Plant-based Bioeconomy in Central Germany – A Mapping of Actors, Industries and Places
Wilfried Ehrenfeld, Frieder Kropfhäußer
Technology Analysis and Strategic Management,
Nr. 5,
2017
Abstract
The bioeconomy links industrial and agricultural research and production and is expected to provide growth, particularly in rural areas. However, it is still unclear which companies, research institutes and universities make up the bioeconomy. This makes it difficult to evaluate the policy measures that support the bioeconomy. The aim of this article is to provide an inventory of relevant actors in the three Central German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. First we take an in-depth look at the different sectors, outline the industries involved, note the location and age of the enterprises and examine the distribution of important European industrial activity classification (NACE) codes. Our results underline the fact that established industry classifications are insufficient in identifying the plant-based bioeconomy population. We also question the overly optimistic statements regarding growth potentials in rural areas and employment potentials in general.
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Effekte der Frühphasenunterstützung von Gründungen aus öffentlichen Forschungseinrichtungen – Das Beispiel Max-Planck-Innovation
D. Göktepe-Hultén, Viktor Slavtchev
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
Nr. 1,
2017
Abstract
Unternehmensgründungen durch Wissenschaftler werden als wichtiger Kanal zur Kommerzialisierung von Wissen und Technologien aus öffentlichen Forschungseinrichtungen und daher als Motor der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung angesehen. Jedoch fehlen Wissenschaftlern oft wichtige unternehmerische Fähigkeiten und Kapital, sodass sie auf Unterstützung angewiesen sind. Am Beispiel der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft in Deutschland wird hier untersucht, inwiefern Unterstützung durch die öffentliche Forschungseinrichtung für angehende Gründer in der Frühphase den Gründungs- und Kommerzialisierungsprozess beschleunigen kann. Die Max-Planck-Gesellschaft ist eine der weltweit führenden Einrichtungen im Bereich der Grundlagenforschung und verfügt zudem mit Max-Planck-Innovation über eine Transfereinheit, die dezidiert und erfolgreich die Kommerzialisierung von Forschungsergebnissen aus der Gesellschaft vorantreibt. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung zeigen, dass die Unterstützung durch öffentliche Forschungseinrichtungen die frühe Erstellung eines tragfähigen Business-Plans und die frühe Akquise externen Kapitals fördert, sodass unterstützte Start-ups früher am Markt sind und Umsätze realisieren.
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Support for Public Research Spin-offs by the Parent Organizations and the Speed of Commercialization
D. Göktepe-Hultén, Viktor Slavtchev
Journal of Technology Transfer,
Nr. 6,
2016
Abstract
We empirically analyze whether support by the parent organization in the early (nascent and seed) stage speeds up the process of commercialization and helps spin-offs from public research organizations generate first revenues sooner. To identify the impact of support by the parent organization, we apply multivariate regression techniques as well as an instrumental variable approach. Our results show that support in the early stage by the parent organization can speed up commercialization. Moreover, we identify two distinct channels—the help in developing a business plan and in acquiring external capital—through which support by the parent organization can enable spin-offs to generate first revenues sooner.
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Is the 'Central German Metropolitan Region' Spatially Integrated? An Empirical Assessment of Commuting Relations
Albrecht Kauffmann
Urban Studies,
Nr. 9,
2016
Abstract
The 'Central German Metropolitan Region' is a network of cities and their surroundings, located in the three East-German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. It was founded to bring the bundled strengths of these cities into an inter-municipal cooperation, for making use of the possible advantages of a polycentric region. As theory claims, a precondition for gains from polycentricity is spatial integration of the region. In particular, markets for high skilled labour should be integrated. To assess how this precondition is fulfilled in Central Germany, in the framework of a doubly constrained gravity model the commuting relations between the functional regions of the (until 2013) 11 core cities of the network are analysed. In particular for higher educated employees, the results display that commuting relations are determined not only by distance, but also by the state borders that cross the area.
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Support for Public Research Spin-offs by the Parent Organizations and the Speed of Commercialization
Viktor Slavtchev, D. Göktepe-Hultén
Abstract
We empirically analyze whether support by the parent organization in the early (nascent and seed) stage speeds up the process of commercialization and helps spin-offs from public research organizations generate first revenues sooner. To identify the impact of support by the parent organization, we apply multivariate regression techniques as well as an instrumental variable approach. Our results show that support in the early stage by the parent organization can speed up commercialization. Moreover, we identify two distinct channels - the help in developing a business plan and in acquiring external capital - through which support by the parent organization can enable spin-offs to generate first revenues sooner.
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Plant-based Bioeconomy in Central Germany - Mapping of Actors, Industries and Places
Wilfried Ehrenfeld, Frieder Kropfhäußer
Abstract
The challenges facing the 21st century, presented by a growing global population, range from food security to sustainable energy supplies to the diminishing availability of fossil raw materials. An attempt to solve these problems is made by using the concept of bioeconomy. Plants, in particular, possess an important function in this context - they can be used either as a source of food or, in the form of biomass, for industrial or energy purposes. Linking industrial and agricultural research and production, bioeconomy provides growth potential, in particular in rural areas.
The aim of this article is therefore to outline the status of plant-based bioeconomy
in three states of Central Germany - Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia - and to compare this to German plant-based bioeconomy. We take an in-depth look at the different sectors and outline the industries involved, the location and age of the enterprises as well as the distribution of important NACE codes. In conclusion, we highlight the significant number of new or small enterprises and the high research and innovation rate of Central Germany. We also stress the future potential of Central German plant-based bioeconomy as well as the importance of a more plant-focusedview of the technology sector.
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Start-up Competitions as an Instrument of Entrepreneurship Policy: The German Experience
Michael Schwartz, Maximilian Göthner, Claus Michelsen, N. Waldmann
European Planning Studies,
Nr. 10,
2013
Abstract
The number of aspiring entrepreneurs in high-tech industries who successfully complete the transition from a nascent start-up project towards an operational new venture is comparatively low in Germany. Since the mid-1990s, policy-makers have initiated numerous start-up competitions (SUCs or business plan competitions) to facilitate this important step in the venture creation process. SUCs have two key objectives. They are aimed at increasing start-up activity by motivating potential entrepreneurs, while they should also help to increase the likelihood of subsequent entrepreneurial success through providing necessary entrepreneurial skills to prospective entrepreneurs. With our explorative study, we provide the first comprehensive empirical evidence from a cross-sectional survey of existing SUCs in Germany. Overall, 71 SUCs are identified which are analysed regarding their development, regional distribution, and main structural characteristics. Finally, we outline an agenda of future research questions concerning the effectiveness and efficiency of SUCs as an instrument of entrepreneurship policy.
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Zur Zukunft der Energiepreise: Ergebnisse eines Expertenworkshops am IWH
Sebastian Rosenschon
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
Nr. 3,
2011
Abstract
Im Forschungskontext des in der Abteilung Stadtökonomik am IWH durchgeführten Projektes „Energetische Aufwertung und Stadtentwicklung (EASE)“ fand am 10. Dezember 2010 ein Expertenworkshop statt. Ziel des
Workshops war es, die globalen Zusammenhänge im Spannungsfeld zwischen zukünftiger Energienachfrageentwicklung und Energieträgerverfügbarkeit, technologischen Möglichkeiten und den Herausforderungen durch den Klimawandel zu beleuchten. Im Fokus standen dabei die Entwicklung der Energienachfrage der industriell aufstrebenden Nationen China und Indien, die zukünftigen Veränderungen des Energieträgermixes in Deutschland sowie der Einfluss internationaler und nationaler Klimaschutzpolitik. Gemeinsam mit den vortragenden Experten diskutierten Vertreter aus Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft, Verbänden und Politik die zu erwartenden Effekte auf die Entwicklung der Energiepreise.
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