At the House of Startups, the focus was on the ideal connection between research and application – and on finding ways to bridge the gap between the two. This very question was at the heart of the Public Fishbowl Discussion “Bridging the Gap Between Research and Its Application, Commercialization, and Spin-offs”, moderated by Prof. Martin Meißner from TUM Campus Heilbronn:
International experts shared different perspectives on the topic:
- Prof. Luise Pufahl from the TUM Campus Heilbronn emphasized the importance of trust and long-term relationships for successful collaboration with industry. At the same time, she highlighted the value of education and the favorable conditions for entrepreneurs at TUM
- Prof. Alexander Ling Euk Jin from the National University of Singapore spoke about the opportunities and challenges of Singapore as a start-up hub: straightforward company formation versus a small domestic market. This makes it all the more important to identify a market niche and keep business objectives in focus.
- Prof. Rainer Dumke from Nanyang Technological University Singapore sees tremendous future potential in quantum technology. In his view, research and education are inseparably linked.
- Dr. Joba Adisa from Stanford University emphasized that public mission and the commercialization of education are not fundamentally incompatible, as long as social responsibility remains a priority.
The TECH panel “Convergence or Collision: Bridging AI, Science & Society” was moderated by Solveig Gode, Head of Podcasts, Live, and Video at Handelsblatt, and focused on the question of how AI can be advanced by science for the common good and how the gap between scientific possibilities and societal readiness can be bridged.
On stage, the discussion featured Tomer Shadmy, Professor of Computer Science, Law, and Ethics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Carl Benedikt Frey, Professor of AI and Work at the Oxford Internet Institute; Prof. Ali Sunyaev, Vice President of the TUM Campus Heilbronn; and Michael Impink, Professor at HEC Paris.
Here are the key takeaways:
- For HUJI Professor Tomer Shadmy, the crucial questions are where the journey is headed and how we rethink institutions.
- Prof. Carl Benedikt Frey of the University of Oxford calls for pushing boundaries and taking more risks in order to successfully shape change.
- For the Vice President of TUM Campus Heilbronn, Prof. Ali Sunyaev, the key lies in sharing knowledge and international collaboration.
- Prof. Michael Impink from HEC Paris believes that startups and society also benefit from further development when there is a market for ideas, even if large companies ultimately profit from them.
The GTF continues. In internal workshops, researchers pool their knowledge and develop new research approaches. Stay tuned!