Board of Trustees

Chairman:

Martin Wippermann Executive Director Central Engineering REHAU Automotive SE & Co KG

Martin Wippermann - Executive Director Central Engineering REHAU Automotive SE & Co KG

Martin Wippermann has held various management positions in the automotive division of the polymer specialist REHAU since 2006. In his current position, he is responsible for the Central Engineering department and is therefore responsible for their global automotive product development. The balancing act between series development and future-oriented pre-development in the automotive environment motivates him every day. Innovations across borders are a key to success, which is also the reason for his involvement at the IEI.

After studying mechanical engineering at the RWTH Aachen, Martin Wippermann began his professional career at the automotive supplier Alfmeier AG. There he was responsible for various functions in product management, development and sales.

Vice Chairman:

Jonas Szalanczi Managing Director NeuroForge GmbH & Co. KG

Jonas Szalanczi - Executive Director NeuroForge GmbH & Co. KG

As CEO and co-founder, Jonas Szalanczi has led the NeuroForge Group since it was founded in 2019 with a clear vision for industrial AI, BigData and innovation. With his technical background and project experience, he monitors and controls the operational and strategic business process. With his innovation-driven attitude, he positions NeuroForge as the German partner for dealing with state-of-the-art AI technologies at the forefront of industrial digitization.

A regional, strong, young start-up scene needs a central contact point that promotes and maintains the ecosystem in a competent and innovative way. All companies, whether established or new to the market, benefit from the advantages of the community and networking.

Other Members:

Christian Baier Head of Digital Unit NETZSCH Group Managing Director NEDGEX GmbH Co-Founder & Managing Director LABV Intelligent Solutions GmbH, Munich

Christian Baier - Head of Digital Unit NETZSCH Group, Managing Director NEDGEX GmbH, Co-Founder & Managing Director, LABV Intelligent Solutions GmbH, Munich

More than 20 years of expertise in IT Business, Digitization, SW development led to strength in networking, building innovation ecosystems and corporate startups and leading the innovation and stage-gate process. Christian Baier contributes strong expertise in using digital technologies for new products / venture building as a result of his work for LOEWE, Digital Equipment, U.S. , VALEO Automotive and REHAU AG. He is also a member of Technology & Digital Boards, member of Strategy Development Boards, 5-time winner of Innovation Award and winner of Digital Leader Award 2016, Digital Champion 2018, Excellence in Innovation Award 2020 and Best German Digital Unit 2021. Since 2019 he works as Managing Director at NEDGEX and Head of Digital Unit at NETZSCH Group.

His fields of interest at the Institut of Entrepreneurship & Innovation are especially extending out innovation ecosystems with strong scientific & industrial partnerships, the co-creation of new venture project ideas, the access to the university of Bayreuth (students & cooperations) and the work with regional companies on innovative projects.

Dr. Florian Bechmann CTO HZG Group

Dr. Florian Bechmann - CTO HZG Group

After studying materials science at the University of Bayreuth, Dr. Florian Bechmann completed his PhD at the Research and Innovation Center of the BMW Group. He then worked on setting up the development organization at Concept Laser GmbH and the development from SME to the integration into the GE group. Here he was head of product development and technology development for laser systems at GE Additive. As CTO for the HZG Additive Manufacturing Venture Capital Fund, Dr. Bechmann´s expertise covers the areas of 3D printing, technology and innovation management, product management and development, organizational development, industrialization, venture capital.

Dr. Gregor Endres Venture Partner Airbus Operations Gmbh

Dr. Gregor Endres - Venture Partner Airbus Operations GmbH

Based on his studies in materials science and a doctorate in the field of aerospace technology, the topic of innovation and its implementation was the focus of his professional drive right from the start. Since joining Airbus in 2004, he has had the opportunity to accompany technologies from concept development to market entry, to develop business models and to implement them.

As a member of the Board of Trustees, he would like to use his experience in the field of innovation in the industrial environment to help ensure that the activities of the IEI lead to early awareness of the challenges and opportunities of innovation and - as a result - contribute to strengthening the economic innovative capacity in the region.

Dr. Markus Glatfeld Managing Director TenneT Offshore GmbH

Dr. Markus Glatfeld - Executive Director TenneT Offshore GmbH

Dr. Glatfeld can look back on more than 25 years of professional experience in the energy industry. He has held various executive and management positions in the E.ON Group and at TenneT. He is currently responsible for a program to increase the network operator's performance with the aim of doubling the value added in the areas of network expansion and maintenance within a few years.

Making Germany and Europe climate-neutral is one of the key challenges of our time. The success of the energy transition requires not only a holistic control approach with agile methods, innovation and digitization. In addition, it is important to establish more entrepreneurial thinking and acting, also and especially in the regulated power grid.

The connection of science and practice via the IEI and the University of Bayreuth can help to set transformation processes in motion faster and more effectively - a prospect that is inspiring.

Dirk Treiber Managing Director medi GmbH & Co. KG

Dirk Treiber - Executive Director medi GmbH & Co. KG

Dirk Treiber is Managing Director of the medical technology company medi GmbH & Co. KG based in Bayreuth, Germany. Since 2017 he has been responsible for strategy and corporate development, marketing, sales, product management, law and human resources worldwide.

Born in Mannheim, he is a business economist and has decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and medtech sectors. He is focused on international sales, marketing and general management positions and has lived abroad for many years. At medi, Dirk Treiber focuses on the strategic areas of digital transformation, e-commerce and innovation.

Dirk Treiber sees the changes in the healthcare system in many countries as a great opportunity. medi wants to be a pioneer in its industry, relies on the experience within the company and promotes the innovative development of products as well as analogue and digital services.

Heribert Trunk Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Bayreuth

Heribert Trunk - Advising Member of the Institute of E&I and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Bayreuth

Thinking entrepreneurially, Heribert Trunk developed this ability in his youth. His parents owned a trucking company where he grew into the role of managing director. Until 1989 he was a co-founder of the parcel service provider "German Parcel" and was involved in setting up and optimizing the logistical structures and in the area of ​​technical innovations. Together with Claus Huttner he founded the company BI-LOG in 1989 as a specialist for contract logistics and fulfilment. Entrepreneurship is widely known from his own entrepreneurial past. Even during his time as IHK President, he regularly organized campus tours to strengthen the connection between companies in the region and science.

He has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Bayreuth since 2013 and is in this form a "born member" of the Board of Trustees of the Institute E&I to ensure close interaction. The institute should have a cross-sectional function for the entire university.