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The sixth edition of the trinational KTUR Summer School brought together students from 12 universities across Strasbourg, Basel and Freiburg for a week of entrepreneurship, innovation and collaboration. With 13 nationalities represented, this year’s edition further strengthened the programme’s international dimension, fostering a rich exchange of ideas, perspectives and experiences. Combining practical learning, real-world insights and a strong team spirit, the Summer School gave participants the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills and turn their ideas into promising start-up projects.

Throughout the week, students attended sessions on market strategy and business models led by academic teachers and entrepreneurship professionals. A particular highlight was the opportunity to learn directly from founders with hands-on entrepreneurial experience, who shared their journeys, insights and practical advice. Their first-hand perspectives offered participants valuable insights into the realities of building a start-up, complementing the academic input and helping them better understand the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship.

Putting theory into practice, participants worked in six teams to develop their own start-up projects. Along the way, they benefited from the guidance of experienced professionals and entrepreneurs, who provided constructive feedback and practical recommendations to help them refine their concepts and prepare for real-world market challenges. The collaborative atmosphere encouraged creativity, open discussion and problem-solving, while bringing together students from diverse academic, cultural and national backgrounds.

Pitch Day: from Ideas to Projects

The highlight of the week was Pitch Day, when the six teams presented their projects to a panel of experts. After a week of intensive work, two teams stood out and received awards in recognition of their achievements.

• Reclaim received the Best Project Award for its concept of boxes designed to encourage digital disconnection, offering an innovative response to the challenges of our increasingly connected lives.
• Meeple received the Best Team Award for its app designed to facilitate exchanges between entrepreneurs and experts, fostering meaningful connections and making expertise more accessible.

Congratulations to both winning teams, and to all participants for their commitment, creativity and enthusiasm throughout the week! Their ideas, collaborative spirit and willingness to learn made this edition a great success.

Fostering Entrepreneurship Across Borders

Beyond the projects themselves, the KTUR Summer School 2026 once again demonstrated the value of bringing together students from different universities, countries and backgrounds. With 13 nationalities represented, the programme provided an increasingly international environment in which participants could exchange perspectives, build connections and learn from one another.

By combining academic knowledge, first-hand insights from start-up founders, professional guidance and collaborative teamwork, the Summer School created the conditions for entrepreneurial ideas to flourish and ambitions to take shape. As a project of strategic importance for cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine region, this initiative is supported by the Interreg Upper Rhine programme.

We look forward to welcoming the next generation of entrepreneurial minds at the KTUR Summer School next year!

Are you a German, Swiss, or French company active in one of the following fields: pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, innovative therapies, pharmaceutical technologies, CDMO, start-ups and SMEs in development or industrialization, or cleanroom-related activities?

If so, you are invited to come and discover, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, three complementary innovation platforms serving the biotech and healthcare industries on the Illkirch campus of the University of Strasbourg. Together, these three platforms cover the entire biotech and healthcare value chain, from research and biological characterization to industrial development and pre-industrial implementation.

📆Highlights of this LabVisit:

- 9.30 am – 10.00 am – Welcome and breakfast at EASE
- 10.00 am – 1.00 pm – Guided tours of the following facilities:

• EASE: cleanroom environments, industrial training, technical trials, and support for scale-up or pre-industrial activities,

• GAIA: data science, artificial intelligence, and digital solutions for research and innovation,

• Biostructure: advanced technologies for the characterization of proteins and macromolecules.

- 1.00 pm – 2.30 pm – Networking lunch reception

You will even have the opportunity to benefit from one-on-one meetings with platform experts to discuss your needs and potential collaboration projects.

 
 Registration is mandatory via the form below:

Looking back at the recent Lab Visit sessions held in Offenburg and in Kaiserslautern, which have fostered knowledge and technology exchange across the Upper Rhine region.

LabVisits - Biomechanics at work, in healthcare and in sports: visit to the Institute for Biomechanics and Motion Studies (IBMS) in Hochschule Offenburg

On January 29, 2026, a visit to the Institute for Biomechanics and Motion Studies (IBMS) gave participants in-depth insights into how biomechanics is applied in the workplace, healthcare, and sports.

The institute also presented innovative approaches to motion analysis beyond laboratory settings, combining advanced methodologies with data-driven research to generate insights valuable both for science and real-world applications.

LabVisits - Exploring applied robotics for industrial innovation at the Work-Life Robotics Institute (WLRI) in Hochschule Offenburg

On February 24, 2026, the Work-Life Robotics Institute (WLRI) opened its doors, offering participants valuable insights into applied robotics and its role in driving industrial innovation.

Key research areas include lean-oriented industrial and collaborative robotics, human–robot interaction in real-world conditions, and the development of components produced through additive manufacturing. These approaches aim to create tangible value for companies while opening up new opportunities for innovation and technology transfer.

LabVisits - Exploring advanced drone robotics and radar technologies at the Institute of Unmanned Aerial Systems (IUAS) in Hochschule Offenburg

On March 26, 2026, a visit to IUAS offered participants an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge technologies in drone robotics and radar.

IUAS also highlighted its expertise in radar and antenna technologies for automotive, medical, and industrial applications. With state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, the institute conducts electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, dielectric material characterization, and high-frequency measurements exceeding 100 GHz.

The University of Kaiserslautern opens the doors to its state-of-the-art laboratories

The University of Kaiserslautern hosted a new LabVisit, further confirming the success of this event series dedicated to cross-border knowledge and technology transfer. Despite the summer heat, participants from Strasbourg, Lörrach, and other regions of the Upper Rhine traveled to explore the new laboratory buildings on the Schoenstraße campus.

Led by Vice President Peter Starke and Professor Fabian Weber, visitors were given insight into one of the most modern university facilities in Rhineland-Palatinate. Spanning over 9,600 m², the site offers around one hundred specialized laboratories equipped with cutting-edge infrastructure such as a wind tunnel, a high-voltage laboratory, testing rigs, and an anechoic chamber.

This experience highlights the role of LabVisits: making research and innovation accessible to companies, fostering exchange with scientific teams, and strengthening cross-border collaboration within the Upper Rhine innovation ecosystem.

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

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. 

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.

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 • 1 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.