TUDAG: The Future of Switchgear Facility 30 at the Mitte Power Plant: The “TUDAG House” as a Meeting Place for Science, Business, and Society

The future of the historically protected Switching Station 30 at the Mitte Power Plant has been decided. The TechnologieZentrumDresden (TZD) has secured TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft (TUDAG) as the long-term tenant for the historic building. Starting January 1, 2027, the “Haus der TUDAG” will be established at the site where Dresden’s energy supply was once controlled—a place where knowledge comes to life, with a focus on innovation, knowledge and technology transfer, and exchange between science, business, and society. With this development, the Kraftwerk Mitte continues to evolve and expands its profile as a hub for culture, creativity, and education to include three additional areas of focus: technology transfer, knowledge transfer, and entrepreneurship. The property owner is SachsenEnergie, which has been transforming the site into a vibrant cultural district for the past 15 years.

(from left to right): Frank Neuber (Property Manager and Authorized Signatory at SachsenEnergie), Mayor Jan Pratzka (Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Digital Affairs, Human Resources, and Security of the State Capital of Dresden), Dr. Torsten Fahrig (Managing Director of TechnologieZentrumDresden), Dr. Merle Emre (Board Member for Knowledge Transfer, TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft), Prof. Dr. Jacques Rohayem (Spokesperson for the Executive Board and Board Member for Technology Transfer, TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft) | Photo: Tobias Ritz

Switchgear 30 at the Kraftwerk Mitte with its new function as the “Haus der TUDAG”: A Meeting Place for Science, Business, and Society

From the very beginning, the development of Switchgear Hall 30 was guided by the idea of creating a place for innovation. With TUDAG, the building now gains a tenant whose purpose and mission are directly aligned with this vision. TUDAG puts knowledge to work by translating scientific findings into practical applications and forging connections between science, business, and society. At the “House of TUDAG,” it—together with its subsidiaries GWT-TUD GmbH, Dresden International University GmbH (DIU), TU Dresden Institute of Advanced Studies GmbH (TUDIAS), and EIPOS GmbH—supports research and development projects, develops educational programs, and supports technology-oriented spin-offs from the University of Excellence, Technische Universität Dresden, thereby helping to bring new technologies and products to market.

With TUDAG’s move in, this original idea is now becoming a reality: Switchgear Hall 30 is becoming the “Haus der TUDAG” and thus a place where the mission “We put knowledge to work” becomes visible and tangible. Here, science, business, and society will come together to learn from one another and jointly advance innovation.

Until now, TUDAG was headquartered at the World Trade Center Dresden on Freiberger Straße. With this move, TUDAG is creating the physical conditions for even closer collaboration and more intensive exchange among its member companies. Approximately 150 employees will work at the new location in the future. The move will take place in phases starting in January 2027. An official opening event is planned for spring 2027.

Dr. Torsten Fahrig, Managing Director of TechnologieZentrumDresden, says:

“In TUDAG, we have found a partner that is a perfect fit for the vision of Switchgear 30 at Kraftwerk Mitte. We developed the building with the goal of creating a place for innovation, knowledge transfer, and collaboration. With TUDAG, we are now gaining a tenant that not only embraces this idea but also brings it to life through its work. This makes Switchyard 30 a key component in the further development of Kraftwerk Mitte. We’ll be celebrating this in just a few days, when Switchyard 30 hosts the 2025/2026 annual conference of the Federal Association of German Innovation, Technology, and Startup Centers.”

Prof. Dr. Jacques Rohayem, Spokesperson for the TUDAG Board of Directors and Director of Technology Transfer, adds:

“The ‘Haus der TUDAG’ will be far more than just a new headquarters for us. It will be a place where we can make our mission—‘We put knowledge to work’—visible and tangible. Here, we want to bring together science, business, and society, learn from one another, and jointly advance innovations that create social value. The physical proximity of our subsidiaries creates new opportunities for collaboration. At the same time, we want to use the ‘Haus der TUDAG’ as an open meeting place for science, businesses, founders, and partners from the region—hosting scientific events, networking events, and continuing education programs.”

Prof. Ursula M. Staudinger, Rector of TU Dresden and Deputy Chair of the TUDAG Supervisory Board, says:

“For 25 years, TUDAG has been a key partner of TU Dresden in knowledge and technology transfer. In the future, the ‘Haus der TUDAG’ will offer excellent conditions for bringing together people from academia, business, and society. I am delighted that TUDAG can visibly advance its mission at this special location and thereby contribute to Dresden’s innovative strength.”

Jan Pratzka, Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Digital Affairs, Human Resources, and Security for the State Capital of Dresden, sees TUDAG’s relocation as an important boost for the city as a hub for business and innovation:

“Kraftwerk Mitte impressively demonstrates how a historic industrial site can be transformed into a vibrant hub for culture, creativity, education, and innovation. TUDAG’s move here adds another important building block. It strengthens the connection between science and business and, in turn, reinforces Dresden’s significance as a hub for science and innovation.”

With its move-in, TUDAG intends not only to use the “Haus der TUDAG” as a workplace but also to breathe life into it as a center for knowledge and technology transfer. The goal is to create a place where new connections are forged, ideas are further developed, and scientific findings are translated into concrete applications.

_ _ _ _ _
About the TechnologieZentrumDresden:

TechnologieZentrumDresden GmbH (TZD) is a key institution dedicated to supporting and developing technology-oriented companies in Dresden. TZD operates several specialized locations in Dresden, offering flexible office and laboratory space as well as workshops and cleanrooms that are specifically tailored to the needs of technology-driven companies. In addition to the infrastructure, tenants benefit from a strong network of universities, research institutions, investors, and established industry partners.

TechnologieZentrumDresden sees itself as a bridge between science and industry and primarily supports startups, spin-offs, and companies in the development and implementation of innovative business ideas. In this way, the TZD plays a decisive role in raising Dresden’s profile as a high-tech hub both nationally and internationally and in sustainably strengthening the regional economy.

TZD Contact:

Dr. Torsten Fahrig
Phone: +49 351 888 22222
Email: kontakt@tzdresden.de

_ _ _ _ _
About TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft:

TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft (TUDAG) is a partner for knowledge, technology, and innovation transfer and operates at the intersection of science, business, and society. As an enabler, networker, and facilitator, it creates the conditions for scientific findings to find their way into business and society and for innovations to have a lasting impact. TUDAG was founded in 2000 to apply scientific findings from the University of Technology and Dresden (TU Dresden)—now a university of excellence—to the business world and to support companies in the development and introduction of new technologies and products. It understands both the demands of day-to-day research and the mechanisms of the market, combining scientific excellence with entrepreneurial practice. On this basis, it initiates and supports contract research, develops educational programs for knowledge transfer, empowers researchers—within the framework of entrepreneurship—to transform scientific innovations into economically viable spin-offs, and supports these spin-offs as an early-stage investor, service provider, and partner with an entrepreneurial interest. In addition, it prepares international students and professionals for their studies and the job market. In doing so, it creates reliable structures, pools expertise within a holistic network, and supports complex projects in close collaboration with TU Dresden as well as other stakeholders from academia, business, and society. The TUDAG network comprises more than 30 subsidiaries and portfolio companies with currently over 550 employees. These include, among others, the wholly-owned subsidiaries GWT-TUD GmbH, Dresden International University GmbH (DIU), EIPOS GmbH, and TU Dresden Institute of Advanced Studies GmbH (TUDIAS).

Contact person at TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft:

Cindy Knoblauch
PR Manager
Phone: +49 351 40470-401
Email: cindy.knoblauch@tudag.de

Photos: Tobias Ritz