The aim of the FUNKEN Kolleg is to bring together players from the fields of art, science and business and to promote innovative approaches. By involving so-called intrapreneurs from small and medium-sized enterprises, artistic-technological projects are to be enriched with practical expertise.

By May 2025, the project sponsors – Kreatives Chemnitz e. V. and Klub Solitaer e. V. – will have implemented a total of six collaboration programmes, accompanied by workshops, expert impulses and public presentations. The project thus contributes to strengthening the innovative capacity of the Saxon economy and to implementing the Makers² programme area of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025.

By bringing together artistic vision, scientific curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit, the FUNKEN Kolleg sets new standards for the way innovation is conceived and realised. The Saxon Ministry of Economic Affairs supports the project financially on the basis of the Cultural and Creative Industries funding guideline.

Economics Minister Dulig emphasised the importance of the project: “The spark should be ignited in order to make better use of the innovation and transformation potential of the cultural and creative industries for the economy and society. Innovations require leaps of thought across industry boundaries and markets. The world and successful companies regularly reinvent themselves. This is also because they have to, as decarbonisation, a shortage of skilled workers, sustainability, digitalisation and artificial intelligence demand it. It is important to activate the innovation reserves of Saxony’s SMEs and thus increase the resilience of our economy.