With the start of the second funding phase of the research project “6G-life²“consolidate the Technische Universität München (TUM) and TU Dresden (TUD) maintain their leading positions in European 6G research. Researchers from various disciplines are collaborating on concepts and technical solutions for the sixth generation of mobile communications. The funding phase runs until the end of 2029, with the commercial launch of 6G planned for 2030.
Unlike today's 5G standard, which prioritizes machine-to-machine communication, 6G puts people at the center. Applications such as care robots, telesurgery, and interaction with virtual worlds are central to its development. Since 2021, researchers have been building an ecosystem that connects basic research with practical applications. The goal now is to systematically translate these structures into marketable technologies.
The Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space is funding “6G-life²” with 25 million euros. This will lay the foundation for secure, resilient and sovereign communication technologies and, in the long term, reduce technological dependence on international providers.
Wolfgang Kellerer, Professor of Communication Networks at TUM, emphasizes:
"The infrastructure of the future must not only be efficient and reliable, but above all safe, sustainable, flexible and cost-effective to implement. At TUM, together with TUD, we are developing the necessary concepts and technologies to achieve precisely this."
In addition to research, the project aims at transferring knowledge to the economy and training future skilled workers.
Technological sovereignty and new opportunities for startups
A key component of the second funding phase is the targeted support of startups. The initiative sees this as a strategic lever for accelerating the transformation of innovations into market-ready solutions and securing Germany's competitiveness as a business location. This approach plays a central role for Bavaria: By linking with regional research initiatives such as the "6G Future Lab Bavaria," a strong network is created that supports founders in developing new technologies and bringing them to market.
Kellerer highlights the importance of technological independence:
"Especially in the telecommunications industry, where Asian companies play a dominant role, technological sovereignty is crucial. To successfully advance the development of 6G in Bavaria and Germany, new technology companies are needed to close gaps and quickly bring innovations to market maturity."
The startup incubator launchhub42 in Dresden, established in 2024, provides a platform to foster research-based spin-offs. It also facilitates the transfer of research into business and society. This combination of science, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer aims to ensure the development of new 6G applications "Made in Germany."
Frank Fitzek, Professor of Communication Networks at the TUD, Deutsche Telekom, emphasizes:
“Technological sovereignty and a strong startup ecosystem are at the heart of ‘6G-life²’. With applications in the fields of 6G and robotics, we have demonstrated the potential of spin-offs – supported by the close collaboration between TUD, TUM and our transfer network.”
Research as a locational advantage for Bavaria
The "6G Future Lab Bavaria“At TUM, the work of “6G-life²” is specifically complemented by focus areas such as energy efficiency, grid security, and digital twins. Both projects are closely linked and are developing joint testbeds, demonstrators, and experimental systems.”
This positions Munich's startup scene as a leader in the research and development of the sixth generation of mobile communications. The region thus strengthens its role in high-tech research and once again demonstrates its innovation-friendly environment for founders and technology companies.
