Innovation Council Lower Saxony
How can Lower Saxony promote innovation and support the transfer of research findings to the economy? The Innovation Council Lower Saxony advises the state government on how to advance the innovation system and support policies in the state. The aim of the Agenda for the Future of Lower Saxony is to harness innovation to invigorate existing sectors such as mobility and agriculture and to tap into new areas of value creation, such as biotechnology and health research.
Franziska Gilli für VolkswagenStiftung
Met for the first meeting in early July 2025: Dr Melanie Maas-Brunner (front); Prof. Dr Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Prof. Dr Joachim Schachtner (Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture, permanent guest), Dr Georg Schütte, Prof. Dr Dr h.c. mult. August-Wilhelm Scheer, Dr Uwe Ilgenfritz-Donné (Niedersachsen.next, permanent guest, middle row from left to right); Andrea Frank, Prof. Dr Robert-Jan Smits, Prof. Dr Cornelia Denz, Dr Nikolai Ardey, Marco Janezic (back row from left to right).
The members of the Innovation Council Lower Saxony
- Dr Georg Schütte (Chair), CEO of the Volkswagen Foundation
- Dr Nikolai Ardey, Head of Group Innovation at Volkswagen AG
- Dr Melanie Maas-Brunner, Non-Executive Director, UPM-Kymmne
- Prof. Dr Cornelia Denz, President of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig
- Andrea Frank, Deputy Secretary General and Member of the Executive Board of the Stifterverband
- Marco Janezic, Founder & Managing Partner, Blue Ribbon Partners
- Prof. Dr Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Centre, Cologne
- Dr Andreas Poensgen, Partner and Managing Partner, Turgot Ventures, Pfäffikon/Switzerland
- Prof. Dr Sylvia Schwaag Serger, Lund University, Department of Economic History
- Prof. Dr Dr h.c. mult. August-Wilhelm Scheer, August-Wilhelm-Scheer Institute
- Prof. Dr Robert-Jan Smits, President of Eindhoven University of Technology
Tasks and areas of activity of the Innovation Council Lower Saxony
The members of the Innovation Council analyse existing structures, stakeholders, and funding instruments within the innovation system. Based on this, they develop strategic recommendations for action and identify levers to accelerate change processes and better coordinate existing stakeholders and programmes. They focus on the following six areas of action:
- Knowledge base: higher education and science system
In the higher education and science system, which is one of the most essential foundations for innovation, it is important to highlight existing strengths and expand cooperation in a targeted manner – between universities, non-university institutions, enterprises, and other players. - Competence base: skilled labour
To enable innovation, modern qualification profiles are needed that are closely aligned with the modern needs of enterprises and public institutions. Entrepreneurship education also play a key role in imparting entrepreneurial skills at an early stage and promoting creative drive. - Innovation ecosystems: transfer and spin-offs
Cooperation between business and research, but also with the public sector (e.g., in the health and administration sectors), must be further improved as a core element of a functioning innovation system. - Priority setting: balancing industrial policy in established economic sectors with the promotion of disruptive innovations
The economic structure and innovation landscape in the state are shaped by traditional large-scale industries. Research and innovation funding currently pursues a broad approach: from promoting production research and joint research projects to supporting new technologies with as yet undefined but widely anticipated innovation potential. - Technology drivers and social change
In view of the financial constraints on public budgets and profound technological and demographic changes, the public sector has to adapt – from healthcare and public administration to the social welfare system. - Governance
An effective innovation system needs clear objectives and coordinated processes. In order to strategically tackle major future challenges such as decarbonisation and digitalisation, governance is needed that works in a mission-oriented manner, better integrates funding structures, and strengthens cross-sectoral cooperation.
The committee was appointed by the state of Lower Saxony for a term of 18-months. In the summer of 2026, it will submit its proposals on how Lower Saxony can create attractive conditions for innovation and new entrepreneurship. It is supported by a sounding board comprising various stakeholders from Lower Saxony. The committee’s office is located on the premises of the Volkswagen Foundation in Hanover.
