Research, innovation and start-up ideas at the LAUSITZFORUM 2038

Five Years of the LausitzForum 2038

What does the future hold for structural change in Lusatia? What opportunities are emerging for business, science and society? And what role do research, innovation and entrepreneurship play in this?

These and many other questions took centre stage at this year’s LAUSITZFORUM 2038 on 4 November at the BASF Kulturhaus in Schwarzheide. Now in its fifth year, the forum once again provided a platform for exchanging views on current developments in the region, forging new contacts and discussing shared perspectives.

Lusatia has great potential. To harness this, we need strong partnerships, the networking of projects and a shared willingness to actively shape the region’s future.

Lausitz Science Park represented with a joint stand for the fourth time

For the fourth time, the Lausitz Science Park presented itself with a large joint stand. Together with research projects from the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and innovative start-ups from the region, the team demonstrated the diversity of Lusatia’s research and start-up landscape and how scientific findings can be translated into concrete applications and innovative solutions.

The focus was on current research activities, new technologies and support services for businesses and those interested in setting up a start-up.

From sustainable recycling to digital transformation

The new BTU centre of excellence HERES, represented by Prof. Jörg Acker and Anja Rietig, presented its research activities on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. The focus is on innovative processes for recovering valuable raw materials and reusing them.

Henrike Charlotte Homeyer presented the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) pro_digital, which supports businesses and public institutions in their digital transformation. The services on offer include, amongst other things, consultancy, training and access to digital technologies.

The regional start-up ecosystem was also represented: Bastian Kaiser from Startup Lausitz provided information on the wide range of opportunities for start-ups and those interested in setting up a business in the region, as well as on support and networking opportunities.

The start-up NMI Technologies, represented by Akant Senguel, provided insights into the development of innovative, compact and cost-effective NIR sensors. The technology enables the detection and differentiation of various plastics and is expected to contribute to more efficient plastic sorting in recycling in future.

SpreeTec neXt, another BTU research cluster, was also represented at the joint stand. Theodor Siebenhaar presented the work being carried out on new manufacturing technologies for components and systems in decentralised energy technology. The cluster combines scientific research with industrial applications, thereby strengthening technology transfer and regional value creation.

BTU with a further stand dedicated to Transfer of Knowledge and Technology

Right next to the Lausitz Science Park’s joint stand, the Transfer of Knowledge and Technology department of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg was also represented with its own stand.

Katrin Erb, Beatrix Krautz, Julia Raunick and Robin Sauer provided information on the university’s services and activities in the field of Transfer of Knowledge and Technology and used the event to engage in dialogue with companies and other stakeholders from the region.

Exchange and networking as the foundation for structural change

In its anniversary year, the LausitzForum 2038 once again offered numerous opportunities for face-to-face discussions, forging new contacts and fostering dialogue between academia, industry and society.

This joint presentation highlighted the contribution that BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg makes to the development of Lusatia through its research projects, transfer activities and start-up initiatives.

The Lausitz Science Park would like to thank all participating projects and partners for the joint presentation, as well as the visitors for their keen interest and stimulating discussions.