More Space for Innovation: Our Research Division is Being Transformed
Since the announcement of the project in August 2023, a team of Research Directors has been forging ahead with plans to establish the first PI Innovation Hub in the iWerkx® on the Hoepfner Areal in Karlsruhe, Germany.
The team has created a space concept that was approved for further development by the Executive Board and for which, in the next step, an interior designer will be consulted to check its feasibility. The aim is to relocate to the currently still empty premises during the first quarter of 2024.
With the Innovation Hub, we do not want to establish a further institute, it should rather serve as a door opener to awaken interest in PI and attract people to the projects and technologies of PI. Through the Innovation Hub, new talents are meant to dive into the world of PI, as well as make a major contribution to selected research topics. We are in the process of developing a space concept that both draws attention to PI and intensifies the research activities of the Research division.
In the middle of October 2023, an official presentation of the Innovation Hub premises was held for various teams from the Research division in a festive setting, at which the current space concept was presented. The plan is for employees from various research teams to move their workplaces to the Innovation Hub on a project-oriented basis and according to their main focuses. Furthermore, the premises are designed according to the latest New Work standards so that, for example, also student assistants can carry out their activities at hot desk workplaces. The entrance area of the premises is intended to be used to present PI, as well as get talking to potential talents from the university and college environment. Furthermore, the space concept also includes laboratory and workshop areas.
We have to exploit the proximity to KIT as one of the leading technical universities in Germany and make PI more present and visible there. We are only a few kilometers away from KIT and are not exploiting this potential sufficiently. I studied at KIT myself and, during my studies, neither my fellow students nor I were aware of PI - and that is still the case today. We would like to change this! The further setup and expansion of the Innovation Hub Karlsruhe is managed by Dr. Steffen Schreiber.
The plans are now entering the next stage in which they will be consolidated further. For more detailed information on the Innovation Hub see the PICO News from August 2023.
Contact person: Dr. Steffen Schreiber, Director Global Innovation & Scouting - Global
