About the Academy
"Close cooperation between research and industry makes it possible to translate scientific findings directly into practical solutions in the health sector and to anchor innovative approaches in the regional economy. This is an area in which the University of Bonn has a very broad research spectrum and thus also a very large innovation potential, as can be seen, for example, in the GO-Bio projects," emphasizes Sandra Speer, head of the Transfer Center enaCom at the University of Bonn.
A board of experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics (FKIE), the University of Siegen, the Cologne-Bonn Health Region, and others identifies the challenges faced by companies and brings them together with researchers and students. Together, the participants develop practical solutions in the co-working space of DIGITALHUB.DE – always with a focus on digital health, sustainability, diversity, and equality. The project will start in January 2026 and will be funded for three years.
The Academy is thus setting new standards for cooperation between science and industry: “It is a decisive step toward pooling the strengths of the region, improving healthcare in the long term, and promoting diversity, equality, and innovation in SMEs,” explains Vera Gräper, CEO of DIGITALHUB.DE.
Expected impact of the project
Support will be provided to nearly 60 SMEs, which will create new jobs through the solutions developed, particularly for women and diverse individuals. In addition to securing skilled workers, the project will help improve the competitiveness of companies and promote non-discriminatory, sustainable structures. The results will be multiplied via the academy network and the participating partners, so that the effects extend beyond the region and new market opportunities and transferable business models emerge in the long term.
About the funding
North Rhine-Westphalia is characterized by its regional diversity. The “Regio.NRW – Transformation” funding program from the EFRE/JTF program NRW 2021–2027 supports projects that make a significant contribution to successfully shaping regional transformation processes while taking into account the specific profiles of the individual regions.