City of Light Jena visits "location twin" Erlangen

40 entrepreneurs at the business exchange in twin city on 02.06.2022

Jena entrepreneurs were able to make new contacts with Bavaria yesterday, Thursday. Around 40 participants from business and the city visited the twin city of Erlangen and took the opportunity to gain in-depth insights into the economic structure of the high-tech location in Franconia. Specifically, the program included visits to companies and institutes on the topics of "Physics of Light", hydrogen technologies, start-up culture and urban development. The trip was organized by the city administration and the Jena Economic Development Agency (JenaWirtschaft).

"We have had close and friendly ties with our twin city Erlangen for 35 years," said Jena's Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche. "I am delighted at the keen interest shown by Jena's business community in getting to know the innovative strength of Erlangen's economy at first hand in this anniversary year and to further deepen our existing contacts."

The Jena delegation was welcomed by Erlangen's Lord Mayor Dr. Florian Janik. The guests from the City of Light were treated to an extensive day program, which appropriately began at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light. On site, the scientists presented current projects in quantum optics and nanophotonics. New methods for diagnosing Covid-19 are particularly promising, and this is not the only thing that Jena and Erlangen have in common in terms of business and science.

"Just like Jena, Erlangen is a successful business and high-tech location," says Wilfried Röpke, Head of Economic Development in Jena. "Both cities are almost like twins: they are roughly the same size, are home to internationally renowned universities and companies, are home to strong industries and each has around 25,000 young people studying there." This combination makes both locations fit for the future and economically strong. "There is a similar spirit of innovation here as in Jena ," summarized Röpke after the trip.

Companies that are dedicated to the opportunities and challenges of the coming years and decades are particularly fit for the future. This is where important synergies between Erlangen and Jena can be created and further developed. One of the companies visited on site was Hydrogenius LOHC Technologies GmbH, which develops technologies for storing and transporting hydrogen. According to Peggy Bärenklau, Managing Director of the Jena-based company Heracle, the company visit to Erlangen was the reason for her to take part in the business trip to the twin city:

"Among other things, we ourselves develop special fibers for sensor technology on hydrogen tanks, so the delegation visit is a great opportunity to get a closer look at the user."

And of course, the Jena delegation also visited the Siemens AG campus, the city's largest employer. The large-scale construction project in the south of Erlangen evoked direct associations with the Jena ZEISS Campus among the participants. The SIEMENS AG research site will be developed into a lively district with an attractive campus, modern offices and generous open and green spaces on an area of around 540,000 square meters by 2030. Erlangen is primarily known as the 'German capital of medical technology' due to the approximately 23,000 employees in the SIEMENS healthcare division.

According to business promoter Röpke, both cities benefit from a regular exchange in order to build new relationships and maintain existing ones. The participants took the opportunity for an informal exchange in the evening at the traditional Erlangen Bergkirchweih, one of the oldest folk festivals in the world.

Background

The business trip to Erlangen on 2 June 2022 included the following program items

• Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light with group tours of the individual departments
• Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies GmbH with guided tours in groups
• Guided tour of Siemens Campus Erlangen followed by a discussion on the Siemens Campus Erlangen
• Visit to the old town; guided tour with business consultant Konrad Beugel
• Erlangen-Jena business exchange/ get-together and conclusion at the Bergkirchweih tapping with Mayor Dr. Florian Janik, Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche and Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, Riverside