This June, Prof. David Wuttke hosted the 2nd Supply Chain Finance Week 2026 at TUM Campus Heilbronn, bringing together leading academics for an inspiring exchange on the future of Supply Chain Finance.
A key highlight of the week was the Supply Chain & Finance Symposium, featuring a distinguished international lineup of scholars who shared insights on current trends, emerging challenges, and the future direction of the field. The keynote was delivered by Prof. Chris Tang, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UCLA Anderson School of Management.
The symposium also included break-out sessions on a question of real-world relevance: How can Supply Chain Finance contribute to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals? The discussions were collaborative, in-depth, and thought-provoking.
Another highlight was the “Meet your Co-Authors” session, which created dedicated space for individual exchange, ongoing research projects, and new academic collaborations.
The Ph.D. and Young Scholar Pitch Session brought great energy to the room, with doctoral students and early-career researchers presenting their work in concise three-minute pitches that sparked curiosity and discussion.
Furthermore, the participants discussed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN) in depth. The focus lay especially on Goal number 13, “Climate Action,” which urges UN members to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
The week concluded with a Doctoral Day under the theme “Publishing Supply Chain Finance Research”, offering young scholars the opportunity to learn from and connect with experienced researchers. Sessions explored what defines impactful empirical Operations Management research, how modelling work can generate meaningful insights, and which mechanisms are central to research in supply chain management and finance.
A few key takeaways became clear throughout the week:
- Supply Chain Finance research continues to raise the bar in rigor and depth of insight.
- The UN Sustainable Development Goals offer important opportunities for SCF research, but each goal requires deliberate strategies and mechanisms.
- Supply Chain Finance is gaining genuine global attention.
- AI and large language models are becoming increasingly relevant to the future of SCF research.
A big thank you to all participants, speakers, and contributors who made this week such a success. It was a pleasure to exchange ideas, build connections, and shape the future of Supply Chain Finance — together.