The German Indian Innovation Corridor was launched at the Indian Embassy on the 25th of June, 2024 with a confluence of politics, business and academia present in the reception hall of the India – Germany Innovation Dialogue.
The launch was kickstarted by his excellency – Mr Parvathaneni Harish, Ambassador of India to Germany, who delivered a keynote speech highlighting India’s strength in IT, its vast market, and its deep talent pool, positioning India as a global hub for digital, financial, and manufacturing innovation.
Following the ambassador – Mr Ralph Brinkhaus, Member of the German Parliament (MdB) and Chair of the German-Indian Parliamentary Group enthusiastically addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the bilateral relationship between Germany and India through technological and innovative collaboration. Mr Jochen Zimmermann, Head of Start-ups and Digital Hubs at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action also spoke, focusing on Germany’s commitment to supporting innovation and start-ups.
The first panel discussion, titled “India as a Destination for Deep Tech Innovation through R&D,” featured esteemed panellists including Dr Andreas Middendorf from Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik Deutschland, Fraunhofer Society, Dr Svend Buhl, Head of Government Affairs Germany and Chair of the Global Government Affairs Board at NXP Semiconductors, and Prof. Dr. Peter Konhäusner, Vice President of Gisma University of Applied Sciences. Dr. Rainer Seider, Head of International Affairs at the Senate Chancellery in Berlin and a founding member for GIIC delivered an address following the panel discussion, further highlighting the significance of international collaboration in innovation between India and Germany.
The second panel discussion, “The New Age Innovation Network – Startups and New Collaboration Models,” featured panellists such as Ms Kristin Eckert, Global Lead for Business Development & Strategic Lead at Start2 Group, Mr Hemanth Sheelvanth, Global Director and CEO of Bosch Digital Twin Industries, Ms Lydia Bierwirth, Head of Technology Communications at Siemens, and Mr Thomas Duscha, CEO of Swobbee. This discussion, moderated by Mr Siddharth Bhasin, Managing Director of GIIC, focussed on the evolving landscape of start-ups and innovative collaboration models.
Mr. Jan Lachenmayer, Chair of the Executive Board at GIIC finally provided a summary of the discussions, followed by a vote of thanks from the Embassy of India.
The India-Germany Innovation Dialogue hosted by GIIC as an inaugural event marking the birth of the German Indian Innovation Corridor aims to highlight the emerging paradigms of collaboration between the two nations, harnessing the strengths and competencies of both countries to drive technological advancements and economic growth. The event promised to be a significant milestone in strengthening the innovative and technological ties between India and Germany.
