“Dare to leave the beaten paths, try out new things, and help shape the world of tomorrow – become part of a network that creates positive impact.” These were the words that attracted participants to this year’s Hamburg Innovation Summit (HHIS). This goal equally applies to the “Tech City Hamburg” initiative, which appeared for the first time together at the HHIS to present its vision for a sustainable innovation district in the south of Hamburg. It is part of the overall concept of the four Hamburg innovation parks and is being developed similarly to the “Science City” in Bahrenfeld as well as the locations in Finkenwerder and Bergedorf. The project is anchored in the coalition agreement of the current Hamburg government.
The planned innovation district stretches from the A7 motorway in Bostelbek to the A1 motorway in Neuland and simultaneously serves as a hub to the northern districts of Lower Saxony. It is intended to spatially and strategically connect research, industry, startups, and urban development. A central is played by the area acquired by the City of Hamburg, which includes land and former Harburg-Freudenberger manufacturing halls. The heart of the district is formed by the Hamburg University of Technology (TU Hamburg) with its cluster of excellence “BlueMat: Water-Driven Materials.” In addition to the traditional research fields of aviation and maritime systems, the innovation district focuses on the following technology priorities: GreenTech and sustainable solutions, new materials, energy, robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as novel food.
Meeting Place for Discussions: The Oberhafenquartier Hamburg
New clusters of excellence, smart urban development, and urban innovations: What concrete changes are currently happening in Hamburg, and what is in the pipeline? Under the heading “What moves Hamburg – City in Transition,” TU President Prof. Andreas Timm-Giel discussed on the main Summit Stage of the HHIS with representatives from Hamburg Invest business promotion and the Chamber of Commerce which developments are necessary in Hamburg and why new, innovative districts like Tech City are needed. “The mobility of the future and the smart city do not arise from good ideas alone, but from technologies that are tested and further developed in the urban space. TU Hamburg can play an important here: we develop solutions for connected mobility, sustainable infrastructures, and intelligent urban systems, support real-world laboratories scientifically, and involve students through projects and theses. This way, we help make innovations from research tangibly experienceable in Hamburg,” said Timm-Giel.
The cluster of excellence BlueMat: Water-Driven Materials at TU Hamburg exemplifies how researching new materials forms a key element for innovations in almost all industries. Cluster spokesperson and TU professor Patrick Huber illuminated in a dedicated panel how advanced materials are created, from research through development to application.
Platform for Exchange, Networking, and Dialogue
The Hamburg Innovation Summit is Hamburg’s largest innovation event and offers Tech City Hamburg the ideal stage for its public appearance. With five stages and an exhibition area of over 1,800 m², the HHIS at Oberhafenquartier brings together actors from business, science, politics, and civil society – this year focusing on the topics climate neutrality, resilience, mobility, health, and circular economy.
The HHIS serves Tech City Hamburg as a central platform for exchange, networking, and strategic dialogue. During the event, panels, pitch sessions, and curated matchmaking are offered. These formats create space for concrete cooperation talks between companies, research institutions, and investors – and enable the active further development of the Tech City Hamburg network.
About Tech City Hamburg
Tech City Hamburg is a joint initiative of partners from the south of Hamburg to develop a high-performance innovation district in Harburg. As one of the four Hamburg innovation parks – anchored in the coalition agreement of the Hamburg Senate – Tech City Hamburg bundles the strengths of science, business, and urban society. In close cooperation, Tutech Innovation, Hamburg University of Technology, Süderelbe AG, Wirtschaftsverein für den Hamburger Süden, Harburg Marketing e. V., Tempowerk, and ContiTech contribute to developing Harburg as a sustainable location for green technologies and industry-close research. Coordination is carried out by a consortium of local actors in close collaboration with the Hamburg Invest development corporation (HIE).
Contact: moin[at]techcity.hamburg
www.techcity.hamburg
About TUTECH INNOVATION GMBH
TUTECH is a 100 percent subsidiary of the Hamburg University of Technology and has stood for successful knowledge and technology transfer in the Hamburg metropolitan region for more than three decades. The company operates at the interface between universities, research institutions, companies, and the public sector with the goal of profitably networking entrepreneurial and scientific potential and sustainably creating value for science, politics, business, and society. TUTECH is headquartered in the Binnenhafen Harburg, one of the most innovative, dynamic, and fast-growing high-tech locations in Germany.
