Article in the daily newspaper NÖN about the opening of the Innovation Lab in Wiener Neustadt.
At the university of applied sciences, not only students but also private inventors can share a laboratory and machinery.
The key for the symbolic handover at the official opening ceremony fittingly came from an on-site 3D printer. The university's new Innovation Lab, spanning 1,100 square meters, houses more than 40 professional machines for processing wood, plastic, textiles, and metal. It also includes over 200 tools, a materials shop with supplies and components, and numerous storage boxes for project materials and prototypes.
All of this is now available not only to students of the university. Companies, hobbyists, and inventors are also invited to use the lab. The Innovation Lab's explicit purpose is to foster networking among bright minds.
“A Hobbyist’s Paradise for Regional Networking”
“The university sees itself as a catalyst and hub for innovation,” says FH Managing Director Armin Mahr: “Smart manufacturing is the focus, and Wiener Neustadt is the ideal location. This is a highly professional hobbyist’s paradise that will play a major role in regional networking.”
For Mayor Klaus Schneeberger (ÖVP), Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the FH, the Innovation Lab is “an excellent addition to the research landscape in ‘nova city.’ I particularly like that it essentially represents a ‘pop-up research opportunity for everyone,’ as both companies and individuals can easily rent research spaces. This will create a whole new breadth of research.”
For Mayor Klaus Schneeberger (ÖVP), Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the FH, the Innovation Lab is “an excellent addition to the research landscape in ‘nova city.’ I especially like that it represents a kind of ‘pop-up research opportunity for everyone,’ since both companies and individuals can rent research spaces without major hurdles. This will lead to a completely new breadth in research.” Selim Erol, head of the Innovation Lab, emphasizes the close and straightforward support offered to users by the five-person team at the lab: “Our Innovation Lab is freely accessible 24/7. Guided tours are offered every Thursday, and new users are welcomed with training.”
The first innovator events at the Innovation Lab are already scheduled: Youth Entrepreneurship Weeks will take place in October, the Founders' and Inventors' Day in November, and the Internet of Things Hackathon in February.