperation in the cleantech sector

From 25 November to 5 December 2025, the LSP will be part of a delegation trip to the US cities of Chicago and Denver. The aim of the trip is to further intensify the exchange between the cleantech and startup ecosystems in the Midwest of the USA and in Germany and to create new partnerships for innovation and sustainable growth.

The five-day agenda showcases the unique dynamics of the innovation landscapes in Illinois and Colorado - from hard tech to energy innovation to smart city solutions. Numerous meetings, workshops and site visits offer comprehensive insights into the US startup and technology world.

Highlights in Chicago

- From pitch to partnership: unlocking investment potential across the Atlantic
- From lab to launch: Exciting visit to the Polsky Centre at the University of Chicago
- Workshops on intercultural communication, pitching and corporate collaboration.
- In-depth insights into hardtech innovations at mHUB

Innovation impulses from Denver and Colorado

In Colorado, the focus is on market strategies, cleantech trends and political framework conditions. The delegation will hold discussions with partners such as the Colorado Cleantech Industries Association, the Colorado Smart City Alliance and the Colorado Energy Office. A deep dive in the Smart Futures Lab will show how innovative solutions are created and scaled in the smart city sector. The programme will be rounded off with a visit to the Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) at the University of Colorado Boulder, which is operated jointly with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The delegation trip is part of the European Recovery Programme (ERP). It follows on from a successful visit to Berlin and Leipzig in spring 2025 and aims to expand cooperation between German and US players in the cleantech sector in the long term.

"The trip offers a unique opportunity to take transatlantic cooperation in the cleantech sector to a new level. The diversity of the partners in Chicago and Denver shows how much potential there is in joint innovation strategies," says delegation participant André Röhrig, responsible for internationalisation at Lausitz Science Park.