Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Klaus Fichter heads the research and teaching area of Innovation Management and Sustainability. In the Department of Economics and Law, he is responsible for the study programme ‘Sustainable Innovation, Digitalisation, and Entrepreneurship’ and at the Centre for Lifelong Learning (C3L) he is head of the part-time Master's programme in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship.

The innovative study module ‘Sustainable Venturing’, which was developed largely by Klaus Fichter, received the Hans Sauer Prize in the competition for ‘Promotion of Environmental Innovations’. The EU Erasmus project ‘ScaleUp4Sustainability’, which he heads, was awarded the European Enterprise Promotion Award by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection in 2022 as the German winner.

Klaus Fichter is a founding member of the Oldenburg Centre for Sustainability Economics and Management (CENTOS), the centre for economic sustainability research at the University of Oldenburg. He is also a mentor for founders at the University of Oldenburg's Start-up and Innovation Centre. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors of the Centre for Lifelong Learning (C3L), a scientific centre at the University of Oldenburg responsible for cooperation, transfer and innovation.

Professor Fichter is a member of the executive committee of the FGF Research Network for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, the largest network of start-up and innovation researchers in the German-speaking world. In 2015, he also founded the FGF working group ‘Sustainable Entrepreneurship’ and headed it until 2022. He is also co-chair of the track ‘Innovation for Sustainability, Circularity and GreenTech’ at the European Academy of Management (EURAM) conference.

Klaus Fichter is scientific director of the Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability, a non-profit organisation.

His research focuses on concepts, instruments and support systems for sustainable entrepreneurship, processes and diffusion paths of sustainability innovations, green start-ups, and methods and metrics for impact measurement. Prof. Fichter has published over 200 relevant specialist publications, many of them in high-ranking journals such as the Journal of Industrial Ecology, Small Business Economics, Business Strategy and the Environment, and Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.

Ausgewählte Publikationen

Referierte Journals (Auswahl)

Marcon, A., Duarte Ribeiro, J. L., Olteanu, Y., & Fichter, K. (2023). How the interplay between innovation ecosystems and market contingency factors impacts startup innovation. Technology in Society, 102424.

Fichter, K. & Widrat, A. (2023). Strengthening sustainable entrepreneurship through impact management in start-up support programmes. Entreprendre & Innover, 54(1), 124–137.

Lago, N. C., Marcon, A., Ribeiro, J. L. D., Olteanu, Y., & Fichter, K. (2023). The role of cooperation and technological orientation on startups’ innovativeness: An analysis based on the microfoundations of innovation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 192.

Beiträge in Herausgeberbänden

Fichter, K., & Hurrelmann, K. (2021). Sustainability-oriented business incubation: Framing and supporting sustainable entrepreneurship. In S. Mian, M. Klofsten, & W. Lamine, Handbook of Research on Business and Technology Incubation and Acceleration (pp. 478–495). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Sonstige (Auswahl)

Fichter, K., Olteanu, Y., Hirschfeld, A., Walk, V., Gilde, J., Grothey, T. & Neumann, T. (2024). Green Startup Monitor 2024. Berlin: Borderstep Institut, Startup Verband.

Fichter, K., Kern, F., Schmelzle, F., Clausen, J. & Hummel, M. (2023). Priorisierung und Richtungssicherheit als Aufgabe der Wasserstoffpolitik. Policy Insights. Berlin: Borderstep Institut, Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung.

Fichter, K., Neumann, T., Clausen, J., Widrat, A., & Pantermoeller, A. (2023). GreenTech Made in Germany – Best Practice-Geschäftsmodelle zur Erschließung grüner Wachstumsmärkte (MHP, Hrsg.). Berlin: Borderstep Institut.

Fichter, K., Tölle, J. & Clausen, J. (2023). Richtungssicherheit in der Wasserstoffpolitik: Eine explorative Untersuchung. Berlin: Borderstep Institut.

Fichter, K. & Hurrelmann, K. (2023). Resilienz schafft Mehrwert. Wie sich das Nachhaltigkeitsprinzip der Resilienz chancenorientiert für den Unternehmenserfolg nutzen lässt. Ein Guide für die Praxis. Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg.

Fichter, K. & Hurrelmann, K. (2023). Resilience Creates Added Value. How the sustainability principle of resilience creates entrepreneurial opportunities and corporate success. A practical guide. Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg.

Hurrelmann, K. & Fichter, K. (2022). Impact-Management der Hochschul-Gründungsförderung – Nutzen, erste Schritte, Entwicklungsbedarfe. Oldenburg: Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg.

Fichter, K., Hurrelmann, K., Kaminski, B., Schabel, A. & Widrat, A. (2022). Policy Insights – Nachhaltigkeit als Erfolgsfaktor in der Startup-Förderung: Zentrale Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerungen aus dem Vorhaben „Sustainability4All: Nachhaltigkeit als Erfolgsfaktor für alle Startups“. Berlin, Oldenburg: Borderstep Institut, Bundesverband Deutsche Startups, Universität Oldenburg.

Hurrelmann, K. & Fichter, K. (2020). Sustainability in university start-up support programmes. Practical examples and approaches. Oldenburg: Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.

Fichter, K., Widrat, A. & Olteanu, Y. (2021). IMPACT Guide: Von der Evaluation zum Impact-Management von Gründungsförderprogrammen. Berlin: Borderstep Institut.

Fichter, K., Widrat, A., and Olteanu, Y. (2021). IMPACT Guide: Moving from evaluation to impact management of start-up support programmes. Berlin: Borderstep Institute.

Clausen, J. & Fichter, K. (2021). Die Diffusion von Umweltinnovationen: Ein Beitrag zur Weiterentwicklung der deutschen Umweltinnovationspolitik. Berlin: Borderstep Institut

Fichter, K., Hurrelmann, K. & Clausen, J. (2021). Konzeptstudie „Sustainability Hubs“. Ein Beitrag zur Weiterentwicklung der deutschen Umweltinnovationspolitik. Berlin: Borderstep Institut.

Anne Seela has been a member of the PIN team since 2009. Initially, she worked as a research project assistant at the interface between project management and administration, supporting numerous externally funded projects in the field of climate adaptation and innovation. Since 2019, she has been a research assistant, focusing on the development of collaborative teaching formats between students and companies based on challenge-based learning. In the current Wi-Ko-nova project, she is involved in impact monitoring of co-innovations in teaching.

Since 2024, Anne Seela has been responsible for co-innovation and challenge-based learning at the Centre for Lifelong Learning (C3L) in the project ‘Transformation of the Energy System in Lower Saxony’ (TEN.efzn) and is involved in setting up the EFZN Academy, a ‘showcase’ for energy-related scientific continuing education within TEN. The aim is to establish co-innovation through challenge-based learning in the field of part-time scientific continuing education.

Anne Seela successfully studied economics (majoring in marketing & trade, human resources & organisation, and economic sociology) at the Leipzig Graduate School of Management and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. She has many years of professional experience at the University of Oldenburg, as a research assistant at the Institute for Technology and Education (ITB) at the University of Bremen, and as a consultant for marketing/human resources management at the North Rhine-Westphalia Crafts Organisation. She completed a part-time degree in education and science management (MBA) at C3L, which she successfully completed in 2022.

Dr Thomas Neumann works as a start-up coach and lecturer at the interface between entrepreneurship theory and business practice. Since November 2024, he has been working as a research assistant on the TEN.efzn project in the sub-project ‘efzn Innovation – Transfer through Start-ups and Implementation’.

From 2017 to 2023, Thomas Neumann worked as a research assistant at the Jackstädt Centre Flensburg at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences and the European University of Flensburg. At the same time, Thomas completed his doctorate at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Environmental, Social and Human Sciences under Prof. Dr. Olav Hohmeyer at the European University of Flensburg. His research focused on the micro- and macroeconomic impact measurement of sustainable start-ups (sustainable entrepreneurship).

Since 2018, Thomas Neumann has been sharing his theoretical and practical experience in the fields of sustainable innovation, entrepreneurship and green entrepreneurship in part-time lectures at Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Europa-Universität Flensburg and FH Westküste, among others.

Before beginning his academic career, Thomas Neumann completed a voluntary ecological year in his hometown of Oldenburg. He studied industrial engineering with a focus on energy and environmental management at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, the University of Mauritius and the Europa-Universität Flensburg. Flensburg University of Applied Sciences repeatedly honoured him with the Germany Scholarship. The Schleswig-Holstein Society for Energy and Climate Protection awarded him the EKSH doctoral scholarship. Most recently, his doctoral thesis was recognised with first place in the VR-Bank University Prize 2023.

Publikationen:

Neumann, T., Widrat, A., Grothey, T. & Fichter, K. (2024). Green Start-up Monitor NRW des Ministeriums für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Verkehr des Landes Nordrhein Westfalen. Berlin: Borderstep Institut. https://broschuerenservice.nrw.de/munv/shop/green-start-up-monitor-nrw%7C2208.

Fichter, Olteanu, Grothey, Neumann (2024). Green Startup Monitor 2024. Berlin. 10.13140/RG.2.2.17520.26887/1.

Fichter, K., Neumann, T., Clausen, J., Widrat, A. (2024). Langfassung der Studie GreenTech Made in Germany Best-Practice-Geschäftsmodelle der Circular Economy zur Erschließung grüner Wachstumsmärkte. Berlin. www.researchgate.net/publication/377691267_Langfassung_der_Studie_GreenTech_Made_in_Germany_Best-Practice Geschaftsmodelle_der_Circular_Economy_zur_Erschliessung_gruner_Wachstumsmarkte.

Fichter, Neumann, Clausen, Pantermöller, Kelkar, Appel (2023). GreenTech Made in Germany - Best Practice Geschäftsmodelle zur Erschließung grüner Wachstumsmärkte. Berlin. www.mhp.com/de/insights/was-wir-denken/greentech-made-in-germany 2023.

Neumann, T. (2023). Are greener start-ups of superior quality? The impact of environmental orientation on innovativeness, growth orientation, and international orientation. J Innov Entrep 12, 60 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00330-y.

Neumann, T. (2022). Impact of green entrepreneurship on sustainable development: An ex-post empirical analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 377: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134317.

DIN SPEC 90051-1:2020-11 (2020). Standard für die Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung von Start ups - Teil 1. https://dx.doi.org/10.31030/3204886.

Neumann, Thomas (2020). The impact of entrepreneurship on economic, social and environmental welfare and its determinants: a systematic review. Management Review Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-020-00193-7.

Neumann, Thomas (2017). efeFF – Elektromobilität an der Flensburger Förde. EKSH – Gesellschaft für Energie und Klimaschutz Schleswig-Holstein GmbH. artefact.de/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/artefact-efeff-studie.pdf.

Tim Grothey is a research assistant in the TEN.efzn project. His research focuses on future-oriented impact measurement and monitoring of start-ups, as well as impact-oriented approaches that use sustainable innovations to address the challenges of climate change.

He also works as a research assistant at the Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability, where he supports and leads projects in the field of sustainable entrepreneurship as well as in the areas of digitalisation and green IT.

Tim Grothey completed his bachelor's degree in International Business and Technology in Nuremberg and Valparaiso (Chile) before moving to Berlin for internships. While completing his master's degree in Industrial Engineering with a focus on Energy and Environmental Resources at the Berlin School of Economics and Law and the Berlin University of Applied Sciences in 2021, he already supported various research projects at the Borderstep Institute as a student assistant.

Together with a group of young people, Tim Grothey has also built up the aid organisation Café con Leche e.V. in recent years, which supports disadvantaged children and young people in the Dominican Republic through sports and educational programmes.

Publikationen:

Ausgewählte Publikationen:

Lage, J.; Best, B.; Froese, T.; Zell-Ziegler, C. (2024). Policy-Making as a Crucial Element for Sufficiency on the Business Level. Discussing the Role of Policies to Push Sufficiency beyond Pioneers. In: Gossen, M., Niessen, L. (Hrsg.). Sufficiency in business. The transformative potential of business for sustainability. Transcript, Bielefeld, 325–342.

Froese, T., Putzhammer, F., Kunzlmann, J., Lüdeke-Freund, F. (2024). Policy Brief 2024 | 02: Wertschöpfung im 21. Jahrhundert - Geschäftsmodelle in der Transformation. Policy Brief Nachhaltige Soziale Marktwirtschaft. Bertelsmann Stiftung (Hrsg.). ISSN: 2751-7373.

Lüdeke-Freund, F., Froese, T., Kunzlmann, J., Putzhammer, F., Hofmann, F. (2024). Wertschöpfung für das 21. Jahrhundert – Geschäftsmodelle in der Transformation. Hrsg. Bertelsmann Stiftung & ESCP Business School Berlin. Gütersloh. https://doi.org/10.11586/2024056

Lüdeke-Freund, F., Froese, T., Dembek, K., Rosati, F., Massa, L. (2024). What Makes a Business Model Sustainable? Activities, Design Themes, and Value Functions. Organization & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1177/10860266241235212.

Froese, T., Richter, M., Hofmann, F., Lüdeke-Freund, F. (2023). Degrowth-oriented organisational value creation: A systematic literature review of case studies. Ecological Economics, 207, 107765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.107765.

Dembek, K., Lüdeke‐Freund, F., Rosati, F., Froese, T. (2023). Untangling business model outcomes, impacts and value. Business Strategy and the Environment, bse.3249. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3249.

Froese, T., Lüdeke-Freund, F. (2021). Praxistheoretische Überlegungen zur Postwachstumsökonomie. Kann das Individuum (allein) es richten?. zfwu Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik, 22, 201–207. https://doi.org/10.5771/1439-880X-2021-2-201.

Lüdeke-Freund, F., Froese, T., Schaltegger, S. (2019). The role of business models for sustainable consumpti-on: A pattern approach. In: Mont, O. (Hrsg.). A research agenda for sustainable consumption governance. Edward Elgar Publishing, Northampton, 86–104.