Event Month: October

  • Cyber Valley AI Incubator: Batch 9 – Demo Day

    Cyber Valley AI Incubator: Batch 9 – Demo Day

    All the hard work of our teams culminates in Cyber Valley Batch 9 Demo Day, an evening celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of AI and robotics. The event will feature a keynote by Theodora Preda, Partner at Plug and Play, sharing insights into the investor mindset and what founders should understand when navigating the investment landscape.

    What begins as a research idea can become the foundation for a new technology, a new company, or an entirely new approach to solving real-world problems. After intensive collaboration, expert-led workshops, and venture development, the teams of Cyber Valley AI Incubator Batch 9 will come together at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) in Stuttgart to present the innovations they have been developing throughout the program.

    The Demo Day brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, industry representatives, and members of the wider innovation ecosystem to explore how advances in artificial intelligence and robotics can move beyond the laboratory and into practical applications. 

    Throughout the program, the teams have worked with experts across disciplines to develop their ideas and understand the challenges of building a technology-based venture. Workshops and mentoring have covered topics ranging from startup formation and investment strategy to legal considerations for AI, product development, and effective communication—helping participants consider not only what their technology can do, but also how it can create value beyond the research environment.

    A highlight of the evening will be a keynote by Theodora Preda, Partner at Plug and Play, who will share perspectives on the investor mindset and the dynamics of early-stage investing. Her talk will offer the participating founders insights into how investors evaluate opportunities and what researchers and entrepreneurs should consider when taking their ideas toward the investment landscape.

    The keynote will be followed by the final pitches from the Batch 9 teams, giving each venture the opportunity to present its technology and vision to an audience of investors, researchers, and industry experts. The evening will conclude with awards, networking, and a reception celebrating the achievements of the participating teams.

    What is the Cyber Valley AI Incubator?

    The Cyber Valley AI Incubator supports researchers and entrepreneurs in developing promising ideas in artificial intelligence and robotics into potential ventures. Made possible through the generous funding of the Carl Zeiss Foundation, the program has helped teams explore the path from scientific research to entrepreneurship, building a growing track record of ventures emerging from the Cyber Valley ecosystem. Over successive batches, participants have gone on to further develop their technologies, establish companies, attract investment, and contribute to the transfer of cutting-edge research into applications with potential impact beyond academia.

  • nICLAS Forum 2026

    nICLAS Forum 2026

    Technological innovations are transforming the world, the way we live and the way we work. Today, this transformation is driven above all by advances in robotics and AI. This two-day event will explore how these technologies are reshaping life sciences and healthcare, from early drug discovery to personalized diagnostics and therapies.

    On 20 October, the Cyber Valley campus in Tübingen will host inspiring keynotes, real-world case studies, and open discussions on the lab of the future, right in the heart of one of Europe’s leading AI ecosystems.

    In the first half of the day, we will spotlight the latest advances in robotics combined with AI for life science applications. Participants will gain a clear picture of where research and development stand today, how mature the technologies already are, and which concrete use cases are emerging across pharma, biotech, and diagnostics – from automated sample handling to multi-purpose robotic systems to humanoid robots.

    In the second half of the day, the focus will shift to cutting-edge AI for life sciences. Leading researchers and industry experts will present the newest findings in areas such as AI-driven drug discovery, predictive toxicology, image-based cell analysis, and decision support. Real-world use cases will demonstrate how AI is being deployed today in Life Science environments, what value it delivers, and how organizations are overcoming regulatory, data, and implementation challenges.

    On 21 October, hands-on workshops and deep dives at the nICLAS innovation center in Stuttgart will let participants work closely with experts on lab automation, robotics, and AI.

    Day two is about concrete methods, tools, and best practices that can be transferred into your own organization. Live demos, interactive sessions, and co-creation formats offer the chance to test technologies, learn from real implementations, and benchmark your own roadmap.

    We invite top-tier speakers and participants from universities, research institutes, pharma and diagnostics companies, robotics and high-tech – with plenty of time for meaningful networking and the start of new, high-level collaborations.

    The event is jointly organised by Cyber Valley, Lab Automation Network, and Fraunhofer IPA, bringing together their communities of users, technology providers, and researchers in one place.

    Target group

    Users, Vendors, scientists, decision makers, lab automation enthusiasts, AI, and data scientists

    Benefit 

    High-quality talks with real-world applications, Time for networking and starting collaborations, overview of current trends, challenges, and available solutions

    Cost 

    60€ per day

    Where?

    Day 1:

    Max-Planck-Haus
    Max-Planck-Ring 6
    72076 Tübingen

    Day 2:

    Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung IPA
    Nobelstr. 12
    70569 Stuttgart

    When?

    20–21 October
    9:00–17:00

    Program

    Day 1

    • 08:45 Registration 
    • 09:00 Martin Winter and Richard Rösch, LAN and Fraunhofer IPA
      Welcome @nICLAS
    • 09:10 Kevin-Maximilian Kron, Boston Dynamics
      Cutting Through the Hype: A Reality Check for Humanoid Robots in Industry 
      „How Robotics Is Redefining Work, Processes, and Value Creation“
    • 10:00 Werner Kraus and Florian Jordan, Fraunhofer IPA
      EmbodiedAI in Lab Automation
    • 10:20 Charly Coulon, invite / ISPE
      Same Robot, Any Lab: Digitalization as integrating target for People, Lab-IT and Automation
    • 10:40 Coffee break
    • 11:10 Arun Damodaran, Aatek
      Influence of Physical AI in Life Sciences & Pharma integrations
    • 11:30 Dennis Knobbe, TUM
      Robotic Lab Assistance as a Service: Augmenting Scientists Toward Autonomous Knowledge Discovery.
    • 11:50 Aziza El Hariry, Roche
      The End of the Empty Lab: Human-Robot Coexistence in a Shared Workspace
    • 12:15 Lunch break
    • 13:45 Loic Roche, Atinary
      From Automation to Autonomy: the Rise of Self-Driving Labs
    • 14:30 Jonas Binder, Abbvie
      From Simulation to Prediction: Modeling Risk in Biopharmaceuticals
    • 14:50 Ralf Mikut, KIT
      Applied Artificial Intelligence for the Analysis of Cells, Stem-Cell Based Systems and Zebrafish
    • 15:10 Coffee break
    • 15:50 Saskia Biskup, CeGaT
      Precision diagnostics for precision therapy – pharmacy of the future
    • 16:10 Patrick Günther, Aimed Analytics
      The AI-enabled lab needs more than automation: Connecting experiments, omics analysis, and biological insight
    • 16:30 Maria Sedykh, Lonza
      AI Applied to Pharma Manufacturing Deviation Management: Clustering for Trending and Recurrence Analysis
    • 17:00 Wrap Up

    Day 2—Workshops

    • Lab automation in action: make it a success and avoid pitfalls
      Discover how to turn lab automation from a risky investment into a practical improvement journey: learn how to start small and identify quick wins, de-risk early and create real value in the lab that runs and is used.
    • Getting ready for AI
      AI starts with data. How do you access, connect, and prepare your lab data – and what does it take to go from raw data to real AI use cases in your LifeScience company?
    • When Robots take over
      What does it really take to bring a robot into your lab? This workshop walks you through the full journey – from choosing the right system to programming your first protocol and running automated workflows.
  • How to start up at the University of Stuttgart?

    How to start up at the University of Stuttgart?

     Many aspiring founders are unsure where to start or which support services can help them turn an idea into a business. This event aims to change that.

    Together with the Institute for Entrepreneurship (ENI), TTI Technologie-Transfer-Initative GmbH, the University’s transfer center TRACES, NXTGN, and a guest startup, participants get to explore how innovative ideas can grow into successful ventures at the University of Stuttgart.

     

    Participants will:

    • Learn about the university’s startup support programs and initiatives

    • Meet the people driving entrepreneurship in Stuttgart

    • Hear first-hand experiences from founders

    As a special guest, Michael Ilewicz, co-founder of Ecalia, will share his story of building a Stuttgart-based startup developing next-generation compressor-expander technology.

    This event is open to students, doctoral candidates, researchers, and anyone curious about entrepreneurship. No business idea or prior experience is needed – just curiosity and an open mind.

    Snacks and drinks will be available in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

     

    Interested? 

    No registration is required for this event. Just drop by!

     

    Contact

    For any questions regarding the event, please contact Mia Zsohár (mia.zsohar@eni.uni-stuttgart.de).

    You already have an idea you would like to get started with? Get in touch with startupcoaching@traces.uni-stuttgart.de for a first touchpoint.

  • Startup:con Tübingen #9

    Startup:con Tübingen #9

    Welche Auswirkungen hat der EU AI Act im Hinblick auf KI-Start-ups? Was gibt es Neues aus der KI-Forschung? Und was können wir von erfolgreichen KI-Start-ups lernen? Experten und Gründer berichten von ihren Erfahrungen und geben wertvolle Tipps. Außerdem stellen sich wieder lokale Start-up-Supporter und junge Start-ups an Ständen und in kurzen Pitches vor.

    Das Programm in Kürze:

      • 17:00 Uhr Check-in
      • 17:30 Uhr Eröffnung der Startup:con Tübingen mit Impulsvorträgen von Anwalt und Gründer Felix Buchmann gemeinsam mit dem Team von MATVIS, Wieland Brendel (Max Planck Forschungsgruppenleiter und Co-Founder von Maddox) und Max-Frederick Gerken (CEO Optocycle)
      • 18:20 Uhr Open Stage Pitches – Deine 60 Sekunden auf der Bühne
      • 18:30 Uhr Networking auf der Gründermesse

    Wann: Donnerstag, 12.10.23 ab 17:00 Uhr

    Wo: Brauwerk Freistil, Wöhrdstr. 25, 72072 Tübingen

    Den Link zur Anmeldung findet Ihr hier.

  • Cyber Valley Meet-up #08

    Cyber Valley Meet-up #08

     

    We invite you to this relaxed meeting for all start-ups, research groups, PhD students and anyone who wants to learn more about Cyber Valley. 

     
    What:

    • Pitch: What is Hochschule der Medien (Prof. Dr. Nils Högsdal, Prorektor für Innovationsmanagement, Hochschule der Medien)  

    • Pitch: State of AI (Julian Enz, Director Innovation & Economy (CIO), Cyber Valley) 

    • Pitch: mine&make (Gauthier Boisdequin, Founder) 

    Open discussion and exchange while enjoying pizza, salad, and a cold drink of your choice. We would also like to know what your expectations are for Cyber Valley.

     
    When?

    Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 17:45–19:45 CEST.

     
    Where?

    Hochschule der Medien
    Nobelstraße 10
    70569 Stuttgart

     

    Travel arrangements

    We will organise free transport from Tübingen. Please indicate on the registration form if you would like to use this. Further details regarding transportation will be sent closer to the event. 

     

    Registration

    Please register via this registration form. The number of participants for the event is limited. We look forward to meeting you as well as sharing some food, drinks and stimulating conversations!