“Techfest Munich”: New technology in 72 hours

TUM in the media

9/13/2016

Develop and build a new technology product in just three days – that was the challenge facing around 300 participants at the first “Techfest Munich” last weekend. People came from as far afield as the USA to UnternehmerTUM, the Center for Innovation and Business Creation, to go head-to-head at a Techslam. The TUM prize went to a method for protein design. The BR covered the event on TV.

Two participants at the Techfest building a prototype — No hardware was safe from the teams of developers at the Techfest. (Photo: UnternehmerTUM)

Engineers, scientists, designers, hackers, company founders – technology fans from throughout Europe and the USA came to Garching, where they spent three days and two nights in small teams getting their own developments up and running. To do so, they were able to use numerous materials, the latest software and some nifty gadgets. They had at their disposal the large high-tech workshop “MakerSpace” to build a prototype.

Then on Sunday evening, the teams competed against each other in the Techslam. The TUM awarded the prize for the best science-based invention to the project “Personal Protein Printer.” The team with three TUM students has developed a new method for protein design. The technology intervenes in the process of protein production by computer control – to some extent, it hacks the translation of the underlying DNA information. Accordingly, it should be possible to design every conceivable protein based on a single DNA sequence. Since proteins play an important part in the development of many diseases, progress could be made in the field of personalized medicine thanks to such a technology.

Cyclist jackets that can indicate

There were other prizes awarded by companies and the city of Munich for:

a safety jacket with an LED light display and indicator function for cyclists
an application for holographic computers that allows truck drivers to conduct safety checks on their vehicles
a data protection-proof technology that allows intercity coach passengers to check in quickly via face recognition
a frisbee that can write texts into the night sky

“Impressive prototype workshop”

The teams and the large number of company representatives were impressed by the infrastructure and the create atmosphere at the Entrepreneurship Center. “Never before have I seen such an impressive prototype workshop. We also received great support from the mentors who were by our side offering help and advice,” explains Raquel De Hora, a software developer from Spain.

At the center of TUM and UnternehmerTUM, developers and company founders find a Europe-wide unique package of offerings under the one roof. Start-ups are supported through all phases of inception with advice, training and infrastructure. The TUM Entrepreneurship Research Institute carries out research and teaching activities next door to the founder teams so that science and practice can be in close contact.