Thinknet 6G: New Initiative at Bayern Innovativ

Although 5G (5th Generation) mobile technology is still ramping up, research and development of 6G have already begun. Bayern Innovativ today announced the new “Thinknet 6G” initiative, focusing on the next generation of mobile communications. This initiative was founded to ensure that all relevant stakeholders in Bavaria are involved in the research and development of 6G at an early stage. At the kickoff event on March 24, 2021, the Thinknet 6G initiative will be presented and its importance for Bavarian research, industry and society highlighted.

5G cellular is currently attracting a lot of attention, because it provides the basis for new customer experiences such as augmented reality games or for networking industrial equipment (Industry 4.0). However, the research community is already turning their attention to the next generation, 6G, which enables applications with significantly higher network requirements, such as real-time digital twins or fully autonomous driving.

To ensure that all relevant stakeholders in Bavaria are involved in the research and development of 6G at an early stage, the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (StMWi) has launched the "Thinknet 6G" initiative at Bayern Innovativ. The cooperation platform will network an agile ecosystem of industry players, research institutions, associations, innovators, start-ups and incubators with each other. Thinknet 6G is both an expert think tank and an agile community for all organisations and stakeholders who are interested in 6G development.

Thinknet 6G is hosted by the Centre for Digitalisation Bavaria (Zentrum Digitalisierung.Bayern) at Bayern Innovativ and will pursue the following main goals and activities:
• Establish a vibrant ecosystem of 6G stakeholders in Bavaria, Germany, Europe, and internationally
• Act as a central point-of-contact and point-of-information for 6G topics and questions
• Stimulate networking and exchange between the relevant stakeholders, to enable collaboration, cooperation and knowledge transfer
• Cooperate and network with 6G organisations in other states and countries
• Support pre-competitive consensus building and reciprocal exchange
• Promote Thinknet 6G and its activities, for example via an annual 6G conference
• Provide expert input and support to define calls for research funding

Thinknet 6G is one of three 6G pillars which were announced as part of the Bavarian Hightech Agenda Plus, Bavaria’s high-tech initiative. The other two pillars will be a lighthouse 6G research lab at the Technical University of Munich and funding calls for joint 6G research projects. Thinknet 6G at Bayern Innovativ will work closely with the other two pillars as well as with 6G organisations in the rest of Germany and internationally.

Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Kimberley Parsons Trommler
Tel: + 49 911-20671-219
E-Mail: trommler@bayern-innovativ.de

Originalpublikation:
https://www.bayern-innovativ.de/services/asset/bilder/thinknet%206G/press-release-kickoff-event-6g.pdf