The ZEISS Innovation Hub @ KIT is a milestone in the long-standing partnership between ZEISS and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). In the new building on KIT's North Campus, ZEISS enables high-tech and digital start-ups to settle and drives forward its own innovation and new business activities. Successful collaborations and projects have already been established since spring 2020.
The Innovation Hub began operations in January 2020 - so far without a grand opening due to the pandemic. This was made up for in a virtual event in January 2021. In addition to ZEISS and KIT, users of the new 12,000 square meter building on KIT's North Campus include Nanoscribe, a company active in 3D printing and microfabrication, as well as current and future start-ups and spin-offs from both partners.
A review of the past year shows that the ZEISS Innovation Hub for Nanoscribe offers excellent opportunities for the research and development of new, customized solutions for microfabrication in research and industry. The new production line for Quantum X, a maskless lithography system with nanometer precision, is located in the Innovation Hub and the first devices have already been delivered in 2020, which has contributed significantly to the company's sales growth.
The first four start-ups have moved into the KIT high-tech incubator (Voxalytic, microworks, Aquarray and HS Analysis) and the chemistry labs have been completed. The ZEISS team has launched a series of collaborations with academic partners in the fields of medical robotics and distance measurement with integrated photonics. Further topics and a corresponding expansion of the team are already being planned.
