Hoffest 2025
September 11, 2025
For almost six years we have been searching for – and finding – projects on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany that carry the potential to become breakthrough innovations. The daily collaboration with the innovators and our entire SPRIND team allows us to look into the future with confidence, despite the massive global and social challenges at hand. We get up every day with the belief that we can solve many of the acute issues afflicting technical and social innovations. The hundreds of projects and Challenge teams we support share this vision.
We would like to celebrate this exactly where so much of what is happening at the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation begins, in Leipzig at Lagerhofstraße 4, at our Hoffest on September 11, 2025.
Join us in looking back upon what we’ve been able to achieve to date, and in looking forwards at what we’re planning to do. Rafael Laguna de la Vera will provide information on the latest developments at SPRIND, while Jano Costard looks back on twelve Challenges and Funken – in all phases from those that have just started all the way to those that have been successfully completed. Our innovation managers will present flagship projects in the fields of energy and the environment, life science, artificial intelligence, digital identity and education, some of which can also be closely examined within the scope of our exhibition. Contributions to the Talentwerk and the internationalization of SPRIND round out the program before ending the evening at a relaxed get-together accompanied by great music.
Please use the RSVP link in your personal invitation email.
For information and any questions, please contact events@sprind.org.
PROGRAM
1:00–1:30 p.m.
Admission, Exhibition & Networking
1:30–1:40 p.m.
Welcome by Rafael Laguna de la Vera and Berit Dannenberg
1:40–2:00 p.m.
State of the Union (incl. new funding instruments SPRIND)
Rafael Laguna
2:00–2:05 p.m.
SPRIND Talentwerk
Barbara Diehl
2:05–2:45 p.m.
SPRIND Challenges –
Magical Mystery Tour
Jano Costard
2:45–3:25 p.m
Break, Exhibition & Networking
3:25–3:45 p.m.
SPRIND Projekte Energy & Environment
Christian Bogatu, Martin Chaumet & Antonia Schmalz
3:45–3:55 p.m.
SPRIND Networks
Lorenz Höppl
3:55–4:15 p.m.
SPRIND Projects Life Sciences & Drug Development
Sigrid Koeth
4:15–4:40 p.m.
SPRIND Projects Artificial Intelligence
Mirko Holzer & Johannes Otterbach
4:40–5:20 p.m
Break, Exhibition & Networking
5:20–5:35 p.m.
SPRIND Projects EUDI Wallet
Torsten Lodderstedt
5:35–5:50 Uhr
SPRIND.Society
Zarah Bruhn
5:50–6:00 p.m.
SPRIND Talentwerk
Barbara Diehl
6:00–6:15 p.m.
Summary and outlook
Rafael Laguna
6:15–10:00 p.m.
Get-together, Exhibition & Networking
Local public transport: There is a great public transport connection to reach SPRIND.
- From Leipzig Central Station (Ostseite), it is about a 10-minute walk.
- Even more convenient: Take tram lines 4, 7, 12 or 15 to the Friedrich-List-Platz stop – from there, it is only a 2 to 3 minute walk to SPRIND.
By car: Parking around SPRIND is limited.
- There are few public parking spaces along the Lagerhofstraße and adjacent streets.
- Many parking spaces are available, for example, in Parkhaus Ost Leipzig-Hbf – it can be reached in 10 to 15 minutes by foot.
- If at all possible, it's better to leave your car at home.
Bicycle:
- Bicycles of all kinds are welcome – whether bikes, e-bikes or futuristic unicycles. There are bicycle racks directly in front of the building.
Alternatives:
- Air taxis are welcome – advance registration is sufficient (our roof hasn’t been officially certified as a landing site yet, but we are thinking about it).
- Please only park your spaceships in hover mode – the Earth’s magnetic field is sensitive here.
- If you enter through a mobile quantum tunnel or by teletransportation, please inform us so that we know that you have arrived.
Last note for people with orientation difficulties: Lagerhofstraße is not long, but it is easy to miss. Look out for the large SPRIND logo on the building or follow the conversations about the future, transformation and technology – they always lead to the right entrance.
