The German Hub is an office community between eight German organizations in the heart of San Francisco’s Financial District. In this series, we want to introduce the organizations and their valuable services to our transatlantic community.
Text by Jeff Ouimet
Where World-Leading Academics Meet Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The Technical University of Munich (TUM), also known as “The Entrepreneurial University,” is a powerhouse of innovation and entrepreneurship located at the heart of Munich’s burgeoning startup scene. TUM leads Europe and the world in innovation, entrepreneurship, and academics. In fact, TUM has been ranked one of the very best universities in the world for innovation. By cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset among researchers and students, TUM is able to provide excellent support to the founders of technology startups, resulting in an average of 70 to 80 spinoff companies each year. Given these facts, it is no surprise that TUM chose to locate its North American liaison office in San Francisco. From here, we take advantage of the proximity to Silicon Valley and the numerous educational institutions we work closely with, such as UC Berkeley and Stanford University.
Established in 2015, the TUM San Francisco liaison office serves as a bridge between TUM and North America. We open access to TUM’s world-class facilities for cutting-edge research and its unique educational opportunities. We likewise open access to the best of North American research, innovation, and education to the broader TUM community.
The heart of TUM San Francisco’s mission is to promote TUM’s educational, scientific, and technological excellence throughout the world by working together with other TUM liaison offices in Beijing, Brussels, Mumbai, and São Paulo as well as the TUM Asia campus in Singapore.
Bridging Silicon Valley and the Munich Startup Scene
The TUM San Francisco liaison office serves TUM and the transatlantic business community in North America by maintaining a vibrant network of founders, funders, venture capitalists, academics, and alumni. We organize webinars, networking events, and presentations on the latest research and innovation themes. Our office also organizes and hosts delegations from TUM and other German stakeholders when they visit the United States and Canada. In addition, our office is responsible for maintaining TUM’s network of alumni throughout North America by cultivating the relationship between former students and their alma mater. Whether through networking events or other programs specially tailored to the interests of the TUM alumni community, our graduates stay informed and connected.
The TUM San Francisco liaison office’s suite of services includes:
- Cultivating TUM’s partnerships in North America by facilitating cooperation projects, advertising new programs, and representing TUM at campus events throughout North America;
- Linking TUM researchers and staff to local stakeholders in support of their activities in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley;
- Supporting TUM’s recruitment efforts in North America by attending career fairs and organizing workshops for specific target groups such as postdoctoral researchers;
- Monitoring and analyzing trends in higher education, research, and industry;
- Supporting TUM delegations visiting the San Francisco Bay area and Silicon Valley.
The TUM San Francisco liaison office is here to connect the United States and Canada with the entire TUM family. Please reach out to discover how we can help you.
Jeffrey Ouimet, Senior Regional Manager North America
Jeff Ouimet is the TUM Liaison Officer for North America. He comes to TUM after 25 years practicing as a patent lawyer in the life sciences and an attorney at law representing companies and individuals in intellectual property and international transactional matters. Jeff now works with TUM’s academic and institutional partners in the US and Canada, as well as with the alumni network.
