In 2013, the rectorate established an internal university fund to support knowledge and technology transfer. Since then, 200,000 euros have been awarded annually to fund prototypes, demonstrative projects, and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer projects. This year, 18 projects were submitted and six promising projects have been chosen to receive a total of just under 300,000 euros.
It can be hard to finance projects, despite the fact that they are of great relevance to society.
The fund is intended to increase the visibility and acceptance of the university in the wider society. The university’s humanities departments in particular have a wealth of ideas pertaining to knowledge transfer, and these have proved difficult to finance with external finding, despite their relevance to society. This is why the university is supporting knowledge transfer projects that are relevant to society and that demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach both within and between faculties.
Funding can help bridge the gap between theoretical and practical work
Alongside interdisciplinary knowledge transfer projects, the funding is also being used to support prototypes and demonstrative projects. The fund helps to bridge the gap between research and business, the so-called “Valley of Death”. The projects are often already on the home stretch. Further development work and practical demonstrations that go beyond the usual scope of research findings are often required to make new research findings and inventions more attractive for the business sector, and to prove their use. For example, this funding allows scientists to build a prototype, which helps to pave the way for entering the market.
In order to make better use of the commercial potential of the findings of research conducted at the University of Stuttgart, and to raise the revenue of technology transfer, the rectorate supports prototypes and demonstrative projects that are particularly innovative and that have a high market potential.
Overview of all projects that were granted funding in 2020
Adaptive path planning for laser volume removal |
Institute of Laser Technologies |
Actuator with an active core |
Institute of Design and Production in Precision Engineering |
Contactless energy transfer in the field of (industrial) intralogistics |
Institute of Electrical Energy Conversion and Institute of Mechanical Handling and Logistics |
Flectuator – Pneumatic actuated flexible joint zones for adaptive building shade |
Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design |
Learning by Building – from a platform for exchanging experiences, to the evaluation of social innovations (Plattform 1 to 1) |
Institute of Space Constructions and the Fundamentals of Design |
Recycling procedures for composite components made from carbon fibers with thermosetting matrix systems |
Institute of Aircraft Design |