From Innovation to Application: Conference in Aachen Strengthens the Economy for Crises and the Future
Resilience in the face of crises is increasingly becoming a key location factor. The COVID-19 pandemic, the flooding in the Ahr Valley, the recent wildfires in the Hürtgen Forest and the High Fens, and the tense geopolitical situation demonstrate how quickly established structures can come under pressure. How can healthcare, civil protection, and economic structures remain functional even under crisis conditions? Around 250 participants addressed this question at the second innovation conference of the Care for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) project, titled “Prepared for Tomorrow—Innovations for a Resilient Region Even in Crises, Disasters, and Conflicts,” held at the Neues Kurhaus in Aachen.
The focus was on telemedicine and mobile healthcare, dual-use technologies, security of supply, and new technological solutions for crisis situations. At the same time, the conference brought an economic policy question into sharp focus: How can the region more quickly translate its strong research and technology base into concrete applications, new business models, and additional value creation?
Particularly at the intersection of medical technology, digitalization, robotics, and security-related technologies, the Aachen region possesses expertise with high innovation and market potential. It is crucial to bring together research, businesses, and users in a way that enables technological developments to more quickly result in market-ready solutions.
“Aachen’s key strength lies in its ability to turn excellent research into economically impactful innovations. Especially in future-oriented fields such as medical technology, digitalization, and robotics, we must accelerate the transfer of knowledge so that new technologies can more quickly give rise to marketable solutions, new business models, and additional value creation. In this way, we strengthen the competitiveness of our region and, at the same time, foster the European innovative capacity we need to remain capable of taking action even in times of crisis,” says Dieter Begaß, Director of Economic Development for the City of Aachen.
Dual-Use: Technologies for New Security Requirements
So-called dual-use technologies were also on the agenda. These are technologies that can be used in various civilian and security-related fields. A technology expo also highlighted the opportunities and limitations of drones, robots, and other unmanned, autonomous systems in crisis situations.
“Crises do not stop at municipal or institutional boundaries. When the academic, business, and political sectors work together, we can join forces with our neighbors to strengthen technological sovereignty and resilience in North Rhine-Westphalia and Europe, while also enabling new value creation. For us, ‘dual-use’ means consistently harnessing technological innovation from research and industry for both civilian and security-related applications,” says Ulla Thönnissen, Executive Director of the Region Aachen Special-Purpose Association.
Networking Leads to Concrete Innovation Projects
In addition to panels, pitches, and a technology expo, the conference provided ample opportunity for discussion and new collaborations. During a speed-dating session and the networking event that followed, participants were able to make targeted new connections and get to know potential collaboration partners.
One specific tool for this is the innovation partnerships of Care for Sustainable Innovation. They bring together stakeholders from business, academia, and healthcare to jointly develop and test new solutions and bring them into practice more quickly.
In this way, CSI combines regional networking with concrete innovation transfer and supports the digital and sustainable development of the healthcare industry in the Aachen region.
For more information, visit: www.care4innovation.de
Über das Projekt Care for Sustainable Innovation:
The Care for Sustainable Innovation project is driving the digital and sustainable transformation of the healthcare sector in the Aachen region. Care for Sustainable Innovation is a project of the following partners: Region Aachen Zweckverband (RAZV), City of Aachen, StädteRegion Aachen, WFG für den Kreis Heinsberg mbH, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University, digitalHUB Aachen e.V., MA&T Sell & Partner GmbH, MedLife e.V., and AGIT MBH. The innovation project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/JTF) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and builds on the results of the ERDF project “Care and Mobility Innovation.”
Contact person at the City of Aachen:
Ms. Mirijam Böhme
, Head of the Department of Science and Digital Innovations, Ext. 02/300
, Johannes-Paul-II-Straße 1, 52058 Aachen
, Tel: 0241 432-7618
, Email: mirijam.boehme@mail.aachen.de
Host Anna Hecker welcomes the guests to the "Prepared for Tomorrow" innovation conference.
Dr. Thomas Ramge, a podcaster for the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations, will deliver the keynote address titled "Innovation in a Crisis."
A visitor tries out a VR fire safety drill at the technology exhibition.
Visitors learn more at the booths in the technology exhibition.
Panel moderators on stage, looking back (from left to right): Dr. Mark Verjans, Matthias Kindel, Dr. Andreas Follmann, Malvine Klechea, Prof. Dr. Stefan Beckers.
A visitor asks a question from the audience.
Meteorologist and aspiring astronaut Dr. Insa Thiele-Eich during her keynote address, "Resilience from Space."
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