The Mayor of Heidelberg to join Future Cities Forum at Cambridge Science Park this September

Image: courtesy of the City of Heidelberg

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner who has been Mayor of the City of Heidelberg since 2006 will be contributing to its conference at the Cambridge Science Park this September.

Following his second period of office, he was re-elected for a further eight years in November 2022. The Mayor is head of the city administration and at the same time chairman of the City Council.

The City of Heidelberg has reported:

'The university city of Heidelberg is a global hotspot for science, with a high density of research activities in institutes and research facilities. Few locations can boast so many of the world’s leading universities and internationally renowned scientific institutes in such close proximity as in the city on the River Neckar. The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the country’s largest biomedical research facility, is a world leader in cancer research.

Image: Exterior of the HQ of EMBL, Heidelberg, courtesy of Future Cities Forum

'The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) which is supported by more than 20 European countries and conducts basic research in molecular biology, has its head quarters campus in Heidelberg.

'According to international rankings, Heidelberg University is one of the top 50 universities in the world. The university hospital currently treats around one million patients annually. Four Max Planck Institutes and the College of Jewish Studies are other outstanding components of Heidelberg’s research activities.

“Heidelberg is known in particular for its knowledge-intensive companies. These benefit from their proximity to numerous universities and non-university research facilities,” explains the city’s lord mayor Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner.

“The interplay between the worlds of science, business and everyday living that has existed in the historic old town for centuries is now being rediscovered by modern-day urban development, research and industry."

'The university and research institutes account for around 17% of jobs in Heidelberg. Together with the university hospital, the university is the city’s largest employer, with over 14,000 full-time employees. In total, significantly more than half the 86,000 dependent employees in Heidelberg work in the knowledge-intensive services sector – including universities and colleges – or the health and welfare sectors. Employment growth in the past decade has been based to a significant extent on these sectors.

Image: interior of EMBL, Heidelberg, courtesy of Future Cities Forum

'The university city of Heidelberg has great regional importance as a labour market centre. Two thirds of those employed in the city commute in from outside. The economy is booming. The number of people in full-time employment in Heidelberg has risen to 117,500 – a new record.

'Employees have an above-average level of education, and 35% of employees living in Heidelberg have an academic degree. The average for Germany is 12%. At the same time, the unemployment rate is below average compared with other cities in Baden-Württemberg.

'Heidelberg University’s new hei_INNOVATION Startup Hub provides purpose-built facilities and infrastructure for entrepreneurs on the Im Neuenheimer Feld campus, providing state-of-the-art offices and co-working spaces. The Hub welcomes startups, spin-offs, EXIST-funded teams, and young enterprises connected to the university, including those originating from its Medical Faculties in Heidelberg and Mannheim.

“With the Startup Hub, hei_INNOVATION, the university’s transfer agency, is creating a professional and creative environment for dialogue on entrepreneurial topics and an open, accessible space for networking,” explains Prof. Dr Katja Patzel-Mattern, Vice-Rector for Innovation and Transfer. Half of the 55 workspaces have already been allocated. In addition to infrastructure support, hei_INNOVATION is planning events aimed at specific target groups and offerings using new delivery formats.

Image: courtesy of Institute for Hematology and Oncology GmbH,

Institute for Hematology and Oncology GmbH

IHO GmbH, a company specializing in molecular genetic diagnostics, has been a new tenant in LAB22, the modern research and innovation building at Heidelberg Technology Park in Heidelberg Innovation Park, since March 2025.

The company relocated its headquarters from Mannheim to Heidelberg and is now occupying the second floor in the second construction phase of LAB22, right next to BioLabs Heidelberg, which opened in 2023. IHO GmbH develops innovative methods for the analysis of blood and tumor diseases and works closely with clinics, research institutions and industry partners to advance personalized medicine and cancer research.

The Heidelberg Technology Park, founded in 1984, is one of Europe’s leading innovation centers and offers modern laboratory and office space as well as a comprehensive network for companies in the fields of biotechnology, IT and high-tech. Through programs such as the Life Science Accelerator BW, the park specifically promotes start-ups and young companies. The Heidelberg Innovation Park, developed since 2017 on the site of the former US Army Patton Barracks, has evolved into a dynamic center for IT, bioinformatics and life sciences and strengthens the networking of research and business in the Heidelberg region.