Innovation network for “Hybrid systems with printed electronics“ launched in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region
A research and development network for 'Hybrid Systems with Printed Electronics' (Hidronik) started in July 2020 with a funding of €144 000 from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy within the framework of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM) under the coordination of ENERGIEregion Nürnberg e.V.
The network offers medium-sized companies the opportunity to develop innovative products, materials and processes in the field of hybrid electronics and to market them subsequently.
Dr Michael Fraas, economic affairs officer of the City of Nuremberg and chairman of the board of the Competence Initiative ENERGIEregion Nürnberg e.V., says: "The Nuremberg Metropolitan Region is a strong location for printed electronics. The market for printed electronics is expected to grow to about €60bn by 2024. This offers great potential for important industries in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region such as automotive, energy, buildings, logistics and pharmaceuticals. We also want small and medium-sized companies to participate in this. With the research and development network 'Hybrid Systems with Printed Electronics', we are consistently focusing on innovation from the medium-sized companies in this future-oriented field.
"Due to the rapidly advancing trend of the Internet of Things and the associated increased demand for intelligent electronic products, the technical requirements for established products are also increasing. In the future, three elementary properties will be decisive for their success: thin, flexible and light. Printed electronics is a key technology for this. By developing hybrid electronic systems that combine the advantages and properties of printed and conventional electronic components, the new performance requirements can be transferred to established electronic products or completely new products can be developed. In addition, the consumption of resources can be significantly limited by hybrid systems, thus contributing to environmental and climate protection. This is an attractive market that medium-sized companies from the Nuremberg metropolitan region and beyond want to develop in Hidronik together with universities and research institutes," says ENERGIEregion managing director Dr Jens Hauch, explaining the project.
The development of the network and the acquisition of the project funds are based on the preliminary work of the two ENERGIEregion employees Dr Thomas Kunz and Simon Reichenwallner, who will continue to support Hidronik with their respective expertise. The ENERGIEregion was able to win Wolfgang Mildner for the management of the network management, who will perform this task in addition to his previous activities. Mildner has been working in printed and hybrid electronics for many years. He is fellow of the OE-A and general chair of LOPEC, the leading trade fair for printed electronics. Wolfgang Mildner brings to Hidronik his extensive expertise and his worldwide network: "I am pleased to make my contribution so that this future-oriented topic can be promoted accordingly and soon become visible on the market in the form of products!”
In addition to the current partners Automatic Research GmbH, Enerthing GmbH, Fraunhofer IISB, GSB-Wahl GmbH, Hof University of Applied Sciences, Metawell GmbH, Neotech AMT GmbH, SEHO Systems GmbH, Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Hidronik is open to participation by other companies and scientific institutions from all over Germany.
Caption: Wolfgang Mildner (head of the ZIM cooperation network "Hidronik"), Dr Hans-Joachim Egelhaaf (group leader Solar Factory of the Future at ZAE Bayern), Dr Jens Hauch (managing member of the board at ENERGIEregion Nürnberg e. V.) and Dr Michael Fraas (economic advisor to the City of Nuremberg and chairman of the board of ENERGIEregion Nürnberg e.V.), show some possibilities for hybrid applications (from left to right). (photo: ENERGIEregion Nürnberg e.V. / Photographer: Alisa Zellner)