Institute News

Jointly organized by Stefan Bechtold (ETH Zurich), Dietmar Harhoff (MPI and LMU Munich), Joachim Henkel and Hanna Hottenrott (both TU Munich), Tobias Kretschmer and Daniel Obermeier (both LMU Munich), Christian Peukert (HEC Lausanne), and Imke Reimers (Northeastern University), the MSI 2026 featured an ambitious program: a Ph.D. workshop, 24 paper presentations with dedicated discussants, 17 poster slams across two sessions, two keynote lectures, and ample opportunities for informal exchange throughout a welcome reception, a Bavarian conference dinner, and guided city walks through Munich.

A Platform for Emerging Scholars

The MSI Ph.D. Workshop, held on 20 May 2026 ahead of the main conference, has become a well-established tradition, with this year marking its fifth edition. This year’s workshop brought together doctoral researchers working on artificial intelligence, digital platforms, digitalization, innovation, and human capital. Participants presented ongoing work and received detailed feedback from junior faculty and peers alike.

Among the contributors from the Munich research community, Denzel Glandel Tafur (ISTO, LMU School of Management) presented his dissertation project “Social Evaluation of AI-Disclosed Content in a User-Generated Media Commons”, with discussion from Marina Chugunova (MPI). The workshop’s Best Paper Award went to Katarzyna Swiech (Georgia Institute of Technology) for her solo-authored paper “A Tale of Two Zones: The Impact of Time Zones on Collaboration and Knowledge Flow” – a well-deserved recognition of an impressive piece of independent scholarship. The paper examines United States Patent and Trademark Office data on within-state pairs of co-patenting cities – some in the same time zone, some split – to show that even a minimal temporal distance can meaningfully influence inter-regional collaborations. The paper was discussed by Jordan Bisset (MPI).

This year’s Ph.D. workshop was organized by Daehyun Kim (lead), Dominik Asam, and Johannes Könemann (all MPI), together with Chengdi Fa and Svenja Friess (both ISTO).

Three Days of Research at the Frontier

The main conference opened with a session on digital platforms, ecosystems, and market power – a fitting start for a conference whose themes are highly topical. The following days covered a wide arc of contemporary questions: AI and digital knowledge production, decision-making and reputation in digital settings, venture capital and innovation finance, and the law and economics of intellectual property.

Researchers from the Munich community were again strongly represented throughout. Jonathan Jensen and Alexey Rusakov (ISTO Alumni) presented work derived from Alexey’s dissertation: “The Dynamic Returns to Generative AI on Knowledge Breadth vs. Depth: Evidence from GitHub”, discussed by Karin Hoisl (Affiliated Research Fellow at the MPI, and University of Mannheim). Frederike Eulitz (ISTO) served as a discussant in the afternoon session on digital labor markets, drawing on her dissertation research. Manfredi Aliberti (incoming MPI Senior Research Fellow) presented “Beyond the Lab: The Effect of Ph.D. Programs on Innovation”, and Michael E. Rose (MPI Senior Research Fellow) contributed a poster on “Better Science as a Byproduct: The Institutional Revolution in the German Empire”. Elisabeth Hofmeister (MPI Junior Research Fellow) co-authored a paper presented in the closing law and economics session on “Commercial Regulation and the Production of Science: Evidence from New Genomic Techniques in Agricultural Biotechnology”.

Two Keynotes on Big Questions

The conference featured two standout keynote lectures. Hong Luo (University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management) explored the intersections of safety, liability, and innovation. In her keynote, “Regulatory Innovation: Using Health Innovation Policy to Realign Health Care Economics with Today’s Biomedical Innovation Ecosystem”, Ariel D. Stern (Hasso Plattner Institute and University of Potsdam) delivered a wide-ranging talk on regulatory innovation and health care economics, prompting rich discussion across disciplinary lines.

Looking Forward

With its combination of high-level research presentations, a genuinely supportive atmosphere, and strong local roots in Munich’s research community, the MSI continues to offer a uniquely valuable forum for scholars at all career stages. Researchers with interests in innovation, digitalization, entrepreneurship, strategy, or intellectual property are strongly encouraged to consider applying or attending the conference when it returns in 2027. The date will be announced soon (see link below).

Svenja Friess & Myriam Rion

More information: https://www.munich-summer-institute.org/munich-summer-institute

The workshop is a cornerstone of the broader, VolkswagenStiftung-funded research initiative Playbook Ukraine, which which seeks to design a strategic framework for integrating Ukrainian pharma­ceutical manufacturing into European supply chains while addressing structural vulnerabilities in the EU system. Further background on the project can be found here: VolkswagenStiftung Funds Project to Revitalize Ukrainian Pharma Industry.

The methodology workshop convened a multidisciplinary team of researchers and experts, including Prof. Dr. Liudmyla Petrenko, Prof. Dr. Natalia Mazaraki, Dr. Peter R. Slowinski, Prof. Dr. Karin Hoisl, Elisabeth Hofmeister, and Viktoriia Kyrylenko.

The session focused on discussing scenarios for the future of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical industry within the EU regulatory and industrial ecosystem. A central objective was to stress-test the project’s guiding hypothesis: that targeted cooperation and strategic industrial alignment can simultaneously support the rebuilding of Ukraine’s pharmaceutical sector and contribute to reducing supply-chain vulnerabilities within the EU.

A key contribution came from industry expert Dr. Alexei Slobodianski, Lead EU Qualified Person at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Germany. With over two decades of experience in GMP-regulated environments – including vaccines, advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), and blood products – Dr. Slobodianski provided a practitioner’s perspective essential for grounding economic theory in industrial reality. His insights helped resolve key uncertainties the research framework and clarified specific operational priorities, establishing a concrete roadmap for the project’s next steps.

Beyond its analytical function, the workshop strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration between legal, economic, and industry-oriented perspectives, ensuring that the project remains closely aligned with real-world pharmaceutical manufacturing constraints and regulatory requirements.

More information:

See Research Poster “From Legacy to Leadership – A Playbook to Rebuild Ukraine’s Pharmaceutical Industry in Partnership with the EU” (PDF) with details on data and methodology, strategies, as well as potential applications and impact.

Annual Conference: Preparatory Meeting in Concepción
 

Preparatory meetings for the 2026 Annual Conference took place in Concepción, Chile, in November 2025. The team visited the Energy Center at the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC) and held talks on possible cooperation in the field of energy technologies and intellectual property. The Chilean university is considered an important partner for scientific exchange in Latin America.

Five Workshops in Bogotá
 

In Bogotá, Colombia, SIPLA organized during November 2025 five exploratory workshops to identify potential cooperation with local experts regarding new SIPLA research projects .

Upcycling and Circular Innovation
The workshop on upcycling and circular innovation highlighted the role of intellectual property in sustainable economic models. Participants discussed how innovations in the circular economy can be legally protected and promoted. A particular focus was placed on the question of how traditional property rights need to be adapted to new business models. The experts analyzed successful examples from the region and identified obstacles that hinder the creative reuse of materials.

Greenwashing
The topic of greenwashing was the focus of another workshop. Experts from the fields of law, business, and civil society analyzed misleading environmental claims and developed approaches for more effective regulation. The discussions showed that many Latin American countries do not yet have sufficient legal instruments to punish false sustainability claims. Participants developed proposals for transparency requirements and sanction mechanisms to better protect consumers.

Plastic and Microplastics
The legal challenges posed by plastic and microplastics were the focus of a third workshop. Discussions focused on regulatory gaps and possible solutions to this growing environmental problem. Particular attention was paid to the question of how liability rules can be designed to oblige manufacturers to take responsibility for their products. The experts looked at international examples and discussed which approaches could be transferred to Latin American contexts.

Hydrogen Technologies
A workshop on hydrogen technologies examined the tension between patent protection, regulation, and innovation. Participants discussed how Latin American countries can exploit their potential in this promising energy sector. A key question was whether strict patent rights inhibit technology diffusion or whether they create necessary investment incentives. The discussions also took into account government support strategies and the importance of technology transfer for the region. This workshop has served as a prelude to the upcoming Annual Conference in Concepción in 2026.

Biological Inputs
The final workshop focused on biological inputs in sustainable agriculture. Biological inputs include products such as biofertilizers, biostimulants, and soil improvers, as well as biological pesticides. Experts discussed regulatory frameworks, innovation incentives, and competition issues in the agricultural sector. One focus was on the approval of biological pesticides and fertilizers, which are often subject to lengthy procedures. Participants examined how regulation can be simplified without compromising safety standards. They also discussed smallholder farmers' access to innovative bio-inputs and possible support instruments.

About SIPLA
 

Smart IP for Latin America is a research initiative of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition. It provides a neutral forum for academic and legal policy discourse on intellectual property and competition law in Latin America. The aim is to inform and advise academia, policymakers, business, and the general public on the basis of impartial and evidence-based fundamental research. The goal is to support the realization of Latin America's social, cultural, and economic potential.

For the first time, the Department for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research hosted the event at the Institute’s new premises at Munich’s Stachus and welcomed more than 40 presenters, discussants, and attendants from over 20 international universities. The program featured twelve paper presentations across seven specialized sessions covering topics such as gender and patents, green technologies, policy and innovation, technology transfer, the science of science, and artificial intelligence.

A major highlight of this year's event was the keynote address by Matt Marx, a professor at Cornell University and Department Editor at the renowned journal Management Science. In his inspiring address, Matt Marx introduced a new initiative that provides large-scale, open-access datasets. These datasets will enable more thorough research connecting scientific discoveries to innovation and entrepreneurship. This new resource promises to be a transformative tool for RISE participants and the broader innovation research community.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the resounding success of the RISE8 Workshop 2025. We are incredibly grateful to our inspiring keynote speaker, insightful discussants, and talented presenters for their exceptional contributions.

Special thanks go to the organizing team with Dietmar Harhoff, Dominik Asam, Johannes Könemann, Anastasiia Lutsenko, and Ulrike Morgalla, whose hard work made this event possible.

We are leaving this year's workshop feeling highly motivated and looking forward to RISE9 in 2026 with great enthusiasm!

The complete program for review:

Program RISE8 2025

The first panel, moderated by Marina Chugunova, who has been a Senior Research Fellow in the Institute’s economics department since 2018, addressed the relationship between innovation and new geopolitics. The second panel was hosted by Heiko Richter, who was a Senior Research Fellow in the Institute’s legal department until September of this year and took over the Chair of Private Law and Regulation of the Digital Economy and Society at the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer in October 2025. Together with his guests, he examined questions of regulation between geopolitical challenges and deglobalization.

Panel “Innovation and New Geopolitics – Implications for Research“
 

• Prof. Fabian Gaessler (Pompeu Fabra University)
• Prof. Dr. Carolin Haeussler (University of Passau / Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation)
• Prof. Dr. Hanna Hottenrott (Technical University of Munich / TransforM Cluster of Excellence)
• Prof. Dr. Rupprecht Podszun (Monopolies Commission / Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)
• Dr. Marina Chugunova (Moderator)

During the panel discussion, experts in economics, law, and science policy explored how geopolitical tensions are reshaping global research collaboration, talent mobility, and technological competition. The discussion drew on historical parallels, current regulatory debates, and the realities faced by universities, research institutions, and companies. A central theme was the research community’s growing responsibility of to engage actively with society and decision-makers in order to ensure that scientific insights are clearly and meaningfully communicated at a time when misinformation and political polarization increasingly challenge evidence-based policymaking.

The panelists emphasized that we are living through a period of major reorientation in research and innovation, characterized by shifts in global alliances, tighter controls on sensitive technologies, and new questions about the balance between openness and security. The experts debated whether innovation today is driven more by competition or cooperation as they discussed the role of Big Tech, the challenges of regulating technologies that evolve faster than legal frameworks, and the growing importance of dual-use research. The discussion underscored that resilience in a rapidly changing environment requires not only effective governance but also societal trust.

A clear takeaway emerged: Europe’s ability to remain open, credible, and strategically agile will determine its position in the global innovation landscape for years to come.

Panel “Regulation Between Global Challenges and Deglobalization”
 

• Prof. Dr. Michèle Finck (University of Tübingen)
• Prof. Dr. Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan (University of Cambridge)
• Dr. Malte Toetzke (Net Zero Lab / Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition)
• Prof. Dr. Peter Yu (Texas A&M University)
• Prof. Dr. Heiko Richter (Moderator)

The panel explored the evolving landscape of regulation at the intersection of global challenges and deglobalization pressures, guided by questions on how transnational issues like AI, climate change, intellectual property, and trade are addressed amid increasing national fragmentation. The discussants began by examining the EU’s role in digital and AI regulation, highlighting the Union’s shift toward a more assertive regulatory paradigm that still grapples with the tension between Member State interests and the need for global standards.

The conversation moved to the topic of climate change, where the transformative potential of AI in research and the uneven progress of international decarbonization efforts were discussed, emphasizing both the promise and limitations of current regulatory instruments. The focus then shifted to the regulatory philosophies of the U.S. and China, particularly in digital and IP domains, revealing divergent priorities and strategies shaped by economic and geopolitical competition. The panel concluded with a debate on the capacity and future relevance of multilateral institutions like the WTO in a more fragmented world, critically analyzing their limits and prospects for fostering global regulatory coherence.

The key insight emerging from the discussion was that effective regulation now requires navigating and mediating between global coordination needs and intensifying national retrenchment. Ultimately, the panel illustrated that regulation is increasingly positioned as a balancing act – not purely globalist nor strictly national, but as a flexible instrument that must adapt to shifting political, technological, and economic dynamics.

In their welcoming addresses, Patrick Cramer, President of the Max Planck Society, and leading representatives from science, politics, and society addressed around 120 guests in welcoming speeches, emphasizing the importance of the Institute’s research, and the opportunities to create impulses in the new environment. It became clear that, in light of current societal developments, research is not only a driving force for innovation and progress, but it must also be anchored deeper in the heart of society than ever before.

Prof. Dr. Patrick Cramer, President of the Max Planck Society

“The Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition is at the cutting edge of our times with its mission. It researches the legal and economic foundations of innovation, competition, and regulation. At a time when Germany must reinvent itself amid digital transformation, bureaucratic inflexibility, and geopolitical tensions, this research — especially this research — is indispensable. It is research that first poses the questions before providing the answers through which the Institute offers guidance for the societal and political process — a process we can never replace, only accompany. The relocation sends a clear signal: science — and particularly such important research as is conducted here, which also touches on the future of our economic system — belongs at the heart of the city, at the heart of society.”

Dr. Johannes Eberle, Bavarian State Ministry for Science and the Arts, Head of the department Research/Science System

“The Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition embodies everything a science minister, an economics minister, or a federal minister could wish for: it delivers outstanding research that does not remain confined to the so-called ivory tower, but reaches and impacts society as a whole — and has done so for almost 60 years. Since its founding in 1966, the Institute has been a key source of inspiration for the major issues of our time. […] Yet, an institute devoted to innovation and competition does not, of course, live primarily on its past achievements, but on its creative energy for the present and the future. Here, too, it is evident that the Institute has its finger on the pulse of the times, contributing more than ever to addressing the key questions of our society. It makes valuable contributions to the great transformations of our century, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence — especially with regard to the major challenges of data and copyright law. Moreover, it provides highly relevant research on how innovation and government incentives can help stimulate a stagnating economy.”

Dominik Krause, First Deputy Mayor of the City of Munich

“The Max Planck Institutes are a fundamental part of the innovation ecosystem we have here in Munich — and this is especially true for the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition. I would also like to congratulate you on your excellent choice of the Herzog Max building. You and your colleagues are doing outstanding work — now in a location that could not be more central, and one that sets an example for the future of Munich’s city center. Congratulations on your relocation — also on behalf of the City of Munich. We are truly delighted to have you here, in the very heart of our city.”

Panel  “Inform, Advise, Shape – Innovation Research and Policy”

The event centered on a panel discussion entitled “Inform, Advise, Shape – Innovation Research and Policy”, featuring notable figures. Journalist and moderator Dr. Jan-Martin Wiarda spoke with leading experts about key issues at the interface between science and policy. The panel guests Prof. Dr. Irene Bertschek (Chair of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation), Rafael Laguna de la Vera (Director of the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations SPRIND), and Prof. Dr. Rupprecht Podszun (Member of the Monopolies Commission) discussed, among other things, the role that innovation research can play in policy advice and where its limits lie, how social values can be reconciled with economic interests, how major challenges of our time can be addressed, and which new dangers might arise at the same time.

Perspectives of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

In the follow-up conversation to the discussion “Informing, Advising, Shaping – Innovation Research and Policy”, Josef Drexl and Dietmar Harhoff spoke with Jan-Martin Wiarda about the perspectives for the future of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition. Key impulses included the further promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration – extending beyond law and economics to additional disciplines, such as computer science – in order to better understand innovation, markets, and their regulatory frameworks. Law is viewed as an enabler of innovation, while mutual learning and exchange, for example through networking with companies, as well as the continuous observation of technological and societal developments, remain essential approaches for future research.

The program also included guided tours of the landmark building at Karlstor, which also houses the Institute’s renowned library. Its collection currently comprises more than 245,000 volumes, is unique worldwide in its international orientation and completeness, and attracts academics from around the world.

The new HERZOG MAX

While many German city centers are struggling with vacancies and dwindling interest, the building known as “Herzog Max” is a forward-looking project that sets standards for the transformation of city centers. This was highlighted in a panel discussion between architect Thomas Fechtner (OSA Ochs Schmidhuber Architekten) and owner representative Günter Koller (Wilhelm von Finck Hauptverwaltung GmbH) in conversation with the Institute’s managing director, Prof. Dr. Josef Drexl, and moderator Dr. Jan-Martin Wiarda. The remarkable redevelopment demonstrates how urban centers can reinvent themselves. The Institute also intends to use its new location as an opportunity to offer the urban society a “showcase to science” and to help the public better understand the significance of complex scientific topics.

The second day of the Grand Opening featured a Scientific Symposium on Innovation Research in Disruptive Times. 

More than 40 international young researchers from over 20 universities around the globe attended the RISE 7 Workshop on 17 and 18 December 2024. For the seventh time now, the two-day event was organized by Ph.D. students from the Department for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research to give young scholars the opportunity to present and discuss their work.

Twelve selected doctoral students and recent graduates presented their work, which was then discussed by experienced researchers. The presentations were divided into seven sessions and provided an exciting program on the topics of Corporate Innovation, Knowledge Generation and Innovation, Green Innovation, Innovation in Young Firms, Science of Science, Innovation in the Life Sciences, and Innovation Beyond Patents and Networks.

A special highlight of the event was the inspiring keynote by Alexander Oettl, Professor of Strategy & Innovation at the Scheller College of Business of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He explored the future of science and spoke on the topic “Building Tomorrow’s Science: The Interplay of Talent, Geography, and AI”. His talk provided ample material for vivid discussions.

See the complete program with all presentations.

We thank all participants, including the fantastic keynote speaker, thorough discussants and great presenters for a truly outstanding RISE7 Workshop 2024. Our special thanks go to everyone who was so involved in the organization, in particular Carolin Formella, Elisabeth Hofmeister, Anastasiia Lutsenko, and Ulrike Morgalla. The workshop was held for the last time at the Institute’s current location on Marstallplatz in Munich. We look forward with great enthusiasm and motivation to the RISE8 Workshop 2025 – then at the new location of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition at Munich’s Stachus.