ITIV and ICM at the KIT Innovators Homecoming 2026

New perspectives on data-driven mobility and engineering in exchange with the startup and alumni community.
Sandra Göttisheim | KIT
<Text wird generiert, bitte warten...> KIT
<Text wird generiert, bitte warten...> Sandra Göttisheim | KIT

On January 29, 2026, the KIT Innovators Homecoming under the motto "Merging Generations" brought together more than 500 alumni, founders and partners from the innovation environment of KIT in the Eventhall Karlsruhe. The ITIV and the Innovation Campus Mobility of the Future (ICM) presented current research impulses and technological insights.

Engineering as a unifying discipline

In his lecture "Connecting diversity - the essence of engineering", Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Eric Sax showed how interdisciplinary collaboration shapes modern mobility and system solutions. He emphasized the role of data-driven development and sustainable engineering methods.

Data transparency for sustainable electric fleets

In the exhibition, the ITIV presented the project OTrace project - a platform for smart energy management and cloud-based vehicle functions.
The main advantages:

  • Up to 10% more range for electric city buses

  • Lower costs thanks to cloud-based functions

  • More sustainability through optimized energy flows

A boost for the KIT ecosystem

Keynotes from leading figures in the startup scene, over 20 exhibiting startups and many expert discussions once again showed how closely research, entrepreneurship and innovation are linked at KIT.