A boost for Dresden as a business location

4th July 2022 — Saxony is one of the top research and development regions in Europe. Almost four per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) flows back into the region as investment, making the Federal state a "powerful innovator" among EU regions. It has a strong and diversified research landscape and a high proportion of research-active and innovative companies. Cooperation between companies and science is also above average. For the past year, DLR Projektträger has been based in Dresden, the capital of Saxony, and has positioned itself locally as a strategic partner of state politics. DLR Projektträger's missions cover a wide range of future topics – from quantum technologies to smart cities.

Quantum technologies – identifying potential

Quantum technologies are seen as the driving force of the future; their application is conceivable in areas of communication, sensor technology, computing and simulation. In order to identify the potential for Saxony, the Free State's Economic Development Agency commissioned DLR Projektträger to prepare an analysis on quantum technologies in 2021. The aim of the analysis was to create an overview of actors and skills that would provide a comprehensive overview of relevant Saxon actors from science and industry. In addition, initiatives in other Federal states were identified that could offer starting points for cooperation. The findings of the study can additionally be used for location marketing for Saxony as a research and innovation location. The analysis also included the development of recommendations for action based on the opportunities and challenges of the technology field.

Expert opinion on the revision of the InfraPro Directive

The Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK) wants to continue to promote application-oriented research at universities and research institutions in Saxony. For this purpose, the Ministry commissioned DLR Projektträger with an expert report to create the evidence base for the future orientation of research funding. Among other things, recommendations were developed for the content and administrative design of the funding programme, including the design of funding objects and procedures for review and project selection. In order to be able to use synergy potentials with other funding programmes, the connectivity to measures at Federal and EU level was examined. The funding is part of the operational programme for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the Free State of Saxony in the funding period of 2021 to 2027. Among other things, it is intended to strengthen research networks in the area of the future fields of Saxony's innovation strategy. The study was presented at the SMWK in June 2022.

Concept for international hydrogen congress

On behalf of the Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport (SMWA), DLR Projektträger is designing an international congress series on hydrogen as an energy carrier and future technology. The concept is primarily aimed at strengthening cooperation, especially between Saxon industry and national and international partners. Actors such as SMEs, start-ups and research institutions are to be made more visible and cooperation opportunities opened up by means of success stories and workshops. The congress series primarily presents development advances in individual technology areas, accelerates them and highlights socio-economic and ecological aspects. The DLR Projektträger services include the overall conception of the congress series, the concrete technical and methodological design of the individual congresses, the conceptual organisation of an evening event, the acquisition of speakers, the preparation of content-related contributions for public relations work as well as the acquisition of participants and moderation. The DLR Projektträger works in close coordination with the Ministry and the Silicon Saxony high-tech network.

Smart Cities

As part of the call for proposals for the Smart Cities model projects, the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) has commissioned a consortium of institutes from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and other partners under the leadership of the DLR Projektträger to set up and supervise a coordination and transfer office (KTS). It is about urban/regional development using new digital technologies in fields such as housing, climate adaptation, sustainability, energy, citizen participation and more. The goal is a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable, resilient, inclusive, competitive, liveable cities and communities. In Saxony, the DLR Projektträger is responsible for the model municipalities in Dresden, Brandis, Zwönitz and Leipzig as part of this mandate.

• In Dresden, the focus is on solutions for the urban data platform with several objectives. For example, mobility data is to be collected across providers in order to investigate changes in user behaviour with regard to their influence on sustainable urban development. In addition, app-based incentive systems and networking offers are to be created to promote sustainable behaviour. Other topics include data-based warnings of heavy rainfall events and digitally networked administrative cooperation.
• The Brandis model project is a cooperation project of the Partheland region. Already launched in 2019, the smart city strategy is now being implemented for the entire region, including the creation of IT infrastructure, multi-modal mobility concepts and a digital laboratory for the perspective development of digital solutions for municipal services of general interest.
• Zwönitz focuses on connecting previously unserved areas of its municipality to public transport through the "ErzMobil" call bus, which is already in test operation. A municipal building, the Buntspeicher, will house a digital creative centre in the future.
• Leipzig is working with Hamburg and Munich on standardised solutions for urban data platforms and digital twins. Concrete applications are being tested, such as the plastic digital simulation of planned street reconstructions in order to involve citizens in the planning process.

Certification Office for Research Grants – Incentive for SMEs

The Certification Office for Research Grants (BSFZ), which was set up in Dresden, checks whether the activities described in the applications for tax research grants are research and development within the meaning of the Research Grants Act. Based on this law, all companies subject to taxation in Germany have been able to apply for a tax research allowance since 2020. The BSFZ is operated by a consortium of experienced project management organisations: VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH, AiF Projekt GmbH and DLR Projektträger.

In order to ensure that the applications are examined properly, an interdisciplinary team of scientific staff work together who are based in various disciplines and have extensive know-how as well as many years of experience in the evaluation of R&D applications. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is responsible for the technical and legal supervision of the BSFZ.