ITK Engineering set up a new platform for innovation called ITK Venture & Innovation Lab and launched on January 1. The idea behind this platform is to pursue innovation-driven projects in collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, bringing local students on board and research results to market that much faster. The ITK location at Rülzheim, Germany has designated space for this venture and will equip the rooms to this end. The focus is on Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), digital platforms and digital business models. The project is slated for an initial run up to 2025.

Fast, innovation-centered research with a real-world focus

“The ITK Venture & Innovation Lab takes ITK’s collaboration with partners in science – which is already quite close – to a new level,” says ITK founder and CEO Michael Englert. “We see an opportunity to connect our wide-ranging expertise in software methodology with the scientific expertise of our two partner universities. This way, we can very effectively translate research results into innovations and develop new business models. Our priority is always to focus on the specific needs of our customers.” This initiative also holds out the prospect of transferring promising ideas to new ventures and spinning off startups. Based in Rülzheim, its long-term goal is to boost the Southern Palatinate region’s economic power.
KIT and Technical University of Kaiserslautern students with technical majors will also benefit. The KIT Institute for Information Processing Technology (ITIV), the KIT Chair for Pervasive Computing Systems, and the Kaiserslautern Division of Microelectronic Systems Design will identify, recruit and mentor suitable candidates. Interested students can also contact ITK Engineering directly by sending an email to tim.armbruster@itk-engineering.de

Business and science converge

“Putting research results into action is all about tying theory in with practice. Together with ITK, we want to show our students how to turn research outcomes into innovations that create jobs and prosperity,” says KIT Prof. Wilhelm Stork. “The ITK Venture & Innovation Lab offers students the opportunity to shape innovation-led projects and develop prototypes in a customer-centric way.” This lab is to bring science and business in the region even closer together in the years ahead.

All student theses are tied in with research and innovation projects already underway. One is Smart Textile, a project geared to connect textiles with intelligent sensors. Here, students can work on various aspects and design prototypes to advance the state of the art in smart fabrics.

Learn more at:

• ITK Engineering: www.itk-engineering.de/en/
• Institute for Information Processing Technologies: http://www.itiv.kit.edu/english
• Chair for Pervasive Computing Systems: https://pcs.tm.kit.edu/english
• Microelectronic Systems Design Research Group: https://ems.eit.uni-kl.de/en/start/
• Press release on Smart Textile: https://www.itk-engineering.de/en/news/smart-textiles-for-tomorrow/

About Karlsruhe Institute of Technology:

Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,300 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 24,400 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
www.kit.edu/english

About Technical University Kaiserslautern:

The Technische Universität Kaiserslautern (TUK) is described as ‘The international university of the Palatinate – active globally, networked regionally’. It provides a flourishing environment for excellence in research, teaching, education and services. Along with a wide range of courses and learning options, TUK’s strong commitment to co-operation and interdisciplinary practice attracts researchers and students from across Europe and the world. https://www.uni-kl.de/en/