Christoph Ziegler knows the innovation and funding sector from both perspectives: In his previous role as a project representative, he helped develop several funding guidelines, reviewed outlines and provided support for over two dozen research projects. Today, he works as Senior Business Development Manager at the Digital Innovation Centre (DIZ) Karlsruhe and helps organizations to discover and make the most of their funding potential. In an interview with KI-Allianz Magazin, he explains how this works in practice - and why a strong ecosystem is the key to success.
Christoph Ziegler in an interview:
Christoph Ziegler
Senior Business Development Manager | DIZ
Hello Mr. Ziegler, can you introduce the DIZ to us in one sentence?
The DIZ is a growing innovation agency that supports companies, research and politics in actively shaping the digital transformation. We initiate and coordinate forward-looking projects, identify innovation needs and help practitioners to develop tailor-made solutions.
The DIZ is the result of a cooperation between several strong partners. How does this influence your work and strategic direction?
Our origins lie in a partnership between CyberForum e.V., the FZI Research Center for Information Technology, KIT Innovations gGmbH and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). This unique combination gives us a truly unique selling point: not only can we actively support companies in their search for innovation potential at the highest professional level, but we can also bring them together with the right partners from research and practice. This creates sustainable and globally competitive innovation ecosystems that are crucial for long-term success.
What are typical problems that companies approach you with?
Many companies know that they need to become or remain innovative in order to stay competitive in a very dynamic environment - but they often don't know where to start. They often lack an overview, the internal resources or the know-how to strategically implement new technologies. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often uncertain about funding opportunities and the formal hurdles involved in the application process.
How do you help companies to overcome these challenges?
The DIZ specifically addresses the entrepreneurial challenges described above. Through a needs analysis, we help companies to identify their innovation potential and develop a clear strategic direction. We offer support in the search for suitable funding programs and in applying for funding - from the initial outline to the final application. Our team supports companies both professionally and administratively in order to implement their innovation projects efficiently. We use AI-supported analyses to identify trends and market opportunities at an early stage and connect companies with relevant technology and research partners. Through this structured approach, we not only create transparency in the innovation process, but also enable companies to use new technologies in a targeted manner, make optimum use of financial support and sustainably strengthen their innovative power.
Our digital tool "Edda helps" is also available for companies that want to get a quick and uncomplicated initial overview of funding opportunities. Companies, local authorities and research institutions can use an intuitive questionnaire to identify suitable funding programs and get in touch with the relevant contacts directly.
You also offer companies so-called innovation support. What does that mean?
Innovation support covers all steps from the initial idea to the realization of a project. We not only help to identify innovation potential, but also provide support in networking with suitable research partners, technology providers and investors. Our network ranges from regional players to the European Commission, enabling us to integrate companies into larger consortia in a targeted manner.
Are funding advice and innovation support always a complete package? Or can I book the two services independently of each other?
Both are possible! Some companies come to us with a specific project idea and need targeted support in drawing up an outline or formulating an application. Others are still at the beginning and need structured innovation advice first. Depending on their individual needs, companies can combine the individual innovation modules.
Which companies can take advantage of your funding advice and innovation support? Are there certain sectors or company sizes that you specialize in?
In principle, we support companies of all sizes, with a focus on SMEs. We are broadly positioned in terms of sectors: from the process industry to mechanical and plant engineering to AI start-ups. Hidden champions in particular benefit from our work, as they often have great potential for innovation but do not always know how to leverage this in a targeted manner.
Artificial intelligence is changing many processes. What does this look like for you at DIZ? Do you use AI technologies?
Yes, absolutely! We use ITONICS FORESIGHT, an AI-supported platform that analyzes trends and opportunities from a variety of data sources. In this way, we help companies to prepare relevant innovation opportunities so that they match precisely with funding programs. We also actively evaluate AI-based projects and support companies in their implementation.
Let's think about the future: what new formats or strategic developments are being planned?
Our NextStep Accelerator is a particularly exciting project. Here, we support companies in just two weeks to transform innovation potential into specific strategies. We rely on creative workshops, AI-supported trend analyses and strategic recommendations for action. We are also working on linking innovation and funding advice more closely in order to offer companies even more efficient access to financial support.
In conclusion: Why should a company work with the DIZ?
Phew, I could certainly talk about that for an hour! (laughs) I'll try to keep it short: We offer companies a unique combination of in-depth experience, targeted innovation support and a strong network. Our expertise enables us not only to identify innovation potential, but also to get specific projects off the ground. Thanks to our extensive network of partners from business, science and the public sector, we connect companies with the right players to implement innovations sustainably and successfully.
Would you like to find out more about the DIZ's funding advice?
The workshop "AI funding advice: overview and first steps for SMEs" will take place on April 3, 2025. The event is organized by the KI-Allianz and the IHK Karlsruhe and offers a compact insight into the most important funding programs for AI projects. Christoph Ziegler and his colleague Nina Hofmeister will lead through the evening. Registration is free of charge.
