Among the 34 submissions in total, the following transfer projects were recognized: “GiFaTex – Use of Recycled Textile Fibers in Gypsum Fiber Boards” (Augsburg University of Applied Sciences), “PIO Oberallgäu – Digital Platform for Home Care Services: Needs-Based, Adaptable, Sustainable” (Kempten University of Applied Sciences) and “stand-by.care – For a Safe Life at Home” (Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences). The “Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Swabia Business Award,” worth 1,000 euros, was awarded to the project “DocPilot – Digital Data Management for Fiber-Optic Network Expansion” (Augsburg University of Applied Sciences). The People’s Choice Award from the City of Illertissen, also worth 1,000 euros, which was presented live during the event, also went to the “DocPilot” project.
The Bavarian-Swabian Innovation Award for Transfer, under the theme “Society meets Science,” honors exemplary collaborations between universities and non-academic partners that result in the development of innovative solutions with social and/or economic value. The award was initiated by Werner Martin, director of the Vöhlinschloss University Center, and was first presented in 2024 in collaboration with the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences (THA), the Kempten University of Applied Sciences (HKE), and the Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences (HNU). In 2026, each university was awarded a prize of 3,000 euros, funded by their respective support associations. The Swabian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the City of Illertissen each provided an additional 1,000 euros for the Business Award and the People's Choice Award, respectively.
Award for Significant Contributions to Regional Knowledge Transfer
In addition to the award recipients, approximately 85 university faculty and staff members, representatives from business and politics, and interested members of the public attended the awards ceremony, which was hosted by comedian and presenter Thieß Neubert.
The university administrations of the three Bavarian-Swabian universities emphasized the importance of close collaboration between academia, industry, and society: This collaboration enables the successful joint development of innovative solutions to pressing issues of the future.
Prof. Dr. phil. habil. László Kovács, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences: “Challenging times call for innovative solutions more than ever—solutions that are developed and implemented through close collaboration among people with diverse areas of expertise. I have the utmost respect for everyone who does this. Transfer projects offer an opportunity to do so. The Augsburg University of Applied Sciences is honoring the team behind the GiFaTex transfer project with the 2026 Bavarian-Swabian Innovation Award for Transfer. This project brings together expertise in construction and textile recycling from researchers and industry partners to effectively repurpose used textile fibers—which have not been recycled in large quantities to date—into gypsum fiber boards, which are installed in large numbers. The goal is to build a model home in the Bavarian Swabia region. A flagship project for an ecological and technological win-win situation.”
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hauke, President of Kempten University of Applied Sciences: “PIO Oberallgäu serves as a prime example of how successful knowledge transfer works: academia, government, business, and practitioners work together to develop solutions to specific societal challenges. The project not only improves the coordination of outpatient care but also creates a valuable data foundation for regional care planning. In this way, it makes an important contribution to ensuring the sustainability of long-term care in rural areas. I am very pleased that this outstanding commitment is being recognized with the Bavarian-Swabian Innovation Award for Transfer. My special thanks go to all the partners involved, as well as to the Friends of Kempten University of Applied Sciences, e. V., which made this award possible.”
Prof. Dr. Julia Kormann, President of Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences: “The stand-by.care project exemplifies HNU’s commitment to translating applied research into practical solutions for societal challenges. I am particularly impressed by the fact that the needs of the future users of the self-activating emergency alert system—seniors living alone—have been consistently incorporated into the development process from the very beginning: S"This has led to an innovation that is not only technologically impressive but is also widely accepted in everyday life and creates genuine social value. I warmly congratulate the entire project team on this well-deserved award! It is the result of a dedicated and collaborative effort that has had an impact far beyond our university."
Innovative Ideas with an Impact on the Economy and Society
The award-winning teams presented their projects in short pitches alongside their industry partners. The range of topics highlighted the diversity of regional knowledge and technology transfer—from technological developments to socially relevant innovations.
“Close to the future, close to the economy, close to people. To me, that’s what the universities of applied sciences stand for, with their outstanding technology transfer projects,” Werner Martin concluded. He expressed special thanks to the universities’ support associations, as well as to the city of Illertissen and the Swabian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which provide crucial support for the universities’ technology transfer activities through the prize money.
Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Swabia Business Award
Following the ceremony, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Swabia presented its Business Award. Dr. Matthias Köppel, Head of Location Policy at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Swabia, congratulated the winner: “We need young talent who can identify challenges, develop entrepreneurial solutions, and contribute with a high level of commitment. I have the utmost respect for Rishi Kumar, a computer science student at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, who developed the DocPilot app, which is revolutionizing digital data management for fiber-optic network expansion. Congratulations on winning the Swabian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Award. It’s incredible: DocPilot was developed by a 20-year-old computer science student from India who was looking for a part-time job to finance his studies and started working as a student trainee at Geggos FTTX GmbH. Managing Director Samiyel Akdil quickly recognized the potential of his young employee, who encountered the challenges of technical documentation at the company’s various fiber-optic construction sites and developed a sophisticated app that makes it easy to document all work steps directly on-site. Rishi Kumar received academic support at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences from Prof. Dr. Stephan Zimmermann, professor of business informatics and director of the bachelor’s program in International Information Systems in the School of Computer Science.”
Illertissen City Audience Award
In addition to the three winning university projects, the project that received the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) award was also nominated for the Illertissen City Audience Award. After a brief video summary of all the projects, the guests voted live for their favorite. Their choice was the “DocPilot” project from Augsburg University of Applied Sciences.
“The Bavarian-Swabian Innovation Award for Transfer impressively illustrates how collaboration between academia and industry leads to concrete solutions for the challenges of our time. The Vöhlinschloss University Center is a hub for exchange where innovative ideas take shape and regional networks are strengthened. As the City of Illertissen, we are pleased to support this knowledge transfer by awarding the Audience Choice Award and to provide a platform for the winning projects," emphasized Susanne Schewetzky, Director of Culture and Communication for the City of Illertissen.
The Award-Winning Transfer Projects in Detail
GiFaTex – Use of Recycled Textile Fibers in Gypsum Fiber Boards
The THA's winning project
Gypsum fiber boards may be blue in the future because they will no longer contain cellulose, glass, or plastic fibers—instead, they will be made from used jeans. In the GiFaTex transfer project, used textiles—which are generated in large quantities as waste during mechanical textile recycling—are repurposed into a widely used construction product. In this way, the project partners from the textile and construction industries are achieving an ecological and technological win-win situation on the path toward a resource-efficient circular economy. Researchers from THA are involved, including Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sergej Rempel and doctoral candidate Vincent Mack from the Technology Transfer Center (TTZ) in Aichach, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Schlichter, spokesperson for the DATIpilot Circular Textiles Innovation Community, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mesut Cetin and Sarah Hepp from ITA Augsburg – Institute for Textile Technology Augsburg gGmbH – at the THA’s Recycling Atelier Augsburg, which was established as part of the “Augsburg AI Production Network.” Our partners are Alexander Polischuk of Knauf Gips KG, Isabella Schmid of Schmid Trockenbau GmbH, and Heiko Schenuit of Trützschler Nonwovens GmbH.
PIO Oberallgäu – Digital Platform for Home Care Services: Tailored to Needs, Adaptable, Sustainable
The HKE's winning project
Demographic change and the growing shortage of skilled workers are posing major challenges for outpatient care. Through PIO Oberallgäu, the Oberallgäu District Office, outpatient care services in the region, Care Pioneers GmbH, and the Bavarian Center for Digital Care (BZPD) at Kempten University of Applied Sciences have developed a digital platform that centrally coordinates care requests and strengthens regional care provision. The platform enables a digital needs assessment for people requiring care, centralized management of new requests for care services, and data-driven monitoring of the care situation. This reduces the workload on caregivers, supports family members, and identifies gaps in care at an early stage. The scientifically supported pilot project demonstrates how digital innovations can sustainably improve care provision in rural areas and serves as a transferable model for other regions.
Project participants: Anne Henning and Andrea Schmid (Oberallgäu District Office), Philipp Zell and Melanie Philip (Care Pioneers GmbH), as well as Dr. Stefanie Sauter, Annika Hudelmayer, Dr. Tobias Wörle, Dr. Florian Fischer, and Prof. Dr. Mario R. Jokisch (BZPD).
stand-by.care – for a safe life at home
The HNU's winning project
Safety within one’s own four walls is a key prerequisite for leading an independent life in old age. However, many existing emergency solutions reach their limits in everyday life: Emergency alert bracelets, for example, must be actively triggered and worn at all times, while fall detection mats typically monitor only specific areas of the home. The DATIpilot project “stand-by.care,” a collaborative effort between HNU and its industry partner artiso GmbH, offers a solution: Prof. Dr. Johannes Schobel, HNU Research Professor of Digital Medicine and Nursing; research assistant Jennifer Kircher; Claus Allgaier, Head of Business and Product Innovations at artiso; and Alexander Eble, software engineer at artiso, developed a self-activating, low-threshold assistance system that recognizes typical daily activities and responds automatically in an emergency—without restricting the seniors’ behavior. Using connected sensors and a local Homebox, movement and activity patterns are analyzed directly in the home environment in compliance with data protection regulations. If an expected activity does not occur, family members, neighbors, or caregivers can be automatically notified. An intuitive app allows for personalized settings and ensures transparency. From the very beginning, the system was developed in collaboration with its future users: interviews, prototype testing, and usability studies were continuously incorporated into its technical and design development. The result is a practical solution that combines security, data protection, and user-friendliness.
DocPilot – Digital Data Management for Fiber-Optic Network Expansion
The winning project of the Swabian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Business Award
The expansion of fiber-optic networks is currently one of the largest infrastructure projects in the world. Fiber-optic networks offer high-speed internet anytime, anywhere. The expansion takes time because there are many intermediate steps required, from obtaining permits to the start of operations. When laying the cables, several trades work hand in hand. All work steps are closely interlinked and must be documented. Until now, this has been done on paper, in Excel spreadsheets, and in uncoordinated data repositories, which is extremely time-consuming and prone to errors. With DocPilot, a web-based platform, the process can be faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective in the future. Rishi Kumar, a computer science student at the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences (THA), recognized the challenges on fiber-optic construction sites while working as a student employee at Geggos FTTX GmbH. He developed an app for the real-time management of field documentation in fiber-optic infrastructure projects that can be applied to all infrastructure and trades sectors, thereby increasing efficiency, transparency, and quality in infrastructure projects.At THA, DocPilot was supported academically by Prof. Dr. Stephan Zimmermann, professor of business informatics and director of the International Information Systems bachelor’s program in the School of Computer Science.
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Contact
Werner Martin
Managing Director & Scientific Coordinator HVS
