Gateway Excellence Start-up Center at the University of Cologne and the Transfer Departement of the University of Cologne hosted the annual Innovation Day 2023. This year's event focused on how academic research can lead to societal impact and entrepreneurial ventures.

Panel discussions and keynote speech

In his opening remarks, Prof. Werner Reinartz, the newly-appointed Prorector for Transfer to Society, emphasized the vital role of knowledge transfer. He outlined the university’s plan to develop a unified strategy for blending scientific and societal perspectives.

Panel discussions saw leading academics and industry professionals engage in debates about the role of research in society. Notably, the panelists agreed that academic independence can coexist with societal contributions.

The keynote speaker, Mona Mensmann, focused on the learnable nature of entrepreneurship. She encouraged scientists to consider starting a business, emphasizing that entrepreneurship skills can be acquired.

Topics ranged from technology transfer to educational innovation.

Interactive campfire sessions and workshops led by Gateways Transfer Scouts and multiple role models allowed for open dialogue and networking among participants. Topics ranged from technology transfer to innovation in teaching.

In a lively pitch competition, start-ups from the Gateway Kölner Hochschulen and Luxembourg demonstrated their innovations. grievy impressed the audience the most and won the competition.

Networking was also in the spotlight. Collaboration hubs like the innovation market and Speed NetWalking sessions facilitated connections and partnerships with external organizations.

The event was excellently moderated by Anne Schreiter, Ph.D.

See you next year!

Our sincere thanks to everyone involved for making Innovation Day 2023 a success.