How would you define a smart city?
“Smart city” is a difficult term; it can mean everything or nothing. The metropolitan area encompasses numerous fields of application that can be summarized under this heading. I focus primarily on the components of infrastructure and mobility. City administrations and citizens have different expectations and goals: A city should be livable, offer good air quality, and have as little traffic congestion as possible. Achieving these goals requires intelligent components – in the area of transportation for example control systems and monitoring technologies. In my understanding, a smart city is not necessarily one that is overloaded with technology, but one that is intelligently planned and manages with as little technology as possible which is used in a targeted manner, however.
What role does the topic of smart cities play for your company?
As a start-up and innovation center, UnternehmerTUM aims to translate promising ideas from science into practice. This includes bringing together suitable co-founders, providing access to venture capital and funding, and identifying suitable customers for the ideas of start-up founders. This is also where our connection to the topic of smart cities lies, as many of these start-ups are developing solutions for urban challenges. We also collaborate with industry and business to boost innovation.
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How can urban infrastructure be made resilient?
Infrastructure can be damaged or attacked in many ways. Recently, there have been an increasing number of drone attacks, as well as fires in Deutsche Bahn’s data cables. The crucial question is how such acts of sabotage or attacks can be prevented. The answer lies in redundant, fault-tolerant and diversely designed systems. Germany is better in this area than its reputation suggests. We have various types of infrastructure: if the roads aren’t working, you can switch to the railways. Other countries lack these alternatives. That’s why it’s important to maintain our infrastructure and treat it with care.
How is UnternehmerTUM active in the infrastructure sector?
We support numerous start-ups that deal with these issues. One very successful example from our ranks is Konux, which specializes in sensor technology and predictive maintenance for rail infrastructure. The company detects faults so that, ideally, malfunctions can be rectified before they occur. Other start-ups monitor passenger flows and can warn of crowding or luggage congestion on trains. We support these companies with capital and access to investors and customers, thereby contributing to the creation of resilient infrastructure systems.
What are currently the biggest challenges for start-ups?
Compared to the US or China, access to venture capital is more difficult in Germany. Another problem is the fragmented legal situation within the European Union. The US market is more attractive for scaling because it is more uniform and less fragmented. The venture capital market in this country needs to be simplified and trade barriers between European countries removed. In addition, Europe is a more linguistically heterogeneous construct than the US.
What are currently the biggest challenges in implementing mobility projects?
When I think about mobility in Germany, a lot of it has to do with the slow pace of implementation of infrastructure projects. This is not a technical problem. Rather, legal and bureaucratic processes, as well as overly extensive public participation procedures, are significantly slowing down progress. We don’t have to look to China to learn how to implement projects quickly – a look at our own past is enough: What worked better for us in the 1960s? The speed at which railway lines are implemented in France can also serve as a model for us. The Paris-Bordeaux line, with around 500 kilometers of new line construction, is an impressive example.
What solutions and approaches can help?
We can learn a lot from other regions and countries. Not everything is bad here: We have numerous test fields for autonomous driving, and legislators are working to enable corresponding experimental and pilot projects. However, the challenge lies in the transition to widespread implementation, which is often hampered by costly approval procedures or data protection concerns.
What approaches would be most effective in advancing projects?
Some steps are already being taken: Legal deadlines and time frames are being shortened, which is the right move. Another important point would be a procedure similar to that in France: Once the economic benefits of a project have been established, subordinate organizations or state institutions such as states or local authorities should no longer be able to delay projects by filing lawsuits.
Where do you see UnternehmerTUM in the next five years?
For us, it is crucial to strengthen European networking, break down barriers between countries, and see ourselves more as a European entity. If an investor invests in a German start-up, it should be able to operate throughout Europe if it is successful. This would also make Europe less dependent on the US. We must ensure that more large companies come from Europe in the future. Issues such as the energy transition and competitiveness can also be addressed more efficiently if we leverage Europe’s specific regional strengths. Cooperation with large and medium-sized companies is also an important pillar. We want to provide even stronger support to companies to help them be innovative and competitive.
What role does local support in the Munich region play for you?
In addition to numerous partnerships with various companies, the Bavarian capital of Munich is an important partner for us. The city is doing a good job in many areas. We would sometimes like to see even more pragmatism, but in terms of infrastructure and long-term strategies, we are on the right track.
Is there anything you would like to share with the various players in the smart city sector?
You can contact us at any time. We often have more potential solutions to problems than you might expect. It is important to listen to the challenges faced by the various players. In general, I would always advise remaining pragmatic when faced with a wide variety of challenges.
With more than 100 high-growth technology start-ups each year, UnternehmerTUM is the leading center for start-ups and innovation in Europe. The non-profit limited liability company was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Susanne Klatten.