The
Science Park Saar Corporation and the Leibniz Institute for New Materials have
created the Saarland Technology Corporation in Chicago.
What is the purpose of the new Saarland Technology Corporation?
Hauptmann: With our new daughter company in Chicago
we build up a very strong presence to continuously market the technology
location Saarland and help Saarland Tech
companies to penetrate the U.S.
market. Along with the INM we have one
of the world’s strongest technology leaders in the field of chemical
nanotechnology on board. This will open doors.
Flackus: The U.S.,
Japan and Germany play a leading roll in the
nanotech-markets. So it is obvious to have a meeting point for our US-customers
and our scientific partners. The STC is a gateway to custom-made solutions in
the field of new materials.
Why
did you choose Chicago?
Hauptmann: The Midwest is a
very interesting and economically strong region. By the professional network of
the Saarland Economic Promotion Corporation we already have some good access to
research and industry. So we do not start from scratch. The Illinois Institute of Technology takes
part of this regional cooperation and gives us full support to act as a great
team with a strong impact.
Flackus: Since years we have good and strong relations with
your friends from IIT and the Northwestern
University. That is one
good reason to choose Chicago.
The other is, Chicago is an outstanding
High-Tech-Region with an excellent infrastructure and a short fly away from Germany.
Speaking about Nanotechnology: what makes it so special to Saarland?
Flackus: Saarland saw nanotech's
huge economic potential early on. More than a dozen nano companies are already
here, with nearly a thousand employees. Political support is strong,
bureaucracy minimal.
Hauptmann: Saarland
has always meant industry. Momentum in a small place spurs quick decisions,
action. Our companies are young and dynamic. They know their markets. They
supply all kinds of industries with high-tech products.
Where do you see the future of Nanotechnology for Saarland?
Flackus: Nanotech isn't a mass production element yet.
But it will be. And when it is, we'll see more jobs, more companies, more
turnover.
Hauptmann: Nanotechnology will grow in itself, of course.
But it is already set to give industry a competitive edge. We'll see a lot of
permanent jobs emerging here in Saarland
- for people with the right qualifications.
 Peter Hauptmann is Managing Director of the
Science Park Saar
Corporation and Chief Operating Officer of the
Saarland Economic Promotion Corporation
(gwSaar), Saarbrücken.
 Jochen Flackus is Business Director of the
Leibniz Institute for New Materials (INM), Saarbrücken.
Peter Hauptmann
Managing Director Science Park Saar
Corporation and
Chief Operating Officer of the Saarland Economic Promotion Corporation
(gwSaar)
ATRIUM Haus der Wirtschaftsförderung
Franz-Josef-Röder-Str. 17
D-66119 Saarbrücken
www.invest-in-saarland.com
www.gwsaar.com
Jochen Flackus
Business Director
INM Leibniz Institute for New Materials
Im Stadtwald
Gebäude D2 2
D-66123 Saarbrücken
www.inm-gmbh.de
Science Park Saar - Where science and industry meet
Located in direct vicinity of the campus of the Saarland University the Science Park Saar offers new businesses and technology-based companies an optimal growth environment. The coupling of research, science and private businesses on a closely defined space makes the Science Park especially attractive for young innovative start-ups.
The Science Park concept is a success story. The sustained strong demand for office space and laboratories on the park and the fact that it was awarded in the competition 365 Places in the Land of Ideas give proof of this. As a Selected Place in the Land of Ideas it also represents the innovative power of the Science Park companies as well as their ability to meet future challenges.
On a surface area of 7,300 sq.m. for office use and 2,000 sq.m. for laboratories, the Science Park Saar offers generous room for the roughly 50 enterprises with over 500 collaborates that have presently been established here.
INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials
The INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials, situated in Saarbrücken (Germany), engages in fundamental and applied materials research – from molecules to pilot production. Our main research fields are “Chemical nanotechnology” and “Nanomaterials and Interfaces”. We develop nanostructured materials from a chemical, physical and biological perspective, investigate material properties and promote their potential applications in industrial collaborations. We develop for companies worldwide and cooperate with national and international institutions. The institute employs some 180 collaborators and has an annual budget of about 17 million Euros (Status: 2008).
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