Our chairholder, Prof. Dr. Frank-Martin Bely, and his former Ph.D. Candidate, Dr. Esther Salvi are featured in the new edition of TUM Faszination Forschung.
The article highlights the TUM SEED Center and the importance of conducting research that has an impact in the real world. The TUM SEED Center is the Chair's flagship and highly successful research project. It aims to offer higher education at the intersection of sustainable energies and entrepreneurship and conduct research to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Prof. Belz stressed:
"I want to research the connection between sustainable energies and entrepreneurship in the Global South. Not only do scientific publications play a role for me, but also the establishment of so-called living labs, in which we build mini-grids in rural regions and supply people with electricity from renewable sources".
The article also sheds light on Dr. Esther Salvi's research in the Global South, notably informal entrepreneurship. Dr. Salvi expressed that researching informal entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa is core to her passion for academic research with impact. This research develops a deeper understanding of the intersection of informal entrepreneurship and development, as she expressed: "The more I spoke with these private entrepreneurs, the more I understood how critical their role is within society and for local development." Recalling her empirical work on informal entrepreneurs in Mali, Dr. Salvi stated:
"The people there - including business people - are a community of solidarity, where people understand each other, care for each other, and support each other. In their everyday activities, they are often guided by the needs of the community rather than their own. Businesses in rural Mali show us examples of alternatives to our capitalist entrepreneurship."
For more details, the full article is available here: TUM Faszination Forschung (pages 34-41)