Family business team at the FIFU Conference 2026

The University of Mannheim was represented by Jan-Philipp Ahrens and Teresa Fritsch from the Chair of SME Research and Entrepreneurship. The team presented research based on the analysis of more than 800,000 business successions and their impact on corporate innovation.

From 11 to 14 March 2026, the 15th Conference of the German-speaking Research Centers and Institutes for Family Business (FiFu) took place at MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® in Innsbruck. Researchers from across the German-speaking region presented their latest work on family businesses and discussed key developments in the field of family business research.

The conference was opened by Anita Zehrer and Rector Andreas Altmann, who emphasized the importance of family business research for both regional economies and entrepreneurial practice. The program addressed a range of topics, including business succession, innovation and sustainability in family firms, questions of legitimacy in externally led succession, ESG practices in SMEs, and the long-term resilience and future viability of family businesses.

Overall, the conference provided valuable impulses for ongoing research and highlighted the significant role of family businesses for the economy and society across the DACH region.

Credit: MCI Innsbruck

Credit: Jan-Philipp Ahrens

Back