TETRAFEST 2025
Technology Transfer for Sustainable Development
Bucharest, 09.-11.10.2025
The TETRAFEST 2025 brought together more than 500 researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers under the motto “Transfer tehnologic pentru o dezvoltare economică sustenabilă” –Technology Transfer for Sustainable Development.
Hosted by the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest and supported by the Ministry of Education and Research together with Banca Comercială Română, the three-day event served as a national platform for sharing best practices in innovation, intellectual property, and entrepreneurship.
“Strong ideas grow from solid knowledge,” Raizner underlined. “But real innovation emerges only when researchers and enterprises work together—aligning scientific excellence with real-world demand.”
Steinbeis Contribution in the Plenary Session
In the opening Plenary Session, Jürgen Raizner, Founder of Steinbeis Competence Group EAST-WEST delivered a keynote presentation title “Advancing Innovation through Effective Technology Transfer Models.”
Raizner emphasized that innovation requires more than creative ideas—it depends on market knowledge, structured collaboration, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Drawing on successful Steinbeis experiences from Baden-Württemberg and Central and Eastern Europe, he outlined how demand-driven technology transfer connects science with business and transforms knowledge into market value. He also presented new initiatives by Steinbeis Romania, including the AI-driven UTECH platform for global technology scouting and the Early Innovators program, which nurtures entrepreneurial capacity among young talents.
During his presentation, Raizner introduced the ReBORN project, implemented by his Steinbeis Centers under the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), as a good practice example of how knowledge transfer can drive sustainable transformation. The project focuses on advancing energy efficiency in Romania’s building sector through education, applied research, and cooperation with local stakeholders. Its results and experiences are transferable to other regions, demonstrating how collaborative approaches can accelerate the transition toward a climate-neutral Europe.
The ReBORN project attracted particular interest from participants and became a topic of further discussion after the presentation, reflecting its significance as a model for integrating research, innovation, and policy support in the field of sustainable construction.
About the ReBORN Project
ReBORN – Revitalizing Buildings through Education, Optimization and Renewable Norms – is an EUKI-funded initiative that pioneers sustainable construction and renovation in Romania and Croatia. The project supports the transition from nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (nZEB) to Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) by promoting the use of local natural materials such as reed and hemp as carbon-neutral building components.
Through a transnational partnership of research institutes, public administrations, and innovation-oriented organizations, ReBORN develops practical solutions to increase energy efficiency, improve professional skills, and integrate sustainability into construction standards and public policies. Training programs, technical guidelines, and new prototypes for nature-based materials turn research results into tangible benefits for both local economies and the environment.
ReBORN exemplifies how European cooperation and applied knowledge transfer can accelerate the decarbonisation of the building sector and support the European Green Deal’s long-term climate objectives.
Highlights of TETRAFEST 2025
The event featured thematic workshops on intellectual property, funding opportunities, and technology brokerage, alongside bilateral meetings and an extensive innovation exhibition. The final day hosted the TETRAFEST Innovation Contest, where five outstanding Romanian projects were awarded for their impact and transfer potential. Among the jury members was Roxana Boborută, Deputy Managing Director of Steinbeis Romania.
TETRAFEST 2025 reaffirmed the growing importance of knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship in strengthening Romania’s innovation ecosystem.
Steinbeis Romania continues to support this mission—helping turn visions into business.