Innovation in the heart of Bavaria. Middle Franconia: A look at the region’s past and future

Where does this passion for innovation come from? Is it the connections and collaborations? Or is it also the people?

To be honest, I believe there are innovative people in all regions. But what makes this region noteworthy is perhaps the healthy mix of scientific institutions whose employees take an application-oriented approach. Plus, we have here our share of big industry alongside a phenomenal number of SMEs. I’m more inclined to emphasize the multilayered nature of the structure than the genius of individuals.

Does the Franconian mentality play a role here?  We’re known for being rather stubborn ...

That’s hard to say. When it comes to new ideas, we also have a reputation for focusing on flaws and playing down the good points so that no progress is made. But I think that we’re increasingly more interested in underlining the strengths rather than the drawbacks.

And of course in thinking in terms of practical application. After all, inventions alone won’t pay the bills. Perhaps it’s time to reestablish this practical approach as a regional trait. One that means we don’t get too bogged down in the theory, but instead ask right away what the practical application might be.

Where do you think the region is headed? Is Franconia becoming even more innovative?

Personally, I was pleasantly surprised that the map of “hidden champions” – in other words, of market-leading SMEs – has a heavy concentration in Upper Franconia. Perhaps this is a sign of the stubbornness you mentioned. Over the years, slowly but surely, large companies have emerged there and are now global market leaders in their segment.

Germany does not have much in the way of natural resources and the level of our wages means we can hardly be the world’s factory. That just leaves innovation: coming up with clever ideas and putting them into practice. And that’s where I’d say our region is on the right track.

At the last Long Night of the Sciences, Fraunhofer IIS in Erlangen set up a camera to record what visitors want technology to offer. There were plenty of good ideas; which ones did you like?

Well, I think we’ll probably have to wait a while for the teleporter. But robotics is obviously a current topic. I also liked some of the ideas for the home: “We’d like to have an automatic sock pairer for our sons’ socks.” That goes right along with the wish another visitor had for a way to have clothes put themselves away.

And do you have a wish that you’d like science to fulfill?

I’d like a way of connecting my subconscious to my computer overnight, so that my computer can tell me in the morning what I should write and I just have to say “Great – I couldn’t have put it better myself.” (laughs)

Turning to inventions, have there been any surprising inventions to come out of this region?

It’s a commonly held belief that the globe was invented here, but that’s definitely not the case. The globe was probably invented in northern Italy. It is true that Nürnberg is home to the world’s oldest surviving globe, the Behaim globe. But it was just a few months ago that we learned that the personal organizer was invented in this region. A helpful little item that most of us carry to keep track of appointments, and the inventor was from this region.

That must have been a very well-organized Franconian!

(laughs) Exactly!