Speakers

Department Head “Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy”, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski is head of the department “Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy” at the University of Hohenheim. Her research focuses on the sustainable production and use of biomass as part of the bioeconomy. She has achieved acclaim through the development of interdisciplinary educational concepts, including the establishment of Germany’s first bioeconomy master’s program. Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski is co-chair of both the Federal Bioeconomy Council and the Sustainable Bioeconomy Council Baden-Württemberg.

Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, Germany

Dr. Markus Wolperdinger became the director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in 2018. Dr. Wolperdinger is the spokesperson of the strategic research field of bioeconomy at the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. Beyond that, he is a founding member and current deputy chairperson of the Fraunhofer Group for Resources Technologies and Bioeconomy. Dr. Markus Wolperdinger is vice co-chair of the Federal Bioeconomy Council and co-chair of the Sustainable Bioeconomy Council Baden-Württemberg.

Director Emeritus, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany & Founder and Managing Director, Bauhaus Earth gGmbH

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber is Director Emeritus of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), which he founded in 1992. He is an atmospheric physicist and climatologist, who developed the concept for tipping elements in the climate system. Prof. Dr. Dr. Schellnhuber introduced the concept of tipping elements to climate research. He is a former chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU). Since 2019, Prof. Dr. Dr. Schellnhuber has focused his attention on the transformation of the built environment and the potential of wooden buildings as carbon sinks. He co-founded Bauhaus Earth gGmbH, a non-profit initiative that strives to create an environment that is ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive.

Head of Unit Low Carbon Solutions (III): Land Economy and CO2-Removal (CLIMA.C.3), Directorate-General for Climate Action, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium

Christian Holzleitner is an expert in the areas of economics and international climate policy. Before he became the Head of Unit responsible for Low Carbon Solutions, he was an assistant to the Directorate-General for Climate Action and at the Directorate-General for Competition in the area of State aid concerning issues in the transport, postal, and health sectors.

CEO of OutNature GmbH, Neckarsulm, Germany

Thomas Tappertzhofen has been the CEO of OutNature GmbH since 2019, which produces paper and packaging material out of regional cup plant-based raw materials on an industrial scale.At the beginning of 2021, the company was awarded the World Packaging Organisation’s Worldstar Award. In 2022, OutNature GmbH received the German Packaging Award. Their cup plant paper is already available at Kaufland Stiftung & Co. KG and Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG.

Head of the Innovation and Environment at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Südlicher Oberrhein, Freiburg, Germany

André Olveira-Lenz is a mechanical engineer (Dipl.-Ing.) with a focus on energy, environment, and process technology. He is an executive board member and the head of the Innovation and Environment division at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Südlicher Oberrhein. His duties at the IHK involve topics such as renewable energy, energy consulting, resource efficiency and climate protection.

Head of the Agricultural Management Department, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

Prof Dr. Enno Bahrs is the head of the Agricultural Management department at the University of Hohenheim and member of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s scientific advisory board on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources. He has been the principle investigator and coordinator of large interdisciplinary research activities with the aim to make agriculture more ecologically friendly without compromising on economic competitiveness.

Head of the Division of Molecular Biotechnology, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Aachen, Germany

Member of the institute management team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Aachen, Germany Prof. Dr. Stefan Schillberg holds an honorary professorship at the Justus Liebig University Giessen. In his position at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, where he is a member of institute management and the head of the molecular biotechnology division, he aims to take research concepts and translate them into practical applications. He also leads the FutureProteins project, which aims to develop alternative protein sources, such as alfalfa, wheatgrass, insects, fungi, and microalgae, in closed loop systems that integrate the usage of side stream and residue materials to produce novel food products.

Head of Südzucker Central Division Research, Development and Services, Südzucker AG, Mannheim, Germany

Dr. Wolfgang Kraus is director of the group-wide research and development department at Südzucker AG. In particular, his research focuses on the development of products and process technologies in the realm of plant proteins, biobased chemicals, natural sweeteners, and industrial decarbonization. Südzucker AG recently became a member of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s Food Accelerator Network (EIT FAN), which is the world’s largest organization for food science innovations.

Head of Unit for Healthy Planet, Bioeconomy and Food Systems RTD.B.2, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium

Dr. Peter Wehrheim is the Head of the Unit responsible for Bioeconomy and Food Systems within the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation in the European Commission. Before, he´s been in the cabinet of the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan, where he contributed to the European Union’s Bioeconomy Strategy. Before his current position, he worked in the Directorate-General for Climate Action as the Head of Unit for Land Use and Climate Finance.

Head of Zeppelin University’s Center for Consumer, Markets, and Politics, Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Prof. Dr. Anja Achtziger is the Vice President Research and chair of the Social and Economic Psychology department at Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen. As the head of Zeppelin University's Center for Consumer, Markets, and Politics and a member of Baden-Württemberg's Consumer Affairs Commission, Prof. Dr. Achtziger has a nuanced understanding of the perspective of consumers and end users.

Founder and CEO of Protein Distillery GmbH, Esslingen

Christoph Pitter is the founder and CEO of ProteinDistillery GmbH in Esslingen and he has a passion for the research and development of plant-based food systems. Pitter graduated with a bachelors in biotechnology and went on to receive his master’s degree in industrial engineering. Before he founded ProteinDistillery GmbH, he worked in the field of business and technology at Merck KGaA and ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG

CEO of Jeder Tropfen Zählt GmbH, Thalmässing

For the last 20 years, Hubert Zenk has devoted himself to the issue of sustainability in mid-sized companies alongside his work in international sales. As a business professional of strong convictions, Zenk is above all interested in the practical implementation of comprehensive sustainability concepts. Motivated by this idea, he has pursued the collection of used cooking oils and fats from private households under the principle that “Jeder Tropfen Zählt” (EN: Every drop counts) alongside Meiko Lesch since 2017.

Founder and Managing Director of PROSERVATION, Stuttgart

Lisa Antonie Scherer is the creative mind behind PROSERVATION’s innovative cushioning material. As an industrial designer (B.A.), Scherer developed this grain husk-based alternative to polystyrene while she studied packaging development management (M.Sc.) at the Hochschule der Medien. At PROSERVATION, she is responsible for material, construction, and design. For Scherer, sustainable, functional product development with an aesthetically pleasing result is a clear winner.

Head of the Coordination Office, BioökonomieREVIER, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

Dr. Christian Klar, together with his team and relevant local actors, works to systemically transform the Rhenish lignite mining area into an innovative model region of the bioeconomy. The structural change initiative has the goal of bringing bioeconomical innovation into everyday life and creating new jobs and driving value creation by connecting companies, academia, education, municipalities, politics, and public entities.

Division Manager of Future Sectors and Innovation, Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH, Mannheim, Germany

Dr. Doris Wittneben has a doctorate in chemistry and a degree in business administration. She is currently the Division Manager of Future Sectors and Innovation at the Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH in Mannheim, which supports the continuing development of the area alongside regional actors. Currently, the Division of Future Sectors and Innovation is working on a bioeconomy Cluster Initiative that aims to transform field-specific company activities into inter-sectoral, interdisciplinary value creation. This will lay the foundation for a circularly oriented bioeconomy that considers the strengths and needs of the agricultural, forestry, and food science industries.

Managing Director of the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany

Jochen Ehlgötz manages the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion GmbH since 2017, a platform for actors in the economic, academic, and public sectors to connect and network among themselves. The Technologieregion Karlsruhe GmbH is currently leading a Bioeconomy Network Initiative project, focusing on the innovative and economic potentials of plant-based fiber value chains.

Director of Molecular Bioproducts R&D at UPM GmbH and deputy chairman of the Bioeconomy e.V., Leuna

Dr. Gerd Unkelbach holds a PhD in chemistry. He has worked with biobased materials since 2005, getting his start at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT. In 2010, he switched to the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP, whose management he subsequently took over in 2012. Since June 2022, he’s been the director of the “Molecular Bioproducts” group research division at UPM Biochemicals GmbH. He’s a member of several committees and is a member of the board of BioEconomy e.V.

Senior Ministerial Adviser of Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Helsinki, Finland.

Before he held his position at the Ministry, he worked as a managing director and then a senior advisor at the Finnish Forest Foundation. His main skills are in the fields of forestry, sustainable development, and market research.

Chair of the Executive Board, Technikum Laubholz GmbH, Blaubeuren, Germany

As the chair of the Executive Board of Technikum Laubholz GmbH, Ludwig Lehner seeks to spark creativity within the realm of researching new wood-based raw materials and new solutions for industrial challenges. Mr. Lehner took the position of chair in 2020, after 30 years of experience with consultation, development, and management of companies in the paper, pulp, wood, and forestry industries

Head of the Competence Center Biopolymer Materials at the Deutsche Institute für Textil und Faserforschung, Denkendorf

Dr. Frank Hermanutz is the head of the Competence Center Biopolymer Materials at the Deutsche Institute für Textil und Faserforschung. The focus of his research in the fields of biopolymers and ionic liquids and their potential implementation in the production of textiles and technical fibers. He works with the HighPerCell® process, which processes cellulose filament fibers. The HighPerCellCARBON® process won the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year” award in January of 2022.

Packaging Technology Program, Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart, Germany

Prof. Dr. Matthias Franz teaches Biobased Materials and Processing Technology in the Packaging Technology program at the Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart. He is an expert in the area of plant-based fibers and biobased packaging and established the Steinbeis Packaging Campus in Lenningen. He develops multifunctional, biodegradable or recyclable materials made of natural fibers with a variety of applications.

Institute of Crop Science, Working Group Cropping Systems and Modelling, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

Prof. Dr. Simone Graeff-Hönninger is an expert in cropping systems and modelling of the University of Hohenheim. Her main research focus is on the cultivation and production processes of different agricultural crops including their quality aspects. Prof. Dr. Graeff-Hönninger leads several regional, national, and international projects centered on innovative and underutilized sources of plant-based dietary protein

Deputy Director of the State Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

PD Dr. Andreas Lemmer is the deputy director of the State Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, which was established by the state and is situated on the campus of the University of Hohenheim. The State Institute represents an interface between university research and agricultural practice and the focus of its research is the energetic utilization of biomass.

Head of Business Area Environment, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, Germany

Dr. Ursula Schließmann has been the head of the Business Area Environment at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB since 2019 and the head of the Environmental and Process Engineering at Fraunhofer IGB since 2011. She is also the vice director of the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for the Water-Energy-Food Nexus at Stellenbosch University in Stellenbosch, South Africa. In addition, she is a board member of the German Water Partnership e.V., which seeks to strengthen German water-management and research.

Supervisor of the Biomass and Food Division of the Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH, Heidelberg, Germany

Nils Rettenmaier holds a degree in geoecology and has worked at ifeu - Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH since 2006. As an academic associate and supervisor in the Biomass and Food division, his research focuses on life cycle assessments for food, bioenergy, and biobased products, as well as biomass potential analyses and sustainability criteria for biomass. He is a member of several national and international standardization committees, workgroups, and taskforces.

Forest and Environmental Policy, University of Freiberg, Freiburg, Germany

Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit is a full professor of Forest and Environmental Policy She is a member of the Sustainable Bioeconomy Council of Baden-Württemberg and leads various research activities related to the integration of environmental goals into the bioeconomy, alongside the StudKomBio project, which focuses on engaging students in developing novel communication formats concerning the bioeconomy.

CEO of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany

Prof. Ralf Kindervater has been the CEO of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH since its foundation. He also holds an honorary professorship in the department of chemical engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology since 2014. Prof. Dr. Kindervater is a member of the Sustainable Bioeconomy Council of the state of Baden-Württemberg. BIOPRO BW GmbH, as a state institution, guides relevant innovations and projects, and works alongside state ministries using its own competencies in the fields of health and bioeconomy.

Regional Transformation and Economic Development, VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH, Berli, Germany

Dr. Gerd Meier zu Köcker started working at VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH in 1999 and became the head of the “International Technology Cooperation and Cluster” department in 2000. In 2014, he took the role CEO of the RegioClusterAgentur Baden-Württemberg. Dr. Meier zu Köcker has extensive experience with cluster development, management, and training, as well as cluster policy and value chain mapping. He founded the European Cluster Excellence Foundation and the European Secretariat for Cluster Analyses, before going on to lead the European Cluster Observatory between 2013 and 2016.