On Monday, 20.07.2020, Minister President Michael Kretschmer and Member of the State Parliament Dr. Stephan Meyer met with stakeholders of the ^LaNDER3 partnership and the Vice-Rector Research of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Raj Kollmorgen, at the Natural Fiber Center of the HSZG.

The results of the start-up phase of the partnership (2017-2020) were presented and ideas to be implemented in the intensification phase of the partnership from 2021 were discussed. How the partnership can be made permanent from 2025 and how it can support the regional innovation structure was also discussed. The company representatives present, Dr. Stefan Jakschik(ULT AG) and Holger Wagner(Rhode & Wagner GmbH), emphasized the great benefits of the ^LaNDER3 network for regional development. The close cooperation between local SMEs, the HSZG and the Upper Lusatia Plastics Center of the Fraunhofer IWU in Zittau has already enabled the first start-ups to be supported.

In this context, Dr. Jakschik also presented the newly founded neo.Net association. This is an association of various local players with the aim of providing impetus in application-oriented research and education - and serving as an interface between idea providers from the skilled trades and companies and universities/research institutions.

The ^LaNDER3 partnership emerges from the discussions with new ideas and approaches - and continues to work together on innovations from Upper Lusatia.