MFG European Reporter -

Following the example set by Heidelberg Innovation Forum, the National Research Council Canada (NRC-IIT) organises the matchmaking event for the third time. This year they are working together with New Brunswick Information Technology Council (NBITC) and the Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN).
The overarching theme of New Brunswick Innovation Forum 2010, taking place on 5th and 6th October 2010 in Saint John/Canada,  is the Digital Economy. A selection committee will review the submissions and choose eight panelists in each of the following streams:
• Looking for technology transfer opportunities
• Offering collaboration opportunities
• Looking for funding
• International opportunities – this category is reserved for International researchers and companies that are offering business opportunities to Canadian companies.

MFG Baden-Württemberg is a partner of NRC-IIT and therefore happy to support you in taking part in New Brunswick Innovation Forum. If you’re interested in presenting your business idea and/or R&D results in front of Canadian investors, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Call for Proposal is open until 25th June 2010.

Attended by some 100 researchers, businesses and investors, the 9th Heidelberg Innovation Forum concluded with an awards ceremony for the most compelling business ideas. Winner of the best business idea award from the Baden-Württemberg: Connected –bwcon – initiative was H2Hybrid, which was submitted by Dominik Lembke and his team from the Bavarian Elite Academy.

The bwcon award for best international business idea went to Dr. Dileep Agnihotri for his energy storage solution based on double-layer capacitors with a high energy density, which are less bulky and costly than current versions.

To support the winners in their efforts to bring their products to market, their prize is personal business coaching as part of bwcon’s “Coach & Connect+” programme. The aim of this programme is to provide targeted, industry-specific advice and assistance to new and expanding high-tech companies and founders throughout the various start-up phases – from establishing the company to expansion.

Read more (pdf)

COO of Beyond A Strategy Mona Pearl gave the keynote at Heidelberg Innovation Forum 2010 live from Chicago. Actually she were supposed to travel to Heidelberg, but because of Iceland’s volcano caused the huge cloud of ash her flight was not possible. We streamed her speech live from Chicago. Thanks again, Mona, for getting-up that early to give your inspiring keynote!

In advance we had the chance to interview Mona Pearl on the phone. In this interview she gave some background info on her biography, her view on success and the three steps which are important to become a successful entrepreneur.

Read the full interview with Mona Pearl (pdf)

Heidelberg Innovation Forum takes place on 22nd of April 2010. In two parallel panels 26 business ideas will be presented. Topics range from Green IT and ICT innovations, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energies and Sustainable Mobility.

Within 8 minutes each panellist will present his/her idea to investors and decision makers. In the breaks it is time to “Meet the Panellists” and engage in transfer business. Top industry representatives and researchers are expected to attend.

Register now and receive a 20% discount for two or more registrations by the same company or institution!

Heidelberg Innovation Forum is organised by MFG Baden-Württemberg mbH in collaboration with the European Media Laboratory, established by SAP co-founder Dr. h.c. Klaus Tschira.

One week after the Heidelberg Innovation Forum, our partners from New Brunswick, Canada hosted their innovation forum. We’ve been invited to have a look what the “little sister event” looks like.

Based on the concept of Heidelberg Innovation Forum the National Research Council Canada (NRC) established their New Brunswick Innovation Forum for the first time in October 2008. For the second year we tried to link both forums more closely. We did that in two ways: On the one hand we exchanged panellists, on the other we streamed both events live to each others’ location.
Sean Adams, Chief Marketing Officer at Red Ball Internet explained their iBurst technology at Heidelberg Innovation Forum. The mobile wireless broadband system was developed to process data and maintains efficiency by using dedicated radio frequencies and advanced algorithms to securely transmit data to and from iBurst-powered devices.
One week later Nicolas Palme (Project Thermakey),  Ralf Heimberg (CEO at ICIDO) and Dr. Carsten Günther (CTO at Heidelberg mobil International, HDM-I) joined the New Brunswick Innovation Forum in Saint John. They held Industry Session 2 “International Matchmaking – Real Companies Offering Real Opportunities” presenting their technologies and business concepts.

It’s been an inspiring time both in Heidelberg and in New Brunswick. To get a glimpse of the New Brunswick Innovation Forum see the videos. To get more information about the German original visit the website of Heidelberg Innovation Forum.