Photograph by Katharina Kern
Prof. Ursula M. Staudinger, Rector of TUD, and Prof. Frank H. P. Fitzek at the awards ceremony.
Prof. Frank H. P. Fitzek of TU Dresden received the prestigious UNIPRENEURS 2026 award, honoring his sustained commitment to transferring scientific results directly into the market. As head of a research group of more than 140 scientists spanning communications systems, quantum technologies, and human-machine interaction, Fitzek has co-founded multiple startups and mentors emerging entrepreneurs. The award recognizes his leadership across gAIn, the Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop (CeTI), and the 6G-life research hub.
The UNIPRENEURS award is organized by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, with backing from the Startup Association (Startup-Verband), Bitkom, and AddedVal.io, and co-chaired by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space Travel and Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy. Presented only once every three years, it is described as Germany’s largest recognition for outstanding entrepreneurial engagement in higher education; the 2026 cycle honored 20 professors across engineering, economics, natural sciences, computer science, and medicine, who between them have mentored, advised, or invested in roughly 600 startups, with 90 percent having founded companies of their own.
Source: TU Dresden press release
Date
22nd September, 2026
Location
TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany