TU9-DAAD Innovation Week

Think. Create. Innovate.

Germany offers ideal conditions for turning a start-up idea into a business. The TU9-DAAD Innovation Week enables talented young researchers from around the world to develop their ideas and learn how to launch a successful business in Germany.

Since 2019, the Innovation Week takes place once a year around the time of the international "Falling Walls" science conference in Berlin in November. The goal of this week-long workshop is to provide a first-hand experience of the supporting conditions for start-ups in Germany. Winners of the international Falling Walls Labs with an idea for a scientific-based start-up can apply to participate in the Innovation Week. Each year it is hosted by three TU9 Universities.

The Innovation Week is a project of the TU9 Alliance and the DAAD. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the "Research in Germany" initiative.

Past TU9-DAAD Innovation Weeks

During Innovation Weeks, participants not only received an overview of the startup scene in Germany, but also exclusive insights into business incubators and innovation hubs at TU9 Universities. Here, they were able to learn about the full range of support services for startups that Technical Universities have to offer. They were able to further develop their business ideas with the support of coaches, mentors and business angels.

IW 2022
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Innovation Week 2022

RWTH Aachen University, Technische Universität Berlin and Technical University of Munich

The Innovation Week 2022 was hosted by the TU9 Universities RWTH Aachen University, Technische Universität Berlin and Technical University of Munich from November 10 to 16, 2022. The winners of the Falling Walls Labs worldwide could apply.

Innovation Week
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Innovation Week 2021

Technical University of Darmstadt, Technische Universität Dresden & Leibniz University Hannover

The Innovation Week 2021 was be hosted by TU9 Universities Technical University of Darmstadt, Technische Universität Dresden and Leibniz University Hannover. It took place from November 15th to 19th, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Innovation Week with participants from all over the world had to take place virtually.

Innovation Week
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Innovation Week 2020

RWTH Aachen University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology & University of Stuttgart

The Innovation Week 2020, which took place from November 1st to 6th, was jointly hosted by the three TU9 Universities RWTH Aachen University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and University of Stuttgart. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all activities took place virtual.

The interactive program offered participants from North and South America, Asia and Europe a diverse schedule with information, opportunity for exchange and networking as well as pitch and voice training. Last day’s pitch contest, where participants had the chance to show the progress they had made, was the exciting and creative final to a highly eventful week.

B_5-Gruppenfoto-DAAD-Gabrijela Nikolic

Innovation Week 2019

Technische Universität Berlin, Technische Universität Braunschweig & Technische Universität München

From 11th to 15th November, 15 young researchers from around the world had the chance to promote their start-up idea at a TU9 University in Germany. During the Innovation Week 2019 at Technische Universität Berlin, Braunschweig Institute of Technology and Technical Universi-ty of Munich, participants practically developed their ideas by using the extensive infrastruc-ture of the incubators – in fully equipped workrooms (so-called incubators), prototype work-shops (so-called maker spaces) or special laboratories. 

After the kick-off and welcome event in Berlin, participants spread out among the three TU9 Universities. In different teams, they worked on the business model of their start-up idea and were able to network and exchange ideas with like-minded people. 

At the end of the eventful Innovation Week, all participants presented their progress once again at the final event in Berlin. The three best presentations at the final "Pitch Contest" were awarded prizes by a jury.

Further information: Welcome to the German start-up scene