Innovation Academy

The Innovation Academy e.V. presents you with practical examples of how sustainable development can be realized in urban and rural areas. This non-profit organization relies on knowledge transfer and is recognized as an official project of the United Nation’s “World Decade of Education for Sustainable Development”. The  Innovation Academy e.V. is an official partner of both the city of Freiburg and the Upper Rhine Valley, and is very well networked throughout the three-country region. Founded in 2004, the academy now has 6 full-time employees and 20 freelancers.

Every year, the academy’s services are booked by 320 delegations with 6,000 participants from more than 40 countries. Our one-day and multi-day workshops, summer schools, and excursions are di-rected towards trade delegations in the areas of politics, administration, economy, and environmental protection. The Innovation Academy e.V. also welcomes students and scientists from international universities and research institutes.

Logistics

Together we will visit innovative and future-oriented model projects, as well as companies and institutions in the three-country region shared by Germany, France, and Switzerland. The Innovation Academy e.V. also offers trade tours to other European destinations like Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Malmö. We make sure that you remain mobile. Would you like a large tour bus that picks you up at the airport, or do you need a minibus with driver? Do you need tickets for public transportation, or would you like to go with the even more environmentally friendly option of testing the new bike “express-ways” with a bike or e-Bike? All of this can be arranged for you in cooperation with our partner companies.
Highly qualified field instructors will provide important impetus for your own projects. Of course, you also have the opportunity to put together your own tailor-made program.

Overnight stay and board

Carefully selected accommodation belongs to any multiday stay in the region. All categories are available, from inexpensive backpacker options to 5-star hotels. Before beginning your tour, you can enjoy fueling up with an organic breakfast buffet. Would you like a multi-course meal in first-class restaurants for your delegation, or would you prefer a cheaper option for your student group? We also offer original solutions, like a typical Black Forest cottage dinner or an organic wine tasting with “Flammkuchen”, a stone-baked, thin-crust pizza made with crème fraiche, sliced onions, and smoked bacon.

Interpreters and translations

Our goal is for you to be able to take as much information as possible back home with you, as well to ask important questions in your native language on site. Our translation team is here to interpret the more widely-used world languages. In addition to English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, translation services are also available in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian.

Seminar rooms

We will choose the ideal facilities for your seminar or event from various options within the Upper Rhine Valley. These could be prestigious rooms of historical significance, seminar rooms from public institutions, or rooms at innovative companies.

Framework program

We also offer support for organizing leisure activities during your program. Options include guided hikes and bike tours, as well as visits to historic sites and tourist attractions in the region. Examples of the contents of 1- to 3-day specialized travel programs are each listed on the topic pages of this brochure. A detailed program is then created according to each customer’s individual needs.