Project promoters meet for networking day in Hamburg

"A success factor in the German innovation system"

aus zerknülltem Papier wird ein Papierflieger

On the 2 and 3rd June 2022, the project management organisations that implement research and innovation funding programmes for the Federal Government and the Länder will hold their industry meeting at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY in Hamburg.

2nd June 2022 — As guests of the network day, the more than 300 employees of the public and private project management organisations present expect high-ranking representatives from politics, science and industry, among them State Secretary Judith Pirscher from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Dr Ole Janssen from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) as well as Dr Alexander von Vogel, State Councillor at the Ministry of Science, Research, Equality and Districts of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

Professor Uwe Cantner, Chairman of the Expert Commission for Research and Innovation (EFI), is to give a keynote speech on the importance of project management agencies for the German innovation system. In the course of further keynote speeches and a panel discussion with Dr Sierk Poetting, Chief Operating Officer BioNTech SE, Professor Rolf Heuer, former CERN Director General, and Peter Lindlahr, Managing Director of hySOLUTIONS GmbH, the project management organisations will explore what makes project funding successful on the morning of the 2nd June 2022.

The network of project management agencies brings together 13 public and private institutions that provide comprehensive services for their predominantly public clients in all aspects of planning and implementing funding programmes and initiatives to strengthen the research and innovation system. On behalf of the Federal Government and the Länder, they oversee some 90,000 research, development and transfer projects of companies, research institutions and universities every year, with a funding volume of around nine billion euros.

The project management organisations are a key success factor in the German innovation system. With over 5,000 employees, our services strengthen research and innovation and thus future viability in Germany and ensure the results-oriented use of funding amounting to 9.2 billion euros per year. This supports almost 90,000 research, development and transfer projects by research institutions, universities and companies, which often work together in partnerships and networks.

Kathrin Stummeyer

Head of Project Management at the Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit gGmbH (Society for Plant and Reactor Safety)

We cover a broad portfolio of services, ranging from trend analyses and strategic advice to expert advice for those interested in funding, close supervision of the funded projects and the related funding management, as well as communication and transfer measures. With our knowledge and experience, we create added value for our innovation system.

Klaus Uckel

Managing Director of DLR Projektträger im Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR-PT at the German Aerospace Center)

In dialogue with clients and research, we are constantly developing the funding instruments – with a special focus on the transfer of results into application. Current examples of this include innovative funding instruments such as the Leading-Edge Cluster Competition, real laboratories, transfer networks and workshops, or tax-based R&D funding in the form of the research allowance. We gladly take on board feedback and impulses from those involved in the innovation process. Our goal is to remove obstacles to implementation.

Sascha Hermann

Managing Director VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH