Technical University Ilmenau hopes the centre will better connect it to local SMEs and foster knowledge transfer.
Technical University (TU) Ilmenau, located in the German state of Thuringia, is looking to construct a new technology transfer centre, according to local newspaper Thüringener Allgemeine.
The centre would be built at Erfurter Kreuz, a large industrial estate made up of 88 businesses approximately 15 miles from campus, and connect local small and medium-sized enterprises to the university in order to boost knowledge transfer.
TU Ilmenau hopes to secure European public funding to support the construction and has applied through the district government of Ilm-Kreis. The state-owned economic development agency Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen is currently undertaking a feasibility study.
The university aims to build face-to-face contacts through the centre, supported by views of Franz Josef Willems, chair of Initiative Erfurter Kreuz, the business association representing the interests of the industrial estate who said emails and databases were not sufficient to engage companies.
The centre would focus on areas such as the automotive industry. It is expected to employ innovation ambassadors to reach out to corporates and may offer labs and a range of tech transfer services.
The initiative is understood to be supported by Thuringia’s minister of economy, Wolfgang Tiefensee.
