23 June 2017 Industry News

New INNOspace Weekend for would-be entrepreneurs

A new type of startup event format called INNOspace Weekend for aspiring entrepreneurs who are interested in space and mobility, is taking place from 15 to 17 September 2017 at Solution Space in the heart of Cologne.

This event format aims to connect non-space industries with the space sector to create new business models at the interface of these industries. Students, young professionals and people interested in outer space and mobility are cordially invited to come to the Solution Space in Cologne city centre to devise viable and innovative business ideas in interdisciplinary and international teams. In particular, people with no space background are welcome to come and network directly and on location with participants and mentors from the worldwide space and mobility community.

At the end of the event, an expert jury will decide which start-up ideas, products and business models have the most promising prospects. These experienced experts, managers and consultants from the sectors of space, automotive and logistics shall then award prizes for the best draft proposals. "The INNOspace Weekend brings together pioneering spirit and technical expertise with the aim of providing up and coming companies with all the tools they need to generate new start-up ideas and to develop these further after the weekend is over", states Dr. Franziska Zeitler, head of the "Innovation & New Markets" department at DLR Space Administration.

In a series of lectures by pioneers in the field, participants learn of the opportunities and challenges facing start-ups in the space and mobility sectors. The aim is to communicate core competences as well as contacts for the development of innovative business models, or to devise concepts for personal start-ups. “With logistics and automotive, we are focusing on two of the most significant cluster sectors for the Cologne region”, continues Zeitler. “Here, with reference to space, there is a great array of exciting avenues of enquiry for new business ideas that can arise through the interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge and technology”.

Time and again, the space sector has brought out trailblazing innovations that have a genuine impact on our everyday lives. To achieve this, the weekend provides participants with a systematic focus on innovation, to identify problems associated with all three industries and to transform these insights into sustainable business ideas.

For more information and details of the event, please visit the INNOspace website.

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