iL-CURRENT
Latest news 2025/2024
December 19, 2025
iL Cluster Manager Reza Taale:
"Those who come will get ahead."
The next iL event, "GENESIS 26 – The LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY" on March 12, 2026, will be all about exchanging ideas, interaction, and collaboration. "We don't see the day as a one-off event," says Dr. Reza Taale, Cluster Manager at InnovationLab, in an expert interview, "but as the start of a partnership journey." And: "Those who come will make progress."
December 9, 2025
GENESIS 26: Modeling the next generation
How can disease processes be simulated more realistically and active substances tested more quickly, safely, and reproducibly? This question will be the focus of the next major iL event, "GENESIS 26 – The LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY," which will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2026, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the FRAUENBAD lokated in the old Hallenbad of Heidelberg.
October 23, 2025
Reactions to the CTID & STID:
"The future was made here!"
With lots of power and energy: Looking back on the CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY 2025, the InnovationLab organization team can see that the mix of topics was just right for the more than 70 guests at the Heidelberg Congress Center. In a survey, speakers and participants provided us with various reactions and reference scores, which iL is happy to publish.
October 21, 2025
Industry and politics as a lever for
groundbreaking innovations
The CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY had the character of a specialist conference and a network meeting. Over 70 participants at the Heidelberg Congress Center greatly appreciated the wide range of topics and the open exchange in the clean tech sector. We have summarized the main contents of the event in a blog post.
October 8, 2025
Henning Richter: "Contacts are extremely
extremely stimulating and helpful"
One of our speakers on October 15 (9:30 am to 5:30 pm) at the Heidelberg Congress Center is Henning Richter, Vice President of Research and Development at Nano-C. On this day, the national and international clean tech and solar community will meet for the CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY 2025 in Heidelberg.
October 1, 2025
Michael Kröger: "Creating knowledge - creating value"
On October 15 (9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), everything at the Heidelberg Congress Center will revolve around the future of clean tech and solar: the Clean Tech Innovation Day & Solar TAP Industry Day 2025 will bring together research, industry and start-ups. Dr. Michael Kröger, Managing Director of InnovationLab and one of the founders of FLEXOO, will play a central role at this event.
September 29, 2025
SolarTAP: Introducing our co-partner
Autumn 2025 promises to be exciting On October 15, 2025, the CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY 2025 (CTID & STID) will take place at the Heidelberg Congress Center. As a co-partner, SolarTAP would like to take the opportunity to contribute to the networking of research, industry and start-ups.
September 23, 2025
Message of greeting from Mayor Würzner
for the event on October 15
"Heidelberg is the ideal location to talk about the latest innovations in the field of sustainable energy at CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY," says Heidelberg's Lord Mayor Dr. Eckart Würzner in a message to InnovationLab ahead of the event on 15 October, which will bring the clean tech industry together at the HCC for the second time since 2024.
September 17, 2025
Sebastian Gatz: "Innovation
across industry boundaries"
The cleantech industry will be meeting in Heidelberg in four weeks' time: Dr. Sebastian Gatz, Vice President for Renewable Energies and Strategic Partnerships at the Dresden-based family business VON ARDENNE, will be there as a speaker on October 15. In the iL expert interview, Gatz talks about current trends and what contribution VON ARDENNE would like to make in the future.
September 11, 2025
iL company outing: rain, slowness and harmony
Company outings and Christmas parties are traditionally an integral part of the InnovationLab team's annual calendar: this time, the trip on the "White Fleet" took us from the Heidelberg Stadthalle up the Neckar to Neckarsteinach. The trip on the excursion boat "MS Alt Heidelberg" was relaxed, comfortable, communicative and harmonious.
September 10, 2025
Jens A. Hauch from Solar TAP:
"Industry network established"
Dr. Jens A. Hauch, physicist and head of the High Throughput Processes in Photovoltaics research unit at the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg (FZ Jülich), is a Solar TAP Manager who is driving a new era in photovoltaics. At the CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY on October 15 in Heidelberg, Hauch is looking for new innovative and competent partners.
September 3, 2025
Keynote speaker Gunter Erfurt: "Technology alone is not enough"
Dr. Gunter Erfurt believes that Europe must take the energy transition into its own hands. In the iL expert interview that opens our "Five questions for ..." series, Erfurt talks about hydrogen and solar technology, which will be the focus of the CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY & SOLAR TAP INDUSTRY DAY at the Heidelberg Congress Center (HCC) on October 15.
July 25, 2025
Initiator bioRN: Shaping the future of laboratory innovation
The smartLabs Summit 2025 will open its doors for the first time on September 24 at BioLabs Heidelberg - in the heart of the local life science ecosystem. This brand-new trade fair is being initiated by the bioRN Life Science Cluster Rhine-Neckar in close cooperation with BioLabs Heidelberg, located in the Heidelberg Innovation Park (hip) not far from iL.
July 22, 2025
CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY as a joint event with Solar TAP
CLEAN TECH INNOVATION DAY 2025 is entering its second round - this year as a joint event with the Solar TAP Industry Day. On October 15, 2025, InnovationLab GmbH and Solar TAP are hosting a full-day symposium at the Heidelberg Congress Center (HCC). The event will once again bring together over 100 participants from science, industry and start-ups.
May 13, 2025
iL-Workshop: "Pioneer for
successful technology transfer"
We look back fondly on the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY: The event in the InnovationLab was attended by a total of 60 participants from Germany and abroad, who engaged in intensive discussions on the topic of "Further development of personalized medicine: A spotlight on organ-on-chip". In a review, we let various speakers and participants have their say.
May 5, 2025
The "bioRN HR Breakfast"
will be a guest at iL on May 15
The bioRN life science cluster promotes networking throughout the year with various event formats. On Thursday, May 15 (9 to 11 a.m.), bioRN will be a guest at the InnovationLab. The "bioRN HR Breakfast" will take place in the "iL.Connect.Space", this time focusing on the topic of human resources (HR).
April 15, 2025
Elena Kromidas from the 3R Center:
"Observing a strong dynamic"
Dr. Elena Kromidas has taken over the management of the 3R Center Tübingen's office for in-vitro models and animal testing alternatives on 15 August 2024. Kromidas has expertise in the field of microphysiological systems (MPS) and international research experience. She will be the keynote speaker at the iL workshop on April 29. We spoke to her in advance.
April 14, 2025
iL: Voices and moods from the German Biotech Days 2025
The venue for the German Biotech Days 2025 sent out a clear message: Heidelberg and the metropolitan region are a hotspot for the biotechnology scene in Germany. Mayor Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner and Dr. Julia Schaft, Managing Director of bioRN, as well as many others spoke about the status quo of biotechnology in Germany, global influences and urgent measures for the future.
April 8, 2025
Roman Zantl from ibidi: "Cocktail of exciting ingredients"
In 2001, Dr. Roman Zantl and his partner Dr. Valentin Kahl founded a company in the basement of the University of Munich while he was still working on his doctorate. At the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY on April 29 in Heidelberg, Roman Zantl will shed light on the role of microfluidics in organ-on-chip applications in his presentation. Here is the interview with the CEO of ibidi GmbH.
April 2, 2025
Marion Lohnert: "Providing the best possible support for change"
Marion Lohnert makes sure that the working environment and working atmosphere at InnovationLab and FLEXOO GmbH are just right. Human Resources is her hobbyhorse - Marion is passionate about the process of recruiting and onboarding new employees. In her private life, she is "on the yoga path" and loves being out in nature.
April 1, 2025
Benjamin Richter: "Cell environments
even more precisely"
Nanoscribe is the market leader in the field of high-precision additive manufacturing. In his presentation "3D Bioprinting for Organ-on-Chip" at the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY on April 29, Application Manager Dr. Benjamin Richter will demonstrate how precisely 3D microstructures can be integrated directly into microfluidic chips to create realistic conditions for cells.
March 25, 2025
Rainer Wessel from the DKFZ: "Promoting early drug research"
Innovation Management (IM) at the DKFZ has the strategic goal of translating excellent research into sustainable applications to help patients and benefit society. Dr. Rainer Wessel is the experienced Chief Innovation Manager at the DKFZ. In the run-up to the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY, we from iL conducted an interview with him.
March 18. 2025
Communications professional Jogi Klaehn: "Nostalgia and innovation"
Joachim "Jogi" Klaehn: A passionate team player who loves and lives language - whether at work, in sport or in his private life. With five decades of experience in journalism and a great enthusiasm for cultures and travel, Jogi Klaehn brings people and ideas together as Head of Communications at InnovationLab.
March 12, 2025
Quantum X bio: Regular exchange of experience
Nanoscribe's Quantum X bio has been undergoing testing in the iL cleanroom for six months. The "Kickoff User Meeting" has now taken place with Dr. Simon Binder and Dr. Reza Taale. There is a Quantum X user group on our iL platform that meets every three months to continuously improve the operation of the 3D printer.
March 11, 2025
Friedemann Loos: "More accurate and faster results"
Dr. Friedemann Loos from the bioRN Life Science Cluster will moderate the panel discussion at the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY on April 29. The molecular biologist sees great potential in organ-on-chip technology for drug development and personalized medicine, as he emphasizes in the expert interview.
February 28, 2025
FLEXOO and Tekscan drive sensor technology forward
The strategic partnership between FLEXOO and Tekscan is signed and sealed: Tekscan CEO John Jutila and iL and FLEXOO Managing Director Dr. Michael Kröger shake hands. The alliance was announced at LOPEC 2025. And we start our format of interesting partner news with this.
February 26, 2025
Working student Nick Kraft: "Working agile motivates me"
Nick Kraft came, saw - and decided to do an internship and has been a working student since January 1, 2025. The 23-year-old is hard-working, reliable and fast. Nick is still studying at SRH University Heidelberg - his Master's degree in Strategic Communication & Leadership is within reach. He regularly shows off his creativity at iL and FLEXOO
February 25, 2025
LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY: Human organs on a chip
Organ-on-chip (OoC) technology simulates human organs on a microscopic level - and is revolutionizing drug testing, reducing costs and animal testing and ultimately saving human lives. We are expecting experts from science, industry and institutions at the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY on April 29.
February 12, 2025
Reza Taale: Fascinated by people and innovative technologies
Dr. Reza Taale has integrated quickly and easily into the iL team as the new Cluster Manager in charge. This is hardly surprising, as the 40-year-old is a real people person and team player who already has some experience in a university context.
February 11, 2025
Green Industry Cluster grows
inwards and outwards
The Green Industry Cluster, which was founded in early 2024 and includes InnovationLab as a founding member, is rapidly developing into a powerful network in the metropolitan region's green tech sector. This became clear at a double event at the Mafinex Technology Center Mannheim.
January 29, 2025
Juliane Arenstorff: Master of fixed, practicable solutions
She is always a reliable and approachable contact person for the entire iL team, partly also for the FLEXOO staff and above all for partners, customers and users: Juliane Arenstorff impresses with her overview, clear-sightedness and pleasant and consistently pragmatic approach in the office.
January 15, 2025
Matthias Konop: "I want our users to feel that they are in good hands"
Matthias Konop has been with iL since February 1, 2024 and, as operations manager and engineer, is responsible for the smooth running of our cleanrooms and laboratories. He particularly appreciates the family-like corporate culture at InnovationLab. The 37-year-old has already gained several professional experiences.
December 17, 2024
Tanja Benedict: Give me a problem, I'll find a solution
She tried out a few things. Then Dr. Tanja Benedict found her calling at iL as a corporate lawyer and authorized signatory. The 56-year-old native of Heidelberg is an integrative figure, family person and linguistic genius all rolled into one. Tanja has been an integral part of the passionate team for 14 years now.
December 4, 2024
Jonas Schröter: "Balance between
Teamwork and precision"
Jonas Schröter, responsible for Administration & Finance, has been at InnovationLab for just under two years. The 28-year-old impresses with his composure and reliability - virtues you need as a trained businessman and "master" of numbers. Jonas became fistball world champion for the second time in 2023.
November 27, 2024
Michaela Sauer: "The human
Consider factor"
Michaela Sauer is the longest-serving employee at the InnovationLab. The 45-year-old has been working at Speyerer Straße since 2009. Michaela is our Head of Internal Operations & Human Resources. She knows iL inside out. That's why it makes sense to launch the new "This is our team" campaign with her.
November 18, 2024
Innovative spirit and reality check at the H2 Forum
The premiere of the Clean Tech Innovation Day showed that the topic of (green) hydrogen is complex. Almost 60 industry experts from Germany and abroad discussed aspects and applications of H2 technology, in particular the opportunities and challenges of electrolysis, at the Heidelberg Congress Center.
November 7, 2024
Michael Kröger: "Advancing technology for the industry"
Only a few days to go - then the premiere of the Clean Tech Innovation Day will take place on November 11 at the Heidelberg Congress Center. In this interview, our Managing Director Dr. Michael Kröger describes the intentions of InnovationLab as a technology transfer platform and "host" of the event.
November 5, 2024
Emilio Manrique from the Holst Center: "Working with the best"
Emilio Manrique is Business Development Manager at the TNO Holst Centre in Eindhoven and is dedicated to the interface between technology, politics and industry in order to transfer innovations from the laboratory to society. Before the Clean Tech Innovation Day (11.11.), we from iL spoke to the high-tech manager for electrolyzers and batteries.
October 31, 2024
Doris Wittneben: "Attractiveness
of the location"
Dr. Doris Wittneben is Head of Future Fields and Innovation at Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH. At the Clean Tech Innovation Day (11.11.), she will be moderating the panel dedicated to the topic of "viable demo systems and use cases". Doris Wittneben gave iL an interview about H2 projects in the region in the run-up to the event.
October 29, 2024
Dortmans on the joy of innovation:
"You learn the most from mistakes"
Noord-Brabant is a high-tech region that focuses on pioneering solutions, collaboration, knowledge transfer and innovation. Ahead of the Clean Tech Innovation Day (11.11.), iL spoke to Carl Dortmans, International Affairs Officer. Dortmans will be on site in Heidelberg as a participant, networker and multiplier.
October 16, 2024
Pit Podleschny: "Innovative solutions for green hydrogen"
At the Clean Tech Innovation Day on November 11 at the HCC, Dr. Pit Podleschny will be one of the speakers in the session on "Start-ups as accelerators for innovation in the clean tech sector". Before the highlight, InnovationLab conducted an in-depth interview with the expert for electrolysers and fuel cells.
October 7, 2024
Uwe Kerkmann: „Ein dynamisches
Ecosystem created"
Uwe Kerkmann is Managing Director of H2UB from Essen. At the Clean Tech Innovation Day on November 11, he will moderate the session on "Start-ups as accelerators for innovation in the clean tech sector". In the run-up to the event, we at iL conducted the following interview with our co-partner H2UB.
September 30, 2024
"Clean Tech Innovation Day":
Hydrogen in industrial use
It is an eagerly awaited premiere for iL: the "Clean Tech Innovation Day" will take place on November 11. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Level 2 in the neighboring Heidelberg Congress Center will be the venue for the all-day hydrogen symposium. Up to 100 people (speakers and participants) can attend.
June 20, 2024
Contact person for partners from science and industry
Dr. Reza Taale has been the new Cluster Manager at InnovationLab since the beginning of June. As part of the technology transfer offer, he acts as a contact person for university and industrial partners, particularly in the field of life science technologies and clean tech.
June 18, 2024
"Week of Hydrogen":
Gigafabrik can come
As part of the nationwide "Hydrogen Week" campaign, InnovationLab took part as one of the many partners of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. Interested parties were informed about the major project of the planned electrolysis pilot plant in Heidelberg.
June 11, 2024
iL is a motivated partner in the "Week of Hydrogen"
"Say Hi to Hy" is the official motto that will accompany the nationwide "Hydrogen Week" from June 15 to 23. As one of the organizers, our InnovationLab will also be taking part, welcoming technology-savvy guests to Heidelberg on Monday, 17 June.
May 17, 2024
Michael Kröger presents
iL at the BioRN Lounge
At the latest lounge of the BioRN life science cluster at Urban Kitchen Heidelberg, Managing Director Dr. Michael Kröger presented the InnovationLab as one of the newest members of the network, which comprises more than 150 companies in total.
April 29, 2024
Global Shapers are
very impressed with the iL
Ten young Global Shapers filled the iL meeting room. The two-hour stay of the group, which is part of the World Economic Forum with independently organized hubs, was peppered with presentations and insights into the work and premises of the InnovationLab.
April 24, 2024
Cluster of Excellence uses
soon new iL laboratory rooms
The newly renovated laboratory space on the premises of InnovationLab GmbH not only offers users from the business units, but also the Cluster of Excellence "3D Matter Made To Order", or 3DMM2O for short, space and room for its work.
February 12, 2024
iL is part of the regional
Green Industry Clusters
The Green Industry Cluster association (photo: Dietrich Bechtel) was founded in HUB 2 of the MAFINEX Technology Center in Mannheim. One of the pioneers of the new regional cluster is our InnovationLab GmbH, which is looking forward to the targeted cooperation with its partners.
February 8, 2024
Dr. Marian Weiss: "Making new connections"
Dr. Marian Weiss has been Head of Microfluidics at VERAXA Biotech GmbH since 2020. With over ten years of experience in microfluidics, Weiss brings a wide range of expertise to the table. We interviewed him before our workshop on February 15.
Review 2023/2022
May 9, 2023
Cooperation agreement
with the TNO-Holst Center
The collaboration is perfect: InnovationLab GmbH and the TNO-Holst Center have signed a cooperation agreement in Eindhoven. Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Economic Affairs Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut and iL Managing Director Dr. Michael Kröger take part in an exciting delegation trip to the neighboring country.
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