Transfer dialogue in Konstanz: universities and companies in exchange!

Transfer dialogue in Konstanz: universities and companies in exchange!

On Friday, July 11, 2025, the “Transfer Dialogue” will take place in the Bodenseeforum Konstanz, which is open to companies and researchers from Konstanz universities from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The aim of this event is to strengthen the transfer of knowledge between universities and the regional economy. The transfer dialogue is organized by the Konstanz Transfer Association, which is made up of the HTWG University of Konstanz, the University of Konstanz and the city of Konstanz. The city's economic development department supports this important concern, which is intended to promote the transfer of knowledge and technology to exploit regional innovation potential, reports uni-konstanz.de.

The event aims to build long-term networking structures between the companies in the city of Konstanz and the two universities. Participants will include company representatives and professors from both institutions. The focus of the discussions will be on joint projects, research focuses and successful practical examples in order to make new contacts and identify cross-industry challenges. Any cooperation projects should be developed within this framework. Katharina Arendt, who has been working as transfer manager at the HTWG since December 2024, is responsible for organizing and networking the exchange formats.

Agenda of the transfer dialogue

The agenda of the transfer dialogue is diverse and includes a welcome by Uli Burchardt, the mayor of the city of Konstanz. Katharina Arendt will then introduce the Konstanz Transfer Network before a panel discussion begins with the topic “Science meets business – cooperation as a driver of innovation”. The panel participants include Uli Burchardt as well as several professors from both universities and the company representative Stefan Eichenhofer from Seitenbau GmbH. The event is moderated by Alexandra Boger and Lisa Kuner. In addition, several topic tables with professors are planned to further promote exchange.

Another important point of the event is the aperitif to promote networking after the official program items. The invitation is aimed at Konstanz entrepreneurs and interested parties. In order to take part in the event, registration is required on the HTWG website, with the registration deadline being June 27, 2025.

The role of universities in innovation processes

Universities play a crucial role in regional innovation processes. According to research results, as presented in the IWH publication, the central question is how the knowledge of universities can be effectively transferred to the private sector. The transfer of knowledge takes place primarily through direct cooperation between universities and private companies, which illustrates the need for events such as the transfer dialogue. In their analysis, the authors Michael Fritsch, Viktor Slavtchev and others examine the effects and challenges of these collaborations on the regional environment and develop recommendations for action to intensify knowledge transfer in order to create optimal synergies.