Auf einen Espresso mit dem neuen LK-Vorsitzenden Dr. Stephan Bross (Wissensfabrik-Forum 2021)

Thank you very much for the invitation and for the opportunity not only to drink an espresso but also to talk about various topics. It's so good to sit across from each other again, not just virtually, and to get a real espresso. And the distance certainly allows us to sit here without a mask.

I have to go back a bit further, because my school days are a couple of days ago. I was born in 1962, so I went to school at the end of the 1960s, beginning of the 1970s. Back then, school was marked by a shortage of teachers, and especially the STEM subjects were always neglected. There was half a year of physics, sometimes one and a half years of chemistry. And since I changed schools in between, I had the luck or misfortune to enjoy a good physics education but have no clue at all about chemistry. Today I would want it differently. There are completely different possibilities alongside the school material offered, to introduce children to these topics very early through such extracurricular activities. That's exactly what Wissensfabrik does, opening up opportunities for teachers and schools that they otherwise simply would not have.

Well, first of all, Wissensfabrik already has a fixed place in my calendar anyway, so creating free time for it is relatively small. What motivated me? We always talk about shaping the future, and as Heinz so nicely said, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. That means if we talk about shaping and especially securing our future, we have to think about what resources and means we need. Those are the people who shape that future, and in 20 years, that will be today's children. If we rely on continuing to have manufacturing industries and playing a role in technological applications on the global market, then we have to provide these resources—and it sounds so technocratic—we have to provide these people with these skills today. That's why I am engaged today so that future generations can sustainably shape this future.

I like to think in black and white pictures, because in the end, gray becomes by itself. But I have two visions. One vision is that in 10 to 15 years, Wissensfabrik won't be needed anymore—at least not in its current form, where we have to provide a lot of seed funding and invest a lot of engagement to get STEM education into curricula, to provide resources, to engage networks and doers to get the whole thing running. My vision is that through the great engagement we have, we make ourselves obsolete, so to speak. That would be one pole. The other pole: if it's a system that constantly needs energy to keep running, then I would wish that all companies are members of Wissensfabrik, that many many employees from member companies take on sponsorships and personally engage to advance the whole topic. That applies both to early childhood education and to entrepreneurship.

I will certainly do it differently. It's hard to do the whole thing better, especially when you have such a good predecessor. But I will certainly do it differently. Nevertheless, the basic orientation and the goals of Wissensfabrik remain the same. Everyone has their own style, everyone has their own focus. We already discussed in the steering committee that I think we also need to better use the possibilities—the technical possibilities that digitalization offers us, or that social networks offer us—to further increase our visibility, to recruit more doers, more members. That will certainly be a task I am very much looking forward to. Yes, because that means expanding the network and truly increasing our sphere of influence.

First, I wish for open ears. We are still approaching companies to become members of Wissensfabrik, and there I want open ears at the C-level. Why at the C-level? Because the topic of Wissensfabrik must be a matter of the heart, carried by management from the very top. We keep seeing that whenever crises or cutbacks occur, participation in CSR activities is the first thing to be cut. If we succeed in planting this idea not only in a company but also in its management, then there is a chance that it will be sustainable. So specifically: send us your phone numbers, send us the contacts, and ensure we get an open ear. We'll take care of the rest. Second point: Wissensfabrik is work, you have to know that. You don't just adorn yourself with a logo because it's chic and because you need it for your CSR activities, but because you are convinced of it. That means you are not just a paying member—we need that, that's a given—but we need employees, we need doers, we need engaged employees in companies who drive such educational partnerships, who are willing to support startups, who are willing to provide advice and assistance. And that's why it's work, and you have to be ready for that. I also specifically wish from industry that they plan this as part of their budget and make it available to us. Third, if I can have three wishes: that such questions come more often—what can industry do to support us? For that, there is a website; we have an excellent communications department (Mrs. Einzel, whom you have already met). We are also reachable via social media, via our website. Ask us, contact us, and offer us your help.

That is certainly a good approach. I believe if we want to strengthen entrepreneurship, we also need successful entrepreneurship. And since we operate in an economic environment, the topic of economic education is part of it. Whether we will focus more on that, we will discuss in the steering committee and with the board. In my opinion, it belongs there. In what way we can promote it, we will see. I think that with the new formats we are now launching in the education area, for example 'City for Future,' we might be able to educate students holistically or give them the opportunity to educate themselves further. Because it's not just about energy topics, it's not just about change and sustainability; the projects are designed in such a way—let me come back to 'City for Future'—that we basically also incorporate a culture of debate, discussion, democracy in the sense of a city council meeting that students then play virtually and debate their proposals and have to find a consensus. So these are wonderful projects and wonderful approaches to provide tangible and very real education beyond concrete STEM topics. And I think that's why the projects are also fun.

Difficult question. The Solomonic answer is, of course, all of them. But two topics are especially close to my heart. One is the topic of STEM education, early childhood education, and there I am particularly looking forward to the AI modules. AI modules because they start very early. Artificial intelligence first needs human intelligence, so if you want to implement AI, you have to deal with certain structures and teach that to children: recognizing patterns, recognizing rules, which later can be implemented in AI. It is, thank God, not a black box where you throw something in and something comes out; you need inputs for that. I am especially looking forward to that because I believe, besides manual skills, you need a lot of brain structures that you can promote there. I was just a guest in the first breakout session: healthy, structured thinking is a basic requirement for artificial intelligence. If we manage to embed that, I think it's particularly excellent. On the other hand, the topic of entrepreneurship, like 'Komm, mach Mint'—accompanying young founders to realize their ideas and get them running, getting involved themselves, and never asking yourself why you didn't come up with the idea yourself. That's fun.

It needs a corresponding ecosystem. Founders need start-up capital. The whole topic can be untangled and made less bureaucratic. That's what is needed to access venture capital and founder capital. It needs a network. It's always like jumping into cold water, and if you have a network where you feel supported, where you can ask questions even when there are bumps in the road, that's needed. And it also needs acceptance of failure. We heard earlier: only those who are brave will start a business. And that sometimes includes taking a wrong step and then getting up again and going again. They like to say: if you've never failed in your life, you weren't brave or innovative enough; you always stayed on safe ground. I think culturally in Germany we still have a few steps ahead of us.

I already mentioned courage, but also consistency. Most founders have an idea, a vision, either well-considered or from the gut. In the course of developing such a startup, the boundary conditions change; larger companies approach you, and very quickly there is the temptation to sell the idea early before it is really implemented, or to give up founding altogether. Stay consistent and stick with it and actually implement the idea as you originally had it. And if I look at the successful ones, those who did that consistently were the successful ones.

So, I like to do sports. I am an endurance athlete, though with increasing age not as intensive and devoted as before. But I still enjoy it. We have two children who are demanding and take up their time. So of course, first and foremost is the topic of family. When time is left, then comes sports, as I already said.