To be relevant ten or twenty years from now, companies have to keep evolving.

New ideas, projects and technologies are in demand - and must be supported and promoted.

This is exactly the job of an innovation manager: “As an innovation manager, you accompany new projects from the first idea to the market launch,” says Steffen Strese, professor for innovation management at the Technical University of Dortmund.

Not every new idea is a success, but innovation managers know how to deal with this uncertainty - and how to still get resources in the company to tackle such projects. But how do you learn the right skills, and how sustainable is the training to become an innovation manager?

“The topic is important, no matter what area people will work in later,” says Strese.

Because digital technologies and artificial intelligence are rapidly gaining relevance, people are needed who know how to develop a product from an idea.

The specialization in innovation management, which is closely linked to entrepreneurship, i.e. “entrepreneurship”, usually takes place through the master’s degree.

However, students can also take appropriate courses in their basic studies.

“In the business administration bachelor's degree, there are courses that offer courses in innovation management, while others focus more on finance and accounting,” says Strese.

"Quantum science must be transferred into practice"

Corresponding focal points can also be set at some universities in economics studies. Masters in innovation management have so far been offered primarily by business schools such as the TUM School of Management Heilbronn or the Munich Business School. Strese expects, however, that more universities will include corresponding Masters in their programs in the future. Those who prefer to develop the technologies of the future themselves will sooner or later come across quantum technology.

Science is more than 100 years old, but has recently fired the imagination enormously. That is why top laboratories and companies such as Google, Microsoft and IBM compete for the development of quantum computers. Since 2020, the Technical University of Munich has been offering the "Quantum Science & Technology" course together with the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich. "The quantum sciences have to be transferred into practice, that is the aim of the course," says Alexander Holleitner, representative for the master's course and head of the chair for nanotechnology and nanomaterials at the Technical University of Munich.

Many companies are currently trying to transfer quantum technologies from scientific laboratories to industry.

“A prominent example is the quantum computer, but this also applies to quantum sensors and quantum communication,” says Holleitner.

Quantum sensors can measure magnetic fields at the quantum physical limit, he explains.

Quantum communication is a tap-proof type of communication based on quantum mechanics.

AI experts wanted

"It is also important to us to offer German technology companies that invest in one department or another in quantum technologies the necessary know-how," said Holleitner. The demand is there, and the range of courses is also relatively broad. The University of Würzburg offers a bachelor's and master's degree in quantum technology. There are master’s courses at RWTH Aachen University and the University of Stuttgart.

One of the biggest trending topics in recent years is artificial intelligence (AI).

Technology has the potential to revolutionize areas of our lives, from the healthcare industry to the way we communicate to manufacturing.

According to a study by the auditors at PwC, 31 percent of companies estimate their competitive risk compared to competitors who use AI to be high.

At the same time, only four percent of local companies use AI.

This is also due to the fact that there is a lack of young people with the appropriate knowledge.

"Data Science" can be studied in many places

In order to acquire precisely this knowledge, students have the opportunity to specialize in different ways.

If you want to deal with artificial intelligence, you have to work with large amounts of data, among other things.

The “Data Science” bachelor's degree is offered at various universities, for example in Stuttgart, Marburg and Göttingen.

Students learn the most important basic skills in computer science, statistics and mathematics.

At the University of Marburg you can choose a focus in software development, scalable data management, machine learning, statistical analysis and applied mathematics.

There are also corresponding master's programs under the name “Data Science” at some universities.

However, the course is not the only way to later work in the field of artificial intelligence. Even those who decide to study computer science or mathematics can get started with the right focus in the AI ​​area. There are many ways into the future.