Lake Constance Innovation Cluster Digital Change (BIC)

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Upcoming Events

February 2026
LinkedIn survey: Key topics for innovation circle meetings
Q1 & Q2 (digital and in-person)
Continuation of the innovation circle meetings
July 17, 2026 (SeeCampus Zeppelin University)
BIC Annual Conference

Kick-off into the New Year 2026

Digital Trends, Disruption and Resilience

With the 2026 kick-off event, the Lake Constance Innovation Cluster Digital Change (BIC) started the new year together on January 30 at the ZF Campus of Zeppelin University. Under the central theme “Digital Trends, Disruption and Resilience,” representatives from business, academia, and the innovation ecosystem came together to discuss current developments and key questions surrounding performance, leadership, and stability in times of transformation.


Following the welcome address by Elisabeth Lindt, Head of BIC, two insightful keynotes set important impulses: Dr. Simon Sagmeister highlighted the role of performance culture in the context of ongoing transformation processes, while Konrad Krafft positioned resilience as a strategic foundation in AI-driven change. The subsequent panel discussion with Prof. Dr. habil. Josef Wieland brought together different perspectives on leadership between stability and change, fostering an open and dynamic exchange.


The afternoon concluded with coffee, networking, and informal conversations. The event not only provided stimulating content but also created space for personal encounters, new ideas, and a successful start to the BIC year 2026.

THINK BIC – BIC Annual Conference 2025

Technology Meets Action – Shaping the Future Together

On July 11, 2025, the annual conference of the Lake Constance Innovation Cluster took place on the SeeCampus of Zeppelin University under the motto “THINK BIC – Technology Meets Action.” The day was dedicated to exchange, inspiration, and practical insights into the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation.


With inspiring keynotes, a lively panel discussion, and interactive workshops, the conference brought current developments to life and opened up new perspectives. Among the speakers were Christoph Bornschein (Omnicom & TLGG Consulting), Sophie Seiwald-Højer (IT Consulting, formerly Mercedes-Benz.io), Sandy Brückner (Linde plc), and Constance Stein (cosnova GmbH), delivering insights on topics such as courageous leadership in times of change, inner transformation as the foundation of digital change, impactful AI skills development, and the targeted use of GenAI.


The afternoon workshops offered participants the opportunity to work hands-on and co-create ideas – focusing on topics such as AI ecosystem design, mindset & change, and scalable AI platform strategies.


The conference once again demonstrated the tremendous energy that emerges when bright minds, bold ideas, and determination come together – creating space for meaningful exchange, new connections, and inspiring discussions in a unique setting directly on Lake Constance.

What does the Lake Constance Innovation Cluster do?

The idea behind founding the Lake Constance Innovation Cluster Digital Change (BIC) is based on the fundamental conviction that the Lake Constance region, as one of the most innovative technology regions in Europe, has extensive explicit and implicit knowledge of the framework conditions, consequences and, above all, opportunities in the context of digital transformation in industry and society.

Against this background, the Leadership Excellence Institute Zeppelin | LEIZ of Zeppelin University | ZU is pursuing the goal of promoting the future viability of highly industrialised and highly innovative locations such as the Lake Constance region by establishing the BIC. The BIC is guided by an interest in the global challenges of progressive digitalisation and in securing ecologically and economically sustainable development in the region. The BIC brings together research institutions, technology companies and other relevant stakeholders in the region so that relevant expertise is systematically and continuously identified, focused on and made available for both regional and supra-regional economic and social benefit. The BIC complements existing formats in the region, which concentrate primarily on the technical side of digital change. We are primarily interested in the consequences of digital change for business models as well as for society and the region.


The work of the BIC is based on the extensive results of a study on the status, challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in the Lake Constance region. Four main topics were derived from the results of the study, which will be dealt with in innovation circles of the BIC:

Structure of the Lake Constance Innovation Cluster (BIC)

The BIC constitutes a network of research institutions, companies and other relevant stakeholders of the Lake Constance region, which allows for the joint development of knowledge, synergy effects and "best practice" considerations.

The overall goal of the cluster is, firstly, to establish a thematically oriented network for its members, and secondly, to jointly shape the digital transformation in the Lake Constance region. The cluster works completely demand-oriented and is thematically oriented towards the results of the biennial surveys on the implications of digital transformation for the region.

Cooperation and networking are becoming core competencies in times of digital transformation.

Prof Dr Josef Wieland, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the BIC

After the publication of the results, the topic areas to which the companies attribute the highest relevance form the thematic basis for the work of the following two years with regard to the organisation of conferences and innovation circles. The content and operational set-up of the Innovation Laboratory and the associated Innovation Circles is thus always based on the verified needs of the regional companies.

Current Innovation Circles

Board of Trustees of the BIC

As a network-oriented cluster, the BIC serves as a neutral platform for companies in the region to discover and use synergy effects among themselves and to understand and jointly work on the opportunities and challenges of digital change. The basic strategy of the innovation cluster is determined on the one hand by the board of trustees, which consists of representatives of the supporting companies from various industries and other players in the region, and on the other hand is derived thematically from the results of the surveys. The Board of Trustees meets twice a year in order to be able to adapt the strategic orientation to current circumstances.


If you are also considering becoming a founding member, please contact our managing director, Elisabeth Lindt, Dr Lennart Brand e.lindt@zu.de.

Kuratoriumsmitglieder

Cooperations

The BIC is of the opinion that the ever more complex economic and social processes must be shaped by the expertise and knowledge of various actors in order to create synergies and successfully shape the digital transformation. Thus, the BIC sees itself as an independent knowledge and transfer platform, which would like to provide the neutral venue for this exchange. As a network, the BIC promotes the bundling of already existing expertise and the development of new knowledge in the field of digital transformation in cooperation with other actors and experts from business, science, politics, intermediaries and civil society.

Lake Constance as a model region

The Lake Constance region is a four-country region consisting of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Lake Constance thus separates and unites political, social and economic areas. From a political perspective, the Lake Constance region offers diverse opportunities for cross-border cooperation and networks across political systems: the border region thus becomes a real laboratory for multinational cooperation.

In addition, the Lake Constance region as a knowledge region is home to a total of 29 higher education and research institutions, which are linked together under the umbrella of the International University of Lake Constance (IBH). This largest European university association enables intensive transnational research and transfer projects, which will also benefit the companies in the region. After all, it is these companies within the Lake Constance economic area that have been responsible for the enormous innovative power of the region for years. Here, too, the relevance of the cross-border and often intensive interlinkages and cooperations is evident: On the one hand between companies themselves, on the other hand between companies and their environment such as scientific or intermediary institutions.

This innovation system of the region is also supported by a broad corporate structure and industry structure. In addition to a large number of small and medium-sized companies, some of which are undoubtedly hidden champions, the Lake Constance region is also home to an impressive number of major international corporations. This economic ecosystem with its enormous innovative power is unique in this form and must be further strengthened in the future.

Innovation circles of the past

The Team

Wieland, Josef
Wieland, Josef Prof Dr
Director Leadership Excellence Institute Zeppelin | LEIZ
Phone:+49 7541 6009-2261
Room:FAB 3 | 1.55

Prof Dr Wieland is Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He also advises the management of the Cluster and the Innovation Laboratory as scientific mentor of the project.

Lindt, Elisabeth
Lindt, Elisabeth
Head of Bodensee Innovation Cluster Digital Transformation | BIC
Phone:+497541 6009-2264
Room:SMH Kolon | 2.01

Ms Lindt has been in charge of the BIC's internal processes since the beginning of 2023 and is responsible for the planning and implementation of events as well as the coordination of the BIC team.

Dr Brand is responsible for managing the Innovation Cluster. Please contact Dr Brand if you are interested in becoming a founding member of the BIC.

Wiesmüller, Sabine
Wiesmüller, Sabine Dr rer pol
Senior Research Fellow Shared Value & AI Governance | LEIZ
Managing Director Bodensee Innovationscluster Digitaler Wandel | BIC
Phone:+49 7541 6009-2267
Room:FAB 3 | 1.63

As a founding member, Ms. Wiesmüller led the BIC from 2018 to 2022 and will be available to the cluster as executive director and contact person for strategic issues from 2023.

Further information

A retrospective report of the opening event of the Innovation Circle Cybersecurity on the 25th of January 2020 may be found here

The archive of the LEIZ may be found on our Resources Website

ManagerSeminar Regional portrayed the Lake Constance Innovation Cluster in January 2019: Download

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