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Looking back at the last LabVisits organized in Strasbourg and that had contribute to the knowledges and technologies transfer in the Upper Rhine region. 

1st LabVisit- The medical robotic in action at ICube x ROSCon FR&DE

On November 20, 2025, as part of ROSCon FR&DE, an exclusive LabVisit was organized on the IRIS platform of the ICube laboratory in Strasbourg. 

The French and German ROS communities came together to exchange on advances in robotics, artificial intelligence and open-source systems. Participants discovered how the combinaison of mechatronics, real-time control, and ROS 2-based applications enables the design and prototyping of the medical robots of tomorrow. 

Beyond technological discovery, this LabVisit helped strenghten the links between academia and industry, while paving the way for new collaborations in the healthcare sector. 

2nd LabVisit- The medical robotic in action at ICube x ROSCon FR&DE

On February 4, 2026, INSA Strasbourg opened the doors of its Topography platform, as part of a LabVisit dedicated to 3D measurement technologies and their application in heritage enhancement.

Participants discovered the processes used for modeling and digitally reconstructing castles in the Upper Rhine region. Discussions with research teams highlighted the use of cutting-edge tools (drones, laser scanners, photogrammetry, and geographic information systems) to accurately capture and analyze these historic sites.

This LabVisit showcased the richness of collaboration between engineers, archaeologists, and regional stakeholders, and illustrated the concrete applications of these technologies in the fields of heritage, research, and science communication.

3rd LabVisit - At the heart of future technologies at INSA

On April 8, 2026, INSA Strasbourg hosted a LabVisit dedicated to drone technologies and their applications in environmental monitoring and civil security.

The cross-border HEDRAF project, carried out in collaboration with the CNRS (ICPEES laboratory) and the University of Freiburg, was presented to participants. They discovered a concentration of innovations through the development of a new-generation drone designed for rapid field deployment and real-time air quality analysis.

Beyond a simple technological demonstration, this event highlighted the growing role of drones as both scientific and operational tools, serving environmental monitoring and risk management.

Coming soon - 2 LabVisits in Germany

More information will be shared shortly.

How does entrepreneurial spirit emerge in an international context? In this episode of Rhinepreneurs, we focus on the KTUR Summer School – a program that brings together students and young talents from different disciplines to collaborate on innovative ideas and develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

This episode is hosted by Océane Marie from the University of Strasbourg. She speaks with two Summer School alumni about how the program works in practice, the academic and personal insights they gained, and the important role that international collaboration played in their development. The episode also explores how such initiatives can open up new perspectives – and sometimes even shape one’s career path.

What is RHINEPRENEURS?
  RHINEPRENEURS is a format within Tomorrow’s Founders dedicated to entrepreneurship in the Upper Rhine region, at the crossroads of Germany, France, and Switzerland. Hosted by Sandra, it features founders, experts, and innovators sharing their experiences, challenges, and opportunities related to entrepreneurship and innovation.

This episode is in English.

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The podcast is part of the KTUR – Knowledge Transfer Upper Rhine project, a network of 15 core partners, including the EUCOR universities, along with 40 associated partners across the Upper Rhine region. KTUR aims to strengthen cross-border collaboration and innovation, fostering new momentum for the regional startup ecosystem.

How can investments create both profit and positive change?
 In the second episode of the Rhinepreneurs podcast, presented by KTUR (Knowledge Transfer Upper Rhine), host Sandra dives deep into the world of impact investing with Claire Weiss, Analyst at Phitrust – one of Europe’s pioneers in this field.

From Idealism to Impact

Claire’s journey into impact investing began with a simple but powerful question: How can economic activity align with personal values? Growing up in Alsace, with parents working as doctors, Claire was inspired early on by the idea of making a meaningful difference. During her studies at Sciences Po and her Erasmus year at KIT Karlsruhe, she discovered her passion for social entrepreneurship — and eventually found her way to Phitrust in Paris.

Inside Phitrust: Investing for Change

Founded more than 20 years ago, Phitrust was one of the first companies in Europe to focus on combining financial success with measurable social impact.Today, it manages over €100 million across four investment funds, supporting more than 40 social enterprises in areas such as inclusion, health, and education.

As an impact analyst, Claire’s work bridges analysis and empathy: from evaluating business models and assessing risks to engaging with founders who aim to solve pressing social problems. Her role shows that impact investing isn’t just about numbers — it’s about people, trust, and shared values.

Measuring What Matters

One of the core challenges in impact investing is measuring the real difference an investment makes.
 Phitrust has developed its own impact methodology, refined over two decades, and uses established frameworks like the Theory of Change and the Impact Management Project (IMP). These tools help assess both financial and social results — ensuring that every investment contributes to meaningful change.

Advice for Start-ups: Purpose Meets Performance

Claire also shares insights for founders approaching impact investors. Many underestimate how demanding - yet rewarding - the process can be. Her advice: combine purpose with performance. A strong impact story must go hand in hand with a solid business model. And just as important: be authentic, transparent, and ready for a long-term partnership. As Claire puts it, investing with Phitrust is “almost like a marriage” - based on trust, patience, and shared values.

Looking Ahead: When Impact Becomes the Norm

Claire hopes that one day, impact won’t be seen as a special category of investing — but as the standard. In her words, “Impact should no longer be a trend or a special case, but an integral part of the economy and society.”🎧 Listen to the full conversation:

 👉 RhinepreneursEpisode 2: Inside Impact Venture Capital:

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcast

Interview with Romina Kolb, Director of the Scientific Continuing Education Institute at Hochschule Karlsruhe (HKA), and Charlotte Joumier, Continuing Education Engineering Officer for KTUR² at the Continuing Education Service of the University of Strasbourg (UNISTRA).

The Continuing Education work priority aims to strengthen the skills of professionals in the Upper Rhine region, particularly in the health sector and the cross-border industrial field. It promotes cooperation between university continuing-education institutes, economic stakeholders, and institutions from the three countries, in order to identify skills needs and address them through adapted, concrete, cross-border and innovative training programs.

Question 1. Understanding the Needs of Economic Stakeholders
How do you identify the skills needs in the targeted sectors? 

Romina Kolb: We are conducting cross-border surveys and interviews with companies and healthcare actors in the Upper Rhine region. Combining quantitative and qualitative insights, we identify emerging skill trends and align regional specificities with a shared transnational strategy for workforce development. The close collaboration between the University of Strasbourg and the University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe allows us to share best practices and develop innovative approaches in continuing education.

If you want to take part in shaping the trainings of tomorrow,
please take a few minutes to tell us about your company’s training needs.

Question 2. Building on Regional Stakeholders
What types of partnerships are you establishing to co-develop these training offers? 

Charlotte Joumier: We are building partnerships with regional universities and employment agencies, to align our continuing education programmes with labour market needs in health and industry across the Upper Rhine. Upcoming collaborations with IHK/CCI and innovation agencies will boost visibility, connect us directly with companies, and ensure practical training offers rooted in regional realities and sustainable continuing education.

Question 3. Designing Relevant Cross-Border Training
What will the continuing education programs developed in the project look like? 

Romina Kolb: The design of the continuing education programmes is currently in the preparatory phase. Based on the results of our needs assessment, we will focus on key topics tailored to regional priorities. We also take cultural, linguistic, and regulatory differences between Germany, Switzerland and France into account. With regard to formats, we are pursuing a flexible approach. Combining in-person and online formats, these programmes will foster collaboration, accessibility, and innovation across borders.

Question 4. Organizing Pilot Training Sessions
When and how will the first cross-border training sessions be launched? 

Charlotte Joumier: The first cross-border pilot runs of the continuing education programmes will be planned in spring 2026 after the needs analyses have been evaluated. The first training courses are scheduled to start in November 2026. We are already focusing on several major themes: digital transition, cross-border transversal skills, and social and ecological transition.

Question 5. Towards a Sustainable and Structured Offering
How do you plan to ensure the sustainability of this dynamic after the project ends? 

Charlotte Joumier: To ensure lasting impact, we aim to create an alliance for cross-border continuing education in the Upper Rhine region. This network is intended to connect continuing education institutes and maintain long-term contact with companies and other regional partners. This close collaboration should ensure that the continuing education programmes not only close short-term skill gaps, but also contribute to securing skilled labour and competitiveness in the Upper Rhine region in the long term.

A key objective of the KTUR² project is to improve access to financing for early-stage innovation in the Upper Rhine by mapping existing funding instruments, identifying on-the-ground needs, and building sustainable, cross-border networks.
Prof. Dr. Dennis Steininger (Chair of Entrepreneurship, RPTU) and Dr. Alessandro Mazzetti (Head of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Deputy Managing Director, Innovation Office, University of Basel), members of Work Package 4 dedicated to financing and innovation networks, share their insights on the region’s challenges, good practices, and the path toward a future trinational innovation fund.

Question 1. Mapping what already exists

How do you approach the diversity of funding instruments in such a complex, cross-border region?

Dennis:
« We have now finished the mapping for all three countries. A wide mix of instruments shows up: public grants, regional programmes, private venture capital pools, etc. France’s funding landscape is highly centralised, whereas Germany is fragmented into many small, sometimes competing hubs. The biggest barrier is access: warm introductions are still needed to get past the information asymmetry. »

Alessandro:
« Fragmentation and strong asymmetries (e.g. public funding in FR/DE vs. private funding in CH) are indeed very evident, and create a gap that is much less present in non-cross-boundary ecosystems (e.g. Silicon Valley in the US, Golden Triangle in the UK). »

Question 2. Identifying needs and good practices

How do you gather input from stakeholders and identify what’s truly needed on the ground?

Dennis:
« We have conducted several interviews with key actors from the KTUR ecosystem: funders, innovators and university researchers. Best practice examples are mentioned only sporadically; recurring pain points are tax and legal differences, lack of cross-border networks and entry barriers. The clear demand is for structured networks that can deliver real contacts and hands-on support. »

Question 3. Creating targeted networks

You’ve planned to set up three trinational networks focused on different funding types. What progress has been made so far?

Dennis:
« The three trinational networks — venture capital, public funding and open innovation — are still being assembled. The majority of interested people are investors. We are planning regular meetings to exchange best practices, validate needs and involve partners such as banks, business angels, research institutes and regional development agencies. »

Alessandro:
« We started planning and we have some ideas we believe can be quite interesting. We wish to implement exchange formats where similar stakeholders can interact with each other, creating synergies, but also where silos can be broken and different types of stakeholders will be able to talk to each other – to possibly find out how to complement each other. »

Question 4. Designing concrete matchmaking formats

A trinational investor speed-dating event has already been organized and will take place again. Can you tell us more about it?

Dennis:
« Our trinational investor speed dating aims to link innovative ideas with the right capital and enable cross-border deals. Preparation is complete: many startups applied, and a few will even be postponed to the next round because of oversubscription. At present the event is sector agnostic; future editions will potentially feature industry-specific tracks. »

Question 5. Toward a cross-border innovation fund

You're working on a roadmap for setting up a trinational innovation fund. What’s the vision behind it?

Dennis:
« The roadmap for a trinational innovation fund is taking shape. Initial analyses confirm a strong need, but the exact model will be refined within the networks and the work package. »

Alessandro:
« The landscape of knowledge and technology transfer is shifting, and the methodologies are changing – and startup creation is becoming the vehicle for this. In the Upper Rhine, similarly to the general continental Europe situation, there is a strong gap in early-stage funding to translate scientific discoveries from the lab to the market, and a trinational fund, regardless of the model, would bring the Upper Rhine to the level of the global best. »