Funkenwerk Hosts Algerian Delegation: International Exchange on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology Transfer
How can innovation be fostered, technology-oriented startups supported, and university knowledge transferred to the business sector? An Algerian delegation visiting the Technical University of Applied Sciences Augsburg (THA) on Thursday, October 22, 2026, will address these questions. The Institute for Start-ups and Innovation – Funkenwerk is organizing the program in Augsburg and will showcase how the university integrates start-up support, entrepreneurship education, and technology transfer with the regional innovation ecosystem.
The delegation of about 20 people consists of representatives from the Algerian Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups, and Microenterprises, as well as university incubators, innovation centers, and technology-oriented companies and startups. The study tour will take place from October 19 to 23, 2026, as part of the “Green and Digital Economic Development in Algeria” project. The project is being carried out by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) in collaboration with the Algerian ministry. In addition to Augsburg, Munich and Nuremberg are among the stops on the trip.
The visit also takes place within the context of the Bavarian High-Tech Agenda, through which the Free State of Bavaria is strengthening the future viability of Bavaria as a hub for science and innovation. This international exchange offers an opportunity to share experiences in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and to explore avenues for cooperation between universities, startups, and companies across national borders. Economic cooperation between Germany and Algeria is also gaining importance against the backdrop of the bilateral cooperation agreement reached in June 2026.
Funkenwerk as a Bridge Between Higher Education, Startups, and the Business Community
To kick off the event at THA, guests will get a glimpse into the university and the Funkenwerk. The program will highlight offerings in startup support and university incubation, entrepreneurship education, and approaches that help translate scientific expertise and entrepreneurial ideas into practical applications.
Another key focus is networking with companies. The MittelstandMacher project illustrates how the THA supports collaboration between academia, startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and brings together innovation potential from different perspectives. The visit thus also offers an opportunity to exchange experiences on shaping regional innovation structures.
“The transfer of knowledge and technology is particularly successful when universities, startup teams, and companies connect with one another and work together on issues shaping the future. With Funkenwerk, we are creating a wide range of opportunities for this at THA—from the initial startup idea to support for startups and collaboration with companies,” says Prof. Dr. Christoph Buck, scientific director of Funkenwerk.
Experience Augsburg's Innovation Ecosystem
Following the exchange at the university, the delegation will visit the Hackerkiste at the DZ.S Founders Factory. There, the guests will get to know another part of Augsburg’s innovation ecosystem and have the opportunity to talk with startups, technology companies, and other stakeholders.
Planned visits include stops at process era, the Funkenwerk LAB, and Open Hippo. In addition, participants can attend selected presentations and Barcamp sessions hosted by the Hackerkiste. Topics range from AI-supported product development to issues related to promoting innovation. Alumni teams from THA—including Fabio Bove from FarmAct and Jules Rau from process era—are also featured in the Hackerkiste program.
The combination of a university visit, one-on-one discussions with startup teams, and insights into a networking format is intended to show the delegation various ways in which innovation is supported in the region and collaboration is put into practice.
Exchange as a Starting Point for Future Collaboration
The visit is part of a study tour designed to strengthen international dialogue on green and digital economic development. For the THA, this exchange offers an opportunity to raise international awareness of its activities in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology transfer, and to share experiences with stakeholders from Algeria.
At the same time, the meeting opens up prospects for further exchange between Bavarian and Algerian universities, innovation centers, startups, and companies. The focus is on how regional strengths and diverse experiences can be leveraged to further develop innovation and entrepreneurial collaboration across national borders.