News

Shaping the Future of Innovation from the Bay Area

Emerging Technology and Geopolitics

This week, DWIH San Francisco hosted an international panel bringing together tech diplomats and representatives from industry to explore the evolving role of diplomacy in an era defined by rapid technological change. The discussion highlighted how nations are rethinking their strategies to navigate the complex intersection of technology, geopolitics, and innovation.

Transatlantic Exchange

Beyond Generative AI: Innovative Germany Seminar

This seminar was an opportunity for Bay Area researchers and innovators to connect with representatives from Germany’s innovation and excellence clusters. Profs. Sören Auer and Mira Mezini, representing German universities of excellence, highlighted potential partnerships and research collaborations with Germany in artificial intelligence.

A Conversation Between Nadine Strossen and Erwin Chemerinsky 

Free Speech at American Universities 60 Years After the Free Speech Movement

On a recent evening at the University of California, Berkeley, a panel gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the historic Free Speech Movement. The event featured legal scholars Nadine Strossen, former president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law. The discussion, moderated by Julia Schaletzky, co-chair of Heterodox Academy in Berkeley, addressed the current state of free speech on campuses, the legal environment, and the tensions between free speech and inclusion.

Bay Area Innovation Program

GUILD Women in Entrepreneurship Program

DWIH San Francisco welcomed an inaugural cohort of 100 women who took part in an eight-week hybrid program (April 1, 2024 – May 24, 2024) for entrepreneurship that focused on German researchers. The ten finalists were invited to San Francisco in September for an in-person summit.

Policy Report

Fostering Entrepreneurship in Higher Education

DWIH San Francisco commissioned a report for senior policymakers working in German higher-education institutions and relevant legislative bodies. This report provides a detailed analysis of both the Silicon Valley and German ecosystems, current practices, and policy recommendations for fostering innovation transfer and entrepreneurship at German universities and research institutions. The goal of the report is to identify solutions to strengthen Germany’s competitiveness in fostering entrepreneurship, enhancing research-to-industry pipelines, and attracting top-level talent from all over the world. 

Science Slam

Falling Walls Lab Seattle

Our first Falling Walls Lab in Seattle was a success! DWIH San Francisco was delighted to host the Falling Walls Lab, a world-class pitch competition and networking forum for students, researchers, and early-career scientists of all disciplines. This year, we received twenty applications from participants around the country, and invited fourteen finalists to pitch their innovative ideas. Finalists were judged based on three categories demonstrating a breakthrough that has a positive impact on science and society. Congratulations to all the finalists who came out to pitch their ideas! Our Lab took place at CoMotion, University of Washington. We invited five jury members to assess the pitches and select the winners. The first-place winner received an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the Berlin Science Week in November 2024. The 2nd prize winner received a complimentary one-month membership to CoMotion Labs. Finally, the 3rd prize and audience award winners received gift certificates.

Science Slam

Falling Walls Lab San Francisco 2024

Three minutes was all it took! DWIH San Francisco was delighted, for the third iteration, to host the Falling Walls Lab, a world-class pitch competition and networking forum for students, researchers, and early-career scientists of all disciplines. This year, we received twenty applications from participants around the country, and invited fourteen finalists to pitch their innovative ideas. Finalists were judged based on three categories demonstrating a breakthrough that has a positive impact on science and society.

Special to the Newsletter

Four Questions for Mostafa Elgayar

We had the pleasure of interviewing Mostafa Elgayar, a computer scientist living in Berlin, who took part in the inaugural cohort of the CITRIS and the Banatao Institute‘s Health Innovation Intensive. He spent a week in the Bay Area and visited UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, and UC Davis to learn all about cutting-edge health, tech and innovation.

Delegation Visit

Information Trip for Senior Administrators of German Institutions of Higher Education

DWIH San Francisco welcomed a group of twenty-one top representatives from German higher education institutions — comprising of presidents, chancellors, and vice presidents for international affairs of German universities — to participate in a university policy information trip in the San Francisco Bay Area from March 10th to March 16th, 2024. This visit aimed to expand knowledge of the West Coast higher education systems to discuss the possibilities for cooperation between the US and German higher education institutes. Participants visited important institutions and actors in the higher education realm, as well as non-profits promoting innovation in the Greater Bay Area.

Inaugural Innovation Program

CITRIS Health Innovation Intensive 2024

Our inaugural cohort of eight German participants attended the CITRIS and the Banatao Institute‘s Health Innovation Intensive in the Bay Area to learn all about cutting-edge health, tech and innovation. From Monday, March 4 to Friday, March 8, they visited the University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of California, Merced, and University of California, Davis to take part in discussions and panels on topics ranging from assistive tech, nutrition, AI, robotics, and community health.