Industrial Economics in the Spotlight: Leading International Researchers Invited to Mannheim
Dates and News
20.08.2026
ZEW Mannheim to Host EARIE 2026 Conference in Collaboration with the University of Mannheim
From 26 to 28 August 2026, the 53rd Annual Conference of the European Association for Research in Industrial Economics (EARIE) will take place in Mannheim. The event is organised by ZEW Mannheim and the University of Mannheim in collaboration with the MaCCI Association. More than 400 researchers and experts from Europe and other parts of the world will discuss the latest research in Industrial Economics in around 350 presentations. The programme features numerous researchers from ZEW and the University of Mannheim who participate in the conference with contributions on topics such as competition, innovation, digitalisation, energy and regulation.
“The EARIE Annual Conference is one of the most important European forums for industrial economics research. It brings together researchers who work on key issues relating to competition, innovation, digitalisation and regulation. The fact that so many ZEW researchers are presenting their work at the conference demonstrates the broad range of topics covered by our research and its international visibility. I am delighted that ZEW Mannheim will be co-hosting EARIE 2026”, says ZEW’s President Professor Achim Wambach, PhD.
“The EARIE Annual Conference will enable us to welcome international experts in industrial economics at the University of Mannheim. It provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the most recent academic findings, strengthen research networks and promote dialogue with early-career researchers. Together with ZEW Mannheim and the MaCCI Association, we are thus reinforcing Mannheim’s significance as one of the world’s leading centres for competition research,” says Professor Thomas Fetzer, President of the University of Mannheim.
Focus on competition, innovation and market design
The presentations at EARIE explore how market concentration shapes the introduction of new technologies, which conditions foster effective research funding, how pricing algorithms alter market outcomes and what impact subsidies have on competition. There will also be contributions presenting recent findings on multi-unit auctions, decarbonisation of industry and the efficient design of electricity grids – all providing fresh insights into some of the most pressing economic policy issues of our time.
Overview of presentations
- In his presentation “Merger Control in a Changing World”, Professor Volker Nocke from University of Mannheim examines how merger control should take account of changes in – and greater uncertainty about – market conditions. The findings have important implications for the current revision of the EU Merger Guidelines.
- The presentation “Competition under Informational Head Starts” by Junior Professor Pia Ennuschat, PhD examines how informational head starts – particularly through data – affect market entry, product design and competition between platforms.
- In his presentation “Competition and the Strategic Disclosure of Innovation: Theory and Evidence from Patent Applications”, Professor Bernhard Ganglmair examines how competition influences the strategic disclosure of innovations.
- In the presentation “The Misuse of China's R&D Subsidies: Noncompliance and Its Impact on Policy Effectiveness”, Professor Bettina Peters analyses the use of Chinese subsidies for research and innovation and the consequences for the effectiveness of funding policy.
- The presentation “Algorithmic Repricers in Experimental Marketplaces” by Professor Adrian Hillenbrand examines how rule-based pricing algorithms affect market outcomes.
- In her presentation “Shadow Profiling and Privacy Regulation”, Dr. Eliza Stenzhorn examines the practice of so-called shadow profiling and its relationship with data protection regulation.
- In the presentation entitled “Bid Heterogeneity and the Winner’s Curse in Multi-Unit Auctions”, Professor Marion Ott analyses heterogeneous bids and the so-called winner’s curse that bidders can suffer in multi-unit auctions.
Journalists wishing to attend the EARIE conference can contact presse@zew.de to arrange accreditation. We are also happy to connect you with specific experts for interviews and background discussions.
