STIFTUNG FUR TECHNOLOGIE INNOVATIONUND FORSCHUNG THURINGEN

The Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thüringen (STIFT) is a non-commercial foundation (governed by public law), established by the Free State of Thuringia in 1993 for the purpose of promoting science, research and innovation.

According to the foundation’s mission, STIFT acts as a small-scale co-investor for highly promising start-ups. STIFT also provides (co-)funding for related local start-up projects and participates itself in projects and activities aiming at: - transfer and exchange of knowledge and research results - better access to innovation for Start-ups and SMEs - raising awareness on research and innovation. STIFT has more than 28 years of experience in organizing technology- and innovation-related events and is well-connected to all regional and many national innovations service providers, related stakeholders and institutions.

STIFT is initiator of two high-profile annual events, the “Innovation Award Thuringia” which awards outstanding technological developments of Thuringian SMEs as well as the “Investor Days Thuringia” which connects prospective start-ups with SMEs and potential investors. Hosting the regional start-up initiative “ThEx innovativ”, STIFT is also a main local actor in the start-up community. This entrepreneurial engagement of STIFT has developed to a very efficient source for the EEN Thuringia in terms of client acquisition, as many of these innovative companies ultimately consider cross-border business, technology or research cooperation. With regard to the support of entrepreneurship, STIFT also establishes start-up and technology application centres in Thuringia, currently 5 are in full operation. Their thematic focus is in the fields of microsystem technology, TV production and children’s media, creative industry, intelligent construction as well as optical fibre technology.