The Regional Transformation Processes and Economic Development division supports numerous actors in economic and innovation policy - including state ministries, cluster initiatives and other innovation actors at municipal, regional, European and international level.
In our role as RegioClusterAgency for Innovation and Transformation in Baden-Württemberg (previously ClusterAgentur BW), we have been supporting the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics, Labour and Tourism in implementing the state's cluster policy goals at the Stuttgart location since October 2014. One of the main tasks of the RegioClusterAgency BW is to support cluster initiatives, business development agencies and other innovation intermediaries in a needs-based manner in transformation processes and the ongoing structural change. Our portfolio consists of process support, comprehensive strategic consultations, the organisation of seminars, networking events and formats for the exchange of experiences as well as regional innovation analyses.
The coordination office for the Initiative Wirtschaft 4.0 (IW4.0) provides conceptual, organisational and content-related support to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics, Labour and Tourism. IW4.0 bundles cross-sector activities in the area of Economy 4.0. Together with 35 partners from associations, business organisations, business-related research institutions, companies and chambers, digitisation measures and initiatives are advanced. The goal of IW 4.0 is to advance the digitisation of the economy in Baden-Württemberg, particularly with regard to small and medium-sized enterprises, across all sectors and throughout the entire state.
Within the framework of Invest BW, the Ministry of Economics, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg is supported in the management of the state's largest single-company support programme in history. The office is in charge of the project management with a total volume of about 300 million euros. For this purpose, among other things, the funding guidelines were drawn up and the application documents are assessed as well as the disbursement and processing of the funding.
Our experts in the fields of innovation policy and regional development at the Stuttgart location also deal with nationwide and international enquiries from various public and private clients when it comes to accompanying (innovation) strategy development processes or setting up cluster structures.
In addition, the "European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA)" was launched from Stuttgart: a far-reaching, international network of experts which, under the direction of the "Regional Transformation Processes and Economic Development" department, has advised and assessed almost 1,000 cluster management organisations worldwide since 2011 and awarded them a seal of quality that is now internationally recognised.
