Under the motto “Future Solutions,” Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) and the Unternehmerverbände Niedersachsen (UVN) invited guests to their joint business reception on Tuesday, 24 February 2026. Numerous representatives from industry, academia, and politics attended the established cooperation event. The aim of the reception is to strengthen dialogue between industry and academia in order to explore new forms of collaboration and expand existing partnerships. UVN Director General Benedikt Hüppe welcomed the guests in the atrium of the Welfenschloss: “Commercialization is not a contradiction to science, but a natural part of a modern and innovative scientific culture. Our universities are a particular strength within the ecosystem. They are places where knowledge is created and where the courage grows to bring ideas into practice. Entrepreneurship means having the courage to enter the market and the courage to implement. After all, innovation arises where ideas are realized, not where they remain in the drawer.”
Afterwards, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture, Falko Mohrs, also welcomed the guests to Leibniz University Hannover. Eight speakers from academia and industry presented short pitches during the reception, offering insights into their work. They introduced innovative ideas addressing highly relevant societal topics such as IT security, healthcare, the circular economy, and urban development. By highlighting the intersections between research and application, the presentations laid the foundation for further exchange and discussion among participants. In his closing remarks, University President Prof. Dr. Volker Epping emphasized: “Today’s societal challenges can only be addressed with strong science. Our goal is to visibly solve problems, explain and contextualize them, and open up new options. That is why we are placing the impact of science at the center of the future concept of Leibniz University. Functional synergies between industry and academia, supported by effective technology and knowledge transfer, are of central importance.”The business reception was made possible through the support of Health Innovation Hannover Region, neu/wagen, RSM Ebner Stolz, and techfactory hannover.