HIGHTECH MEETS THE GOOD LIFE - WELCOME TO THE KARLSRUHE TECHNOLOGYREGION - KARLSRUHE TECHNOLOGIEREGION
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Karlsruhe
TechnologieRegion
HighTech meets the Good Life
HighTech meets
the Good Life
Welcome to the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
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Editorial | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
Innovation from tradition:
that is our strength.
Our region is unique. We have the highest number of sunny days in the country, a varied
landscape and international culture, plus a virtually unparalleled climate of innovation
and a constantly expanding business sector.
HighTech meets the Good Life: this is the essence of the Karlsruhe
TechnologyRegion brand.
What started out as an action group in the here a hundred years later. Whilst discussions
‘competition between the regions’ has – almost on possible differences between the ‘Bonn Re-
20 years later – become ‘Germany’s ideas public’ and the ‘Berlin Republic’ went on for
factory’. The name says it all: the Karlsruhe some time after German reunification, com-
TechnologyRegion. mentators at the 50th anniversary of the Federal
Ten towns and cities, four administrative Constitutional Court agreed that its importance
districts and a regional association form this for the constitutional development of the coun-
business and cooperation area on the Upper try alone would justify the title of the ‘Karlsruhe
Rhine, located at the heart of what the experts Republic’.
call the ‘blue banana’: Europe’s economic spine
and the area with the most dynamic company Thus we have always had a sharp eye for inno-
locations in Europe. vation in our region. State-of-the-art technology
and a modern economy, research, transport,
The course was set for economic prosperity in communication and education networks – all of
Heinz Fenrich our region as early as in the 19th century. In this condenses down into a superlocation that
Mayor of Karlsruhe 1818 one of the first free constitutions of a Ger- regularly puts the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
and Chairman of the man Land was adopted in the first German par- right at the top of the league tables.
Executive Board of liament in the Archduchy of Baden. The Baden
TechnologyRegion revolution of 1848/49 marked a high point in the Research facilities, technology transfer, busi-
Association
German liberation and constitution movement, ness development, infrastructure – we get things
and Baden-Württemberg was the first region to done. Industriousness and joi-de-vivre – our ci-
introduce freedom of trade in Germany. It was tizens have both. high tech and the Good Life –
not without good reason that Karlsruhe became the reason why we, geographically the smallest
the new seat of law when the highest courts in region in Baden-Wurttemberg, have been
Germany – the Federal Constitutional Court and achieving growth rates that are way above the
the Federal Court of Justice – took up residence average for years.
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Contents
|06 Infrastructure
ICE, airport, motorways, inland waterways, local public transport – the
infrastructure of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion leaves nothing to be desired.
|12 University
Excellent education and research facilities make the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
an ideas factory rooted in practice.
|18 Innovative spirit
From the invention of the bicycle to degree courses at our universities;
from start-up grants for new businesses to cooperation in regional networks.
|20 Research
Nanotechnology, microtechnology, robotics and much more besides –
the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion offers the ideal research climate.
|24 KIT
Karlsruhe University and the Karlsruhe Research Centre – two strong partners
together formed the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
|26 Business
1&1, A Class, B Class, Bosch, dm, EnBW, L’Oréal, Siemens, UHU – products
from the Karlsruhe Technology Region can be found all over the world.
|34 Law
Welcome to the ‘Karlsruhe Republic’. Seat of the Federal Constitutional Court,
the Federal Court of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General.
|40 Media/Culture
Our region as a media location: home to organisations like Germany’s second
biggest public broadcaster and the Centre for Art and Media Technology.
|48 Leisure/Tourism
Between the Black Forest and the Rhine. Luxury hotels, famous Baden-Württemberg
hospitality and starred restaurants. You can really enjoy life here.
|58 Contact
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Location | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
You want success.
We make it happen.
Welcome to the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion! Located at the heart of Europe,
our region is one of the top locations in Europe when it comes to technology, business and
culture. Nestling in a wonderful natural landscape between the Black Forest, the Rhine, the
Palatinate and Alsace, it is the sunniest region in Germany and an ideal environment in
which to live and work, with excellent traffic links, a good infrastructure and great shopping.
World-famous companies are based here and benefit from the internationally important
education and research landscape. In the competition between the major business locations
in Germany, Europe and the USA, the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion consistently comes out
among the front runners.
Established with the aim of optimising cooperation The economic output of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
between business, science, culture and the public has outstripped the national average for many years.
sector, the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion Action Group And the gross domestic product has also been increa-
is made up of ten towns and cities, four administrative sing at an above-average rate in recent years. This lea-
districts and a regional association: Baden-Baden, Bret- ding position has been consolidated even further since
ten, Bruchsal, Bühl, Ettlingen, Gaggenau, Karlsruhe, then. In 2008 we exported goods with a total value of
Rastatt, Rheinstetten, Stutensee, the administrative €18.8 billion. Our average annual regional export quota
districts of Germersheim, Karlsruhe, Rastatt and Süd- has been 43.5%. And 172 in every 1000 of the working
liche Weinstrasse, and the Regional Planning Associa- population work in technology-intensive industries –
tion Middle Upper Rhine. more than in virtually any other region in Europe.
Baden Württemberg’s bigger cities and the two admi- There are 3.5 million square metres of industrial and
nistrative districts established the Karlsruhe Techno- commercial space available for investors to start buil-
logyRegion Company to enable them to address the ding on immediately. Our towns and cities offer well-
challenges of the future together as long ago as 1987. developed business locations, ranging from converted
During the years that followed, other organisations space like the Cité in Baden-Baden, the Baden-Airpark
affiliated themselves with the successful model – most in Rheinmünster and specialised industrial locations
recently the administrative district of Südliche Wein- like Wörth am Rhein, to the Karlsruhe Technology Park
strasse in 2009. Business, science, culture and the public and the Technology and Ecology Village (TED) in Bruch-
sector together form a strategic unit that combines all sal. The SIS location information system (www.sisfit.de)
the resources for shared success in the competition bet- and the Gewerbeflächenatlas (Commercial Space Atlas)
ween the regions. published by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce
(IHK) provide full details what is available.
» Regional strengths – international competitiveness. In
an area of 3,240 square kilometres, the Karlsruhe
TechnologyRegion has a total of 1,239,233 inhabitants
(382 people per square kilometre).
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The Karlsruhe
TechnologyRegion
Südliche Weinstrasse k arlsruhe
Administrative District germersheim Administrative District
Administrative
Rheinland-Pfalz District
BRUCHSAL
STUTENSEE
KARLSRUHE BRETTEN
RHEINSTETTEN
ETTLINGEN
RASTATT
GAGGENAU KARLSRUHE
Elsass TECHNOLOGYREGION
BADEN-BADEN
BÜHL
rastatt
ine Administrative
Rh
District
At the heart of Europe!
It doesn’t get more central than this:
the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion is at
Baden- the heart of Europe.
Württemberg
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The managing partners of the
Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion:
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|13 |1 Baden-Baden www.baden-baden.de |2 Bretten
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|11 www.bretten.de |3 Bruchsal www.bruchsal.de |4 Bühl
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|9 www.buehl.de |5 Ettlingen www.ettlingen.de |6 Gaggenau
www.gaggenau.de |7 Karlsruhe www.karlsruhe.de |8 Regional-
verband Mittlerer Oberrhein www.region-karlsruhe.de
|9 Germersheim Administrative District www.kreis-germersheim.de
|10 Karlsruhe Administrative District www.landkreis-karlsruhe.de
|11 Rastatt Administrative District www.landkreis-rastatt.de
|12 Südliche Weinstrasse Administrative District
www.suedlicheweinstrasse.de |13 Rastatt www.rastatt.de
|14 Rheinstetten www.rheinstetten.de |15 Stutensee
www.stutensee.de |5
Anyone as friendly
as we are...
More than 82.7 % of people in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion believe that
‘our region is a wonderful place to live’. In the national league table, locals
rank their region as the best in the country in terms of quality of life. And with
such an excellent quality of life, people like to get together.
Source: Perspektive Deutschland, Stern, 04/05/2005
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Infrastructure | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
... also has the best
connections worldwide.
Karlsruhe’s Rhine Ports are among the top ten biggest inland ports in
Germany. Goods from all over the world – mineral oil, building materials,
coal and lignite, to mention but a few – are unloaded here.
More than 5,000 ships dock at the Rhine Ports every year, and more than
6 million tonnes of goods are handled there. In terms of container handling
alone, the Rhine Ports in Wörth and Germersheim are the second and third
biggest in Germany (177,000 and 226,000 TEU respectively).
3 hours
2 hours
1 hours
8 million
18 million
40 million people
People and markets.
The immediate catchment area of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
is home to eight million people. But up to 40 million people are
within reach in as little as three hours.
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Infrastructure | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
The perfect place
for location advantages
Our region’s Rhine Ports and their container terminals rank among
Germany’s biggest inland ports. Its central position in Europe makes the Karlsruhe
TechnologyRegion particularly competitive. The area also boasts an outstanding transport
infrastructure, with connections to all the main ICE InterCity Express routes, the TGV
network, and of course Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport and the excellent local public
transport network.
Our excellent » People, markets, major cities – all within easy reach. The Hamburg, Malaga, Rome and Ankara. From holiday flights to
infrastructure Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion offers any number of location commercial charters, from sun-seekers to business trippers,
and our central
position in advantages. Manufacturers and service providers benefit from everyone gets the very best service at the Baden Airpark.
Europe deliver our proximity to markets and major cities and the excellent
perfect connec- road, rail, river, air and data highway links. Our closeness to » Fast-track connection to Frankfurt Airport. It takes just one
tions.
France, once a brake on economic growth, is now a source of hour by ICE train to get to the international aviation hub of
additional prosperity in our region as European integration Frankfurt Airport from Karlsruhe Central Station.
progresses.
» On the right track.The Main Line for Europe initiative was
» New ideas and practical business development. With the clo- set up in 1990 by cities, regions and chambers of industry and
se cooperation between business and science, knowledge and commerce along the Paris-Budapest rail axis. Chaired by the
technology transfer has become a trademark of the Karlsruhe Mayor of Karlsruhe, this trans-European project covers 1,500
TechnologyRegion. Mission-oriented research for the business kilometres of railway between Paris, Strasbourg, Stuttgart,
sector is a cornerstone of our market-focused universities and Karlsruhe, Munich, Vienna and Budapest. Karlsruhe was
other research institutions. New ideas are particularly encou- successfully connected to the French high-speed TGV rail
raged here, by organisations like the Center for Innovation & network on 10 June 2007. A year later it was already evident
Entrepreneurship (CIE) at the KIT; CyberForum, the virtual that the service had surpassed all expectations: passenger
business start-up centre; and the business start-up and trans- numbers reached the 1 million mark even before its first anni-
fer centre at the Technologiefabrik Karlsruhe. As the interface versary. The initiative is expecting the further expansion of
between research and science and with a success rate of about the Main Line for Europe into a central East-West axis to pro-
96%, the Technologiefabriek is a shining example to the whole vide an even greater boost for business, tourism and research
of Germany. Partnership is a major priority. The IHK, the Cham- in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion: an essential requirement
ber of Crafts, the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion Action Group for the rapid economic, political and cultural integration of
and the communal business development agencies are the first Europe.
ports of call for investors and new businesses. L-Bank, the Ba-
den-Württemberg state bank, is also based in Karlsruhe. » In the French capital in just three hours. Karlsruhe has
been part of the TGV Est high-speed rail line since 2007. TGVs
» Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport offers an ever-increasing travel to Paris and back via Karlsruhe and Strasbourg four
number of flight routes: to Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, London, times a day.
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» The Karlsruhe-based Federal Waterways Engineering and » Our local public transport system (KVV) is exemplary.
Research Institute (BAW) is the central government agency It provides quick and easy access to work, training facilities,
that looks after all scientific aspects of Germany’s waterways. schools and shopping centres. Even ski lifts and cross-country
Besides its remit to provide consultancy services and expert ski runs are just a bus or tram journey away.
opinions, the BAW performs research and development in the
fields of waterways engineering, structural engineering and
design, geotechnical engineering and marine engineering. It
also acts as a service provider for Germany’s waterways and
shipping directorates.
|1 Rhine Ports: The Wörth, |3 Rheinmünster: Karlsruhe/
» Infrastructure with a direct link to the future. The Karlsruhe Germersheim and Karlsruhe Rhine Baden-Baden Airport offers direct
TechnologyRegion is connected to one of the fastest data high- Ports have continued to build on flights to destinations all over
ways in the world, it has one of the most powerful internet dial- their leading position in container Europe and internal flights at
in nodes and it is home to Germany’s first high-performance handling in recent years. Goods business-friendly times.
computer centre. and commodities from all over the |4 Federal Waterways Enginee-
world travel to and from the region ring and Research Institute
» Communication and presentation. Karlsruhe and Baden-Ba- through the Karlsruhe Rhine Ports. (BAW): A 500-strong team looks
den are international convention centres. And our towns and |2 ICE and TGV hub: The ICE inter- after Germany’s waterways.
cities also offer other events venues with state-of-the-art tech- city express takes you straight from |5 Karlsruhe motorway inter-
nology to suit every need. And because demand is constantly Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden to all change: Motorways from Stuttgart,
on the increase, so is investment. The Messe Karlsruhe, with major cities. To Zurich and Munich Basel, Frankfurt and Cologne link
an exhibition area of more than 50,000 square metres in four in the south and to Frankfurt, the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
halls, including the dm-arena for up to 14,000 people, opened Hamburg and Berlin in the north. with other conurbations.
in October 2003. With its state-of-the-art infrastructure, it is the And Paris is just three hours away |6 Local public transport: Our
perfect place for trade fairs and conventions (www.karlsruhe- by TGV. dual system network – the Karlsruhe
messe.de). The same is true of the BadnerHalle Cultural and Model – is pointing the way for other
Conference Centre in Rastatt (www.badnerhalle.de) and the regions.
Kongresshaus Baden-Baden (www.kongresshaus.de).
|11Our intense
scientific curiosity ...
More than 30,000 students attend university
in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. Here: lecturers
and students outside the Audi-Max auditorium
at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
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Higher Education | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
… has a long
tradition.
Baron von Drais invented the bicycle in Karlsruhe in 1817. At a time when
food was short and the use of a horse was a luxury, the Karlsruhe-based
inventor was looking for an alternative means of conveyance. And so the idea
of the bicycle was born. In the summer of 1817 Drais rode the 50 kilometres
from Karlsruhe to Kehl in just four hours – half the time it took the post chaise.
Drais invented the bicycle here. Hertz discovered electromagnetic
waves here. Today students here are studying the research
themes of the future.
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Higher Education | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
Studying and innovating at
world class universities
The spirit of research surfaced early on in our region.
For example, Baron Drais von Sauerbronn invented the bicycle in 1817. A Professor of
Mechanics known by all at the time as the ‘Mad Baron’, Drais also invented such practical
items as a typewriter. Innovation, the spirit of research and entrepreneurship are highly
valued in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. Our universities and research establishments
regularly feature at the top of the league tables. The Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion is an
ideas factory rooted in practice. Research and education form the basis: companies and
entrepreneurs particularly appreciate the rapid transfer of know-how and our pool of
qualified people.
» An education offer with top marks. Wherever you live in regularly feature at the top of the rankings. In 2006 Karlsruhe
the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion, your children will never University was selected as one of just three ‘elite universities’
be far from a school of your choice. We have 446 primary, in the German government’s Excellence Initiative. The €100
general secondary and special schools, along with 51 inter- million funding is being split between three funding lines:
mediate schools and 33 vocational schools. We also have 47 a graduate school, clusters of excellence and institutional
general grammar schools and specialist schools like the strategies to promote top-level research. The School of Optics
Waldorf School and other private grammar schools, as and Photonics, the DGF Centre for Functional Nanostructures,
well as the multilingual Europaschule. Our closely inter- and an institutional strategy involving the creation of the Karls-
meshed education system is another advantage of our region – ruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) jointly with the Karlsruhe
one that parents value and children benefit from. Research Centre won Karlsruhe this tremendous accolade.
» Our nanotechnology and microtechnology labs are creating » Top class qualifications for the future. With a general univer-
the world of the future. And researching the building blocks sity, the world’s biggest institute for interpreters and translators
of matter. New perspectives and new products are finding in Germersheim, the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences,
their way into the world from our region. The Karlsruhe Tech- a University of Education, a University of Music, and an Art
Innovation, the nologyRegion is a true IT stronghold, led by Germany’s ‘most Academy, many educational paths lead to their destinations in
spirit of research
attractive university for IT’ (manager magazine). Countless the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. The Baden-Wuerttemberg
and entrepreneur-
ship are highly val- foundations for technological progress are laid in our region. Cooperative State University (DHBW Karlsruhe) offers degree
ued in the Karlsruhe This scientific curiosity is something of a tradition here. Baron courses with integrated industrial placements.
TechnologyRegion.
Drais von Sauerbronn invented the bicycle here in 1817, Carl
Benz, the inventor of the motor car, was born here, and it was » Lifelong learning is another priority in our region: Our
here that Heinrich Hertz discovered electromagnetic waves – ‘fitness trainers’ are the IHK and Chamber of Crafts training
the basis for today’s information technology. centres, one of Germany’s biggest private business schools,
specialised further education establishments like the Paper-
» Innovation, the spirit of research and entrepreneurship maker’s Centre at Gernsbach, the construction industry
have always been a top priority in our region. The Karlsruhe training centre in Bühl, the Badische Sparkassenakademie
TechnologyRegion’s universities and research institutions in Rastatt and the Akademie Badischer Volksbanken und
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|1 When it comes to research our |4 Heinrich Hertz established the
universities are top of the class. discipline of radio engineering
There is a lively exchange between based on electromagnetic waves
research and industry in many and Ferdinand Redtenbacher
areas. founded the discipline of scientific
|2 Studying at the Karlsruhe mechanical engineering at the
Institute of Technology (KIT): University of Karlsruhe.
Its faculties are right at the top |5 The campus at the Fridericiana
of the league tables. breathes history – and is a popular
|3 The School of Applied Linguistics meeting place for students between
and Cultural Studies (FASK) at the lectures.
Raiffeisenbanken in Karlsruhe, the state fire-fighters’ college
Johannes Gutenberg University
in Bruchsal and other specialist education centres like the
of Mainz in Germersheim has an
State Academy for School Art, School and Amateur Theatre
excellent reputation.
in Gaggenau.
» Degree programmes with international degrees. Taught
in English, with internationally recognised qualifications:
The International Department at the Karlsruhe University of
Applied Sciences (KIT) offers English-language mechanical IT Faculties
engineering and electronic engineering courses, and Karls-
ruhe University runs a Masters course in Sensor Systems »1 Karlsruhe University (TH)
Technology. The special educational offer for students is »2 TU Darmstadt
constantly expanding throughout our region.
»3 TU Munich
» Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes are also on offer »4 TU Ilmenau
at the new private Karlshochschule International University »5 RWTH Aachen
in Karlsruhe. Courses are designed to meet the requirements »6 University of Dortmund
that international companies set for their next-generation
executives, and respond to the high demand in niche areas
»7 TU Berlin
such as exhibition, conference and event management. »8 University of Kaiserslautern
»9 University of Stuttgart
»10 University of Mannheim
The best universities for IT, according to the
WirtschaftsWoche university league table.
Source: WirtschaftsWoche 11/07
|17Innovative spirit | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
The best conditions
for new ideas
Carl Benz was born and educated in Karlsruhe, and it was here that
he hit upon the idea of designing what he coined a ‘self-powered road
vehicle’. And in 1905, long before the Volkswagen came into existence, cars built in the
Gaggenau car factory – the world’s oldest, dating back to 1895, and long-time home of the
Unimog – were being advertised as ‘Liliput-Volks-Automobil’ (Liliput People’s Car).
Daimler AG is currently developing its Gaggenau Mercedes-Benz plant into a worldwide
centre of excellence for mechanical transmissions. At its Wörth base, the company already
runs the largest truck factory in the world, and is currently building a state-of-the-art
development and testing centre.
But the inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs are not resting on their laurels. Every day
new companies are being set up by enterprising young entrepreneurs, but also by scientists
in our research centres who are setting their own examples of how technology can be
transferred from science to business. In the Technologiefabrik Karlsruhe alone, some 290
high tech companies have been set up over the past few years, creating 5,5000 new jobs.
The start-up opportunities in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion could not be better.
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|1 Karlsruhe Technology Park
|2 Small parts warehouse at the
Daimler Global Logistics Center
in Germersheim
|18» Success needs experience. With its comprehensive range of companies are concentrated in one area which is tailored
services, the IHK Karlsruhe Service Centre is the central contact both architecturally and infrastructurally to their individual
point for start-ups and established companies throughout the needs.
Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. The KKfB Wirtschaftsstiftung
Südwest (Karlsruhe Centre of Excellence for Finance and Ad- » A successful concept: open business parks. Besides Siemens
vice Business Foundation South West) was set up in 2000 to itself, the 290,000 square metre Siemens Industriepark Karls-
provide advice and business development incentives for start- ruhe is home to a wide array of other businesses, including
ups and companies in difficulties. big organisations like SCHENKER Deutschland but also small
businesses like LinC, a firm offering language courses to
» Assistance for start-ups and technology transfer for establis- executives. With its excellent infrastructure and attention
hed companies. A host of technology transfer and cooperation to detail – evident in the many services provided, from banks,
opportunities are provided by the Karlsruhe Institute of Tech- restaurants and pharmacies to hair salons, exercise parks
nology (KIT), three Fraunhofer Institutes and other research and crèches – the Siemens Industriepark is a mini ‘city within
establishments. a city’. The Siemens Technopark Bruchsal is another location
delivering value-added: since this business park opened in
» Our regional networks and centres of excellence are one the 2004, more than 60 companies have moved onto the 145,000
trademarks of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. FZI and FIZ: square metre site.
With their access to the world’s biggest databases, the FZI (Re- Start-ups are
search Centre for Information Technologies) and FIZ Karlsruhe » The TED (Technology and Ecology Village) in Bruchsal actively supported
from all sides in
(international scientific service institution) are the first IT ports is an ideal location for young service and technology compa- the Karlsruhe
of call for science and business. nies. Its concept is geared towards shortening the distances TechnologyRegion.
between home, work and leisure, thus creating a productive
» The Institute of Innovation and Technology Transfer (IIT) village feel.
at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences develops new,
low-cost products specifically geared towards small and mid- » The Bruchsal Innovation and Commerce Centre (BIG) offers
sized enterprises. the perfect conditions for start-ups and existing companies.
Its close contact with regional business development agen-
» New businesses can find affordable accommodation for the cies enables companies to benefit from powerful networks.
first five years of their existence at the Technologiefabrik
Karlsruhe. Since 1983 more than 290 companies have started » Green light for microproducts. Since 2000 there has been
up here, creating more than 5,500 jobs. The Rastatt ZIP (Centre another high-tech star in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
for Innovation and Production), the BITZ (Bühl Innovation and firmament which acts as a partner to research and busi-
Technology Centre) and the Bretten Startup Initiative also offer nesses, especially SMEs: ANKA, the centre for Micromanu-
newcomers support in many different areas from office infra- facturing and Analytics. With its special synchrotron light
structure to capital acquisition. source, ANKA opens up new perspectives in the manufacture
of microstructure products. The properties of the synchrotron
» The CyberForum provides business start-ups with ICT light make it possible to control product development right
support and advice. The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneur- down to the smallest detail. The same applies to process
ship (CIE) at the KIT helps new businesses bring their ideas optimisation and quality management.
to fruition, helps set up start-ups and provides assistance for
companies wanting to innovate and grow.
» The Karlsruhe Technology Park is an international address
for cross-sectoral expertise in high-tech, innovative products
and services. Many different interdisciplinary high-tech
|19Research | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
We know how to celebrate
scientific success and
enjoy life...
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is home to world class
researchers working on the technologies of the future. From giant to minuscule,
one of our key disciplines is nanotechnology. In fact the centre of excellence
in Karlsruhe is already known as the Nano Valley on the Rhine.
With our sun-drenched vineyards, our culinary specialities from the
Black Forest and surrounding areas and our proximity to France, life in
the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion is a real treat.
Success after success is celebrated at the Karlsruhe Institute of
Technology (KIT). Here: researchers with the Auger Nanoprobe
used for studying the special properties of nanomaterials.
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Research | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
Conquering new technologies
with teamwork
Working in collaboration with the Universities of Strasbourg and
Karlsruhe, the Karlsruhe Research Centre has set up Nano-Valley,
an interdisciplinary research network. The research at this Centre focuses
on the special properties of nanomaterials. Visionaries are hoping to discover novel and
undreamt-of product properties that could fundamentally change our daily lives in 10 – 50
years’ time. This area of research therefore has immense economic innovation potential.
The Karlsruhe Research Region’s prominence in this area is also confirmed in Wirtschafts-
Woche’s Innovation Atlas. The Karlsruhe Research Centre and Karlsruhe University are
ranked joint No. 1 in nanotechnology. We are also among the world’s best regions in the
field of energy: at the end of 2009 the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
awarded the KIT the contract for a Knowledge and Information Community. Together
with KIC InnoEnergy, the Research Centre is coordinating all energy research taking
place throughout Europe. It is also involved in two of the Federal Ministry of Education
and Research’s leading-edge clusters, each of which has attracted €40 million in funding.
No wonder Karlsruhe is among the top three in other research fields as well.
» New ideas make the headlines here. The University of » From virtual space to product benefit. The Karlsruhe Institute
Strasbourg Institute of Technology and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has more than 1,000 scientists working on
of Technology (KTI) are researching one of the key technologies the structure of matter, energy and key technologies (including
of the 21st century. Our region is also home to the DFG Centre microsystems and nanotechnologies). Bibliometric studies do-
for Functional Nanostructures, which was set up in 2001 by the cument the Centre’s special position in the German research
German Research Foundation at Karlsruhe University. Thanks landscape.
to these centres of excellence, highly regarded the world over,
our region has become the ‘Nano-Valley of the Rhine’. » Solar energy on Earth. The KIT is playing a leading role in
the development and design of the international experimen-
The Karlsruhe-based TLB (Technology Licence Bureau of tal reactor ITER, a nuclear fusion reactor in which hydrogen is
Baden-Württemberg’s Hochschulen GmbH) promotes the converted to helium, to be built near Cadarache in France. The
commercial use of patents and inventions from all of TOSKA test facility, with its 60-tonne magnetic coils made of
Germany’s technology universities. Our local companies gain a superconductive material, was built in Karlsruhe. Thus one
particular benefit from this. of the key focuses of the KIT is to develop technically feasible
solutions for the energy supply of the future.
The Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion lives up to its name in other
areas as well: Innovative products and services like driver The region’s three Fraunhofer Institutes carry out research and
assistance systems, the latest airbag technologies and rechar- development work in the areas of system technology and inno-
geable high-energy batteries have been developed here as a vation research, optronics, information and data processing,
result of collaboration between science and business. and chemical technology.
|22» Research Centre for Information Technology (FZI). Funda- Scientific Personnel
mental methods, technologies and tools for industrial
use in both present-day applications and future visions are Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) »4,827
developed here. The solutions are used in the construction, Fraunhofer Institutes (ICT, IOSB, ISI) »494
production planning, transport, traffic and logistics sectors. FZI IT Research Centre »124
Mid-sized enterprises that do not have in-house research Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences »213
capabilities can source top-level scientific research here. Steinbeis Transfer Centres »124
Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute »235
Among other things, researchers at the FZI are working on
Water Technology Centre »187
humanoid robots that can help people with everyday tasks.
Baden-Württemberg State Institute for Environment,
Forty scientists are perfecting the humanoid robot in concert Measurements and Nature Conservation »138
with twelve other research establishments throughout Ger- Max Rubner-Institut/Federal Research Institute
many. of Nutrition and Food »66
Augustenberg Agricultural Technology Centre »45
Karlsruhe University of Music »250
Karlsruhe University of Education »146
FASK in Germersheim »135 We have more
Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University »51 highly-qualified
Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design »35 scientists per
square kilometre
Karlshochschule International University »44 than virtually
University of Finance, Edenkoben »40 any other region.
Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre
for Cultivated Plants, Siebeldingen »7
Total »7,161
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
University of the State of Baden-
Württemberg and national large-scale
research institution of the Helmholtz
Association
|23KIT | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
Beacon in the
scientific world
The merger has happened: the Karlsruhe Research Centre, a member
of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, and the
top ranking Karlsruhe University merged on 1 October 2009 to
form the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The Karlsruhe
TechnologyRegion is now home to one of the world’s biggest research
and teaching institutions. With its joint research activities and powerful infra-
structure, the KIT is set to break through into the premier league of international research
establishments, which includes major players like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) and the California Institute of Technology (CALTECH).
» Unique in the German research landscape. The parliament attractive to both undergraduates and postgraduates alike.
of the state of Baden-Württemberg had to enact a new law to Its forty courses provide students with insights into the very
allow the foundation of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. latest scientific findings and ground-breaking applications.
In doing so it paved the way for an institution that is unique The KIT is also helping to stem the tide of German engineering
in Germany, which now has a total of 8,381 staff and an an- scientists emigrating, so that the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
nual budget of €631 million. The KIT fulfils two missions: as can benefit from their potential.
a university of the State of Baden-Württemberg with teaching
and research remits, and as a research centre of the Helmholtz » Sharing more than just a name. The Karlsruhe Institute of
Association with programme-based, future-oriented research. Technology (KIT) is committed to becoming the MIT of Europe
Within these missions, the KIT profiles itself along the strategic and further expanding its role as a research institution of
paths of research, teaching and innovation. international excellence.The Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established
» World-class excellence in Karlsruhe. In October 2006 the in 1861, was in fact modelled on Germany’s first technical
University of Karlsruhe was successful in its applications university in Karlsruhe, which pre-dates it by 36 years. But
in all three lines of funding in the first round of the Federal now the situation has reversed. The MIT now boasts a total of
and State Excellence Initiative, and was one of three German seven actively researching Nobel prize winners and an annual
universities to be awarded Elite status. Crucial to this success budget of €1.6 billion. With the formation of the KIT, Karlsruhe
was the university’s concept for the future, which involved aims to secure its position among the world’s top research
Beacon in the merging with the Karlsruhe Research Centre to form the locations.
scientific world: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The intended merger was a
The Karlsruhe
Institute of Tech- key factor in the high-calibre jury’s decision. In winning the » A combination of two strong partners. The KIT’s research
nology (KIT) excellence initiative, the new Karlsruhe Institute of Technology results are based on the skills and expertise of its scientists
(KIT) has secured itself an additional €96 million in funding and service teams. Depending on their areas of expertise, the
over five years. This will give the next generation of scientists scientists work in different fields in the dynamic KIT Compe-
in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion the opportunity to pursue tence Portfolio, tackling and developing new scientific issues
world-class research at the KIT. The institute’s leading position and problems on an ongoing basis. While the Competence
in international research makes its courses considerably more Portfolio forms the basis for the research performed at the
|24|5
|4
|3
|2
|1
|1 The Institute for Nanotechnology’s energy source. world on experiments in elementary
inert gas condensation unit produces |3 Model coils for the ITER inter- particle physics and astrophysics.
nanostructured particles made of national fusion reactor are tested |5 In the field of optics and photo-
materials like platinum. in the TOSKA coil testing facility nics, research is being conducted
|2 The KIT’s Hydrogen Test Centre at the KIT. into lasers, innovative luminescent
was established jointly with |4 At the CETA centre of excellence, substances, optical components
industrial partners to explore safety about 100 scientists collaborate and microscopy systems.
issues in the use of hydrogen as an with specialists from all over the
KIT, the KIT Centres and KIT Focuses are organisational units In the 6th Research Framework Programme of the European
in which research projects are bundled. These projects Union, which ran from 2002 to 2006, universities and research
profile the research performed at KIT and facilitate its strate- centres together received a total of €80 million and took part
gic research planning. The KIT Centres are Energy, NanoMikro, in 209 projects. The KIT has also got off to a successful start in
Climate and Environment, and Elementary Particle and Astro- the current 7th Framework Programme.
particle Physics. The research focuses primarily on optics and
photonics, mobility, COMMputation, man and technology, » Dual Career Service at the KIT. When professors, managers
and new and applied media. and young scientists move to Karlsruhe, they do not usually
come on their own: they bring their families with them.
» Programming for the future. The KIT has already earned Starting a new life can be a daunting prospect, but the newly
itself an acknowledged and internationally competitive po- established Dual Career Service is on hand to help them
sition in climate research, nanotechnology and astroparticle settle in. This service helps the partners of the scientists
physics. It is also one of the world’s leading centres for energy look for suitable jobs and initiate contacts, and also provides
research. At the end of 2009 the European Institute of Inno- advice on aspects such as child-care, daily life and leisure.
vation and Technology (EIT) awarded the KIT the contract for The Service aims to enable professional couples to achieve
one of three Knowledge and Information Communities (KICs) a work-life balance and feel at home in Karlsruhe as soon
across Europe. The KIT is currently coordinating European as possible.
energy research in tandem with KIT InnoEnergy. Over the
next four years the European Union is making funding total-
ling around €150 million available for this research. In additi-
on, the KIT is involved in two of the five German leading-edge
clusters announced by the Federal Ministry of Education and
Research in early 2010. The MicroTec Südwest microsystems
technology cluster and the Software Cluster (Softwareinnova-
tionen für das digitale Unternehmen) will receive €40 million
each over the next five years. The KIT is also the most success-
ful German institution in acquiring European research funds.
|25Where there’s plenty of sun…
We have more sun here than any other region in Germany.
|26|27
Business | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
…. there will be
plenty of stars too.
The Mercedes Benz factory in Rastatt is one of the automotive industry’s
most modern production facilities. The Baden-based car factory employs
around 5,500 people and has produced well over 2.5 million Mercedes A- and B-
Class since the plant opened in 1992. Late 2011 will see the first of the next
generation A- and B-Class Mercedes roll off the production line. Daimler AG
is investing €600 million in this. More than 6,000 people work at the Gaggenau
Mercedes-Benz plant. Here they produce transmissions for cars and trucks,
as well as axles and torque converters for utility vehicles. At the Mercedes-Benz
factory in Wörth, the world’s biggest truck assembly plant, an 11,000-strong
workforce produces trucks, Unimogs and Zetros. Germersheim, home to the
Global Logistics Centre (GLC), is another major manufacturing base of this
worldwide group of companies. From here, the 2,900 staff supply more than
1,400 customers in 200 countries with car parts and accessories.
A survey by Empirica Delasasse ranks the
Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion no. 2 in Germany
in terms of economic strength.
|28|29
Business | Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
The best climate
for our economy
The sun shines more in our region than anywhere else in Germany.
With so much positive energy, it’s not surprising that the very latest developments roll off
the production line one after another here. The Daimler AG Mercedes-Benz factory in Rastatt,
for example, supplies huge numbers of A- and B-class Mercedes to customers all over the
world. Besides the global players, countless mid-sized businesses – many of which are also
world market leaders – demonstrate how a good climate can contribute to success.
» Innovative mid-sized businesses. The Karlsruhe Technology- of all 97 German economic regions in terms of technological
Region’s economic strength not only derives from international performance. A survey by Empirica Delasasse of ‘European
corporations that have based their European or German head- locations of the future’ ranks the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion
quarters, worldwide centres of expertise or manufacturing no. 2 in Germany and among the top 25 of all 214 regions
facilities here. The region’s inherent strengths are the diverse in Western Europe. And in a survey of 150 Western European
mix of industries and the innovative mid-sized business and North American regions by BAKBASEL, the Karlsruhe
sector – the niche market specialists – that are located throughout TechnologyRegion was ranked no. 3 in the league table of
all of our 72 towns and cities. areas with the highest growth – and in fact no. 1 in Europe.
Two examples of businesses that are both family companies » Karlsruhe in the Top 100. Karlsruhe has for the first time
and market leaders are Bruchsal-based SEW-EURODRIVE, the made it into the EU location study 2010’s top 100, coming in
world’s biggest manufacturers of geared motors, and BLANCO, at no. 94. This ranks the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion among
the dishwasher, food service and food distribution system the best ten per cent of locations in Europe, according to the
specialists in Oberderdingen. manager magazin study. Key factors in the ranking were the
demographic development, the level of education of the popu-
But many smaller companies are also very big in their markets. lation, the density of engineers and scientists, the standard of
The world revolves around turnstiles from Kaba Gallenschütz living and the job market. Great prospects for a location that
in Bühl, lollies from Hirsch in Oberderdingen are on everyone’s has moved up 199 places in just three years.
Mid-sized lips all over Europe, and from Bavaria to Japan beer is served
companies on beer mats made by Katz in Weisenbach. Other branded pro- » The region in figures: Industrial turnover in the Karlsruhe
in the region ducts in our region have even become generic names, like the TechnologyRegion is in excess of €40 billion per annum. More
supply top-class
products all over Martin’s Horn siren from Philippsburg and UHU from Bühl. than 15,000 trades firms are hard at work for businesses and
the world. And another example among many others: Pictures of the glass end-users here. Altogether, 63.6 % of the workforce in our
dome in the new Reichstag building in Berlin have travelled region work in the services sector. Our purchasing power
all round the world. Glass suppliers: Bischoff in Bretten. (current index: 107.7) has been above the national average
(100) for many years. As its name suggests, the Karlsruhe
» Growth through big and small companies. In the Technolo- TechnologyRegion is home to a particularly dynamic IT
gieatlas Deutschland commissioned by WirtschaftsWoche, Pro- industry: we have around 20,000 specialists working in more
gnos ranks the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion among the top five than 3,000 companies in the IT sector.
|30|3
|2
|1 |1 Bischoff. The glass for the
Reichstag dome was supplied by
this Bretten-based glass supplier.
|2 Grenke Leasing. The IT finance
specialists from Baden-Baden are
on a growth path.
|3 Staatliche Majolika Manufaktur.
High quality art ceramics are
produced in Karlsruhe.
» IT capital Karlsruhe: Unlimited, interactive communication. biggest internet portals. Germany’s very first – and still our
When it comes to the internet and IT, the Karlsruhe Techno- biggest – IT faculty was opened in Karlsruhe in 1972. And the
logyRegion has always been at the cutting edge. The first e-mail first ever internet convention in Germany was held here in
on German soil was sent from here. The country’s biggest inter- 1996. Our region is therefore on a par with Silicon Valley and
net node is located here. And we are home to 1&1, Germany’s other international IT strongholds.
biggest database operator, and WEB.DE, one of Germany’s
Location Companies (some examples)
Baden-Baden arvat0 infoscore, GrenkeLeasing AG, Heel, Juvena, l‘tur, Sans Soucis
Bretten Bischoff, Neff, SCA Schucker, Seeburger, TCG
Bruchsal BLANCO, HIB –Trim Part Solutions, John Deere, Nokia Siemens, SEW-Eurodrive, Sulzer Pumpen, Zabler
The Karlsruhe
Bühl Bosch, GlaxoSmithKline, Kaba Gallenschütz, LuK, UHU TechnologyRegion
is home to world-
Ettlingen Bardusch, Bruker, Dr. Oetker, ELBA, Flowserve Flow Control, Höfler, Iscar, Liebherr, Spitzner, walter services class companies
Gaggenau Daimler AG, Dambach, Grötz, König Metall, KWH, Lang Recycling, PolyOne, Precitec, Protektor and mid-sized
market leaders.
Karlsruhe aluplast, b.i.g.-Gruppe, Bosch, DHU, EnBW, FIDUCIA, L’Oréal, Michelin, MiRO, Siemens, Stora Enso
Rastatt Daimler AG, LAWO AG, Maquet, Siemens Building Technologies,
Rheinstetten Bruker, ESG Edelmetall, Fiducia, Fiebig, Heitz, Südroh
Stutensee abilis, BOA BKT, Digitaltest, Endosmart, IWKA, MSC, Oehlbach Kabel, GE PII Pipetronix, NDT Systems & Services AG
Germersheim ArdaghGlass, Daimler AG, DBK, Eichenauer, Faurecia, Harman/Becker, Kardex, Nolte, Palm, ThyssenKrupp
Administrative District
Karlsruhe Agilent Technologies, ARGO-HYTOS, Bechtold, BLANCO, E.G.O., Goodyear, Grundfos Alldos, Harman/Becker,
Administrative District HAUX-LIFE-SUPPORT, Hermann, Indutherm, Klocke, Linhardt, Ronal, Rosswag, Schäfer, Sorg, Utescheny, Wellprint
Rastatt Dow, Freiberger, Katz, Kronimus, Sieger
Administrative District
Südliche Weinstrasse ArcelorMittal, Eberspächer, Hornbach, HTI, ITK, Progroup, Stabila, Tenneco Automotive
Administrative District
|31Creative industry| Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion | HighTech meets the Good Life
Creativity on every corner:
a region bursting with ideas
Concentrated idea power in one region. People think here. People develop here.
People create here. This is a region where creativity, inventiveness and a love of innovation
come together. Largely unknown 20 years ago, the term ‘creative industry’ is on everyone’s
lips today. And no more so than in the region along the Rhine between the Southern Palati-
nate, the Kraichgau and the Black Forest. The creative industry has long since established
itself as a ‘sunrise’ industry: it is booming and it looks set to stay that way. It has become
a key driving force for the region, bringing with it high growth and employment potential.
» Media, information, communication: Roughly one in six peo- » Art and creativity inject fresh energy. The cultural and creative
ple in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion works in the creative industry is booming. And it is not only its employees who are
industry, accounting for as many as 15 % of the total workforce. benefiting. Many other sectors have long since recognised the
Consisting as it does of 11 individual submarkets, this sector industry’s potential for the future. The best example: Karlsruhe
offers enormous diversity. With the media and creative indus- is now a successful exhibition and trade fair location. Its success
try booming at present, the KTR is particularly well prepared in this area is due in no small part to its lively ambience: cul-
for the future. The bulk of jobs in this sector are in services: the ture and creativity add a vibrancy to business here, attracting
biggest employers include architecture, consulting enginee- people and buying power. The art KARLSRUHE art fair plays a
ring, advertising and market research firms. ICT companies in particularly major role in attracting a lot of creative potential
areas such as publishing, broadcasting, telecommunications, to the region. And the EUNIQUE arts and crafts fair underpins
Creativity, inven- film, cinema and sound studios are also popular employers in Karlsruhe’s reputation as an international art and cultural
tiveness and a
the region – unsurprisingly, since South West Germany’s big- location which is acknowledged by experts in the field.
love of innovation
come together in gest broadcaster SWR is based here, making for a dynamic me-
the Karlsruhe dia environment with high demand for related services. » Meeting place for creativity and innovation – for a national
TechnologyRegion.
The diversity of jobs is huge and is constantly growing. As the and international dialogue. Forward-looking thinking and the
creative and cultural landscape is constantly changing, new courage to break new barriers are evident in many unusual pro-
professions – such as that of media informatics specialist – are jects in the region. Such as the Life Cycle Engineering Solutions
emerging all the time. Centre (LESC) at the KIT. This new research establishment for
innovative engineering solutions promotes collaboration bet-
» Innovative study programmes at the University of Design. The ween research institutions and the transfer of knowledge and
State University of Design was opened jointly with the Centre technology in business and society. At this centre of modern
for Arts and Media in Karlsruhe (ZKM) as a Reforming Universi- virtual reality technologies, models of future products can be
ty in the early 1990s. It focuses on teaching media, creative and experienced and tested. Perfect for start-ups and SMEs, which
philosophical subjects in an interdisciplinary approach. Its can use the LESC as a development and testing platform.
unique combination of teaching and research facilities and its Karlsruhe’s old abattoir site is being turned into a creative park
innovative interdisciplinary study model produces graduates offering facilities for the creative industry: the Kreativpark
who are highly sought-after in the creative industry, emerging Alter Schlachthof. The aim of this new facility is to promote
as it is as one of the key industries of the future. innovative ideas in the city, get young creative talent on board
|32and create new, promising jobs. It is to be a forum where » Market leader Gameforge – global gaming fun made in the
players from the various creative industries can come together Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. With more than 100 million
and collaborate in an innovation-friendly, communicative registered players, the online publisher Gameforge has
and inspiring setting. The Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion is become synonymous with online games. With its impressive
already part of a global network with similar aims: the state combi-nation of creativity and IT know-how, the company has
of Baden-Württemberg is a member of the international grown in just a few years from a pioneer to the world’s biggest
Districts of Creativity network, a group of 13 regions across independent provider of online multiplayer games. An out-
the world formed to foster innovation and collaboration. standing example of the innovative strength of the Karlsruhe
South-west Germany has developed into a leading location TechnologyRegion!
for creativity and technology and is among the elite of the
league table of innovative regions, both at home and on an
international level.
|4
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|2
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|1 Masses of room for creativity. |3 Messe Karlsruhe. Flexible
There is plenty of room for creative space offerings, sophisticated
people to blossom, innovate and functionality, state-of-the-art
develop new ideas in the Karlsruhe technology, first class service.
TechnologyRegion. |4 Kreativpark Alter Schlachthof.
|2 Centre for Art and Media Start-up centre and innovation
Technology. A cultural institution space for the cultural and creative
that is unique in the world. industry.
|33You can also read
