What motivated the Economic Chamber to move to the LIT Open Innovation Center?

Mag. Doris Hummer: When it comes to our local businesses and companies, technology & innovation are a major location advantage. The Economic Chamber supports an active partnership with science and academic - the JKU - and that is why we are also represented at the Open Innovation Center. The lively - but especially practical exchange in an "open space area" - between academia/science and business is very important to us.

In a few words, can you describe what makes your company unique?

Mag. Doris Hummer: The Economic Chamber of Upper Austria - as a lobby group and a professional as well as emotional home for companies in Upper Austrian - offers a wide range of services for all entrepreneurs and companies, especially in important areas such as innovation and technology/digitization. Our employees in the field of innovation are a first point of contact when it comes to "matching up" of science/academia and business.

Be honest - which of your projects is currently your favorite and why?

Mag. Doris Hummer: Data at companies acquires a whole new meaning when it comes to digitization. This kind of information is normally critical to a company and this means that IT security is very important. We want to make sure that business leaders become more aware about taking a closer look at data and IT security as this will be a decisive business factor in the future.  The Johannes Kepler University has top researchers on site. Together, we show managers and executives at Upper Austrian companies various practical business applications, take a timely look into the future of their own industry or company when it comes to digitalization/IT security - but we also look other subject areas, such as innovative materials, energy, mobility, logistics, automation, robotics, Industry 4.0, just to name a few.

As the LIT Open Innovation Center is a co-working space, new forms of work and collaboration opportunities are being introduced at JKU. What opportunities do you see for research?

Mag. Doris Hummer: The Open Innovation Center is at the interface of high-end research and business - and it is precisely here that we, as an economic chamber of commerce, see a very special added value. We can take the latest research findings to companies and support cooperation between research and companies (especially small and medium-sized companies).