Shot by Jiang Xiaowei. Edited by Jiang Xiaowei, Li Qian. Reported by Li Qian. Subtitles by Li Qian.
Johann Löhn, a leading global expert in technology transfer, shares his insights on the crucial role of technology transfer in China’s innovation scene with Shanghai Daily in an exclusive interview during the Pujiang Innovation Forum.
Löhn, honorary chairman of the Steinbeis Foundation, discusses how his work is helping to bridge the gap between research and industry, boosting China’s technological progress.
The Steinbeis Foundation, known for its significant role in technology transfer worldwide, has been deeply involved in China since 1989 and expanded its presence in China by establishing a new subsidiary, Steinbeis Sustainable Technology and Management Beijing, in February.
“China and other countries have good infrastructure for research,” he says. “China changed a lot, especially in the last 10 years. They put a lot into the research. Research is going up. But the next step is: how can we get the research results into the company?”
Löhn also compares China’s approach with Europe’s model. He points out that while China has made great strides, Europe, especially Germany, has a balanced system that supports technology transfer between large and small companies. “Smaller companies not only supply larger firms but are also at the forefront of innovation,” he says.