Competence Center Programme Stuttgart RegionCompetence Center Programme Stuttgart Region

Dr. Andreas Findeis

Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation

TRES Study Visit | 19.11.2013 | PEC Waiblingen

Cluster and Networkmanagement

Clusterinitiatives(inhouse)

Horizontal Networks (inhouse)

Automotive Financing

Competence Center Program

Mechatronics

Cluster and Network Management

ICT/Open Source

Mechanícal Engineering Education

Labour Market/Talent

Creative Industries

Clean Tech

... ...

VR/Simulation

Environmental Tech.

Packaging Technology

Industrial Components and Surface Cleaning

Why networks?

Generating turnover due to productand service innovation

(younger than 3 years)

Rate of sales growth

(average of last 4 years)

Source: Improve, European Benchmark Study, 2008

70% of growth champions (10% of fastest growing companies)

among SME’s in Europe count on close cooperation links to network

partners with regard to innovation management.

Regional Competence Centers are well organised

regional networks by integrating possibly all

regional companies, universities, research facilities

etc. working in the same technology field.

They provide a suitable basis for know-how

exchange, innovative cooperation and project

Competence Center ProgrammeVision

exchange, innovative cooperation and project

approaches among the partner institutions.

Competence Centres improve significantly the co-

ordination and effectiveness of (regional)

research activities and the transformation of results

into marketable products and services.

• Position the centres as catalysts for cooperation

and competitiveness.

• Initiate and support co-operation between

businesses, universities, research facilities, public

bodies and other relevant organisations.

Competence Center ProgrammeObjectives

• Support start-ups and spin-offs.

• Provide a platform for (large scale) innovative

cooperation projects.

• Create a joint learning environment.

• Foster Open Innovation processes.

Regional Competence and Innovation Centres are a

suitable instrument for regional Cluster Management.

They support network creation and provide an

instrument for economic development, which will

assist even SME to meet the challenges of global

competition.

Competence Center ProgrammeSchedule

Competence and Innovation Centres schedule in the Stuttgart Region:

End of 1999: Regional call for proposals

2000 - 2002: Initial implementation phase of „Regional Innovation Centres“

end of 2002: Evaluation of achieved implementation status

since 2003: Project-oriented Support Phase

Support of innovative projects initiated by the Regional Competence

and Innovation Centres

Vaihingen/Enz

Kornwestheim

Backnang

County of Ludwigsburg

Rems-Murr-County

Environmental Engineering

Logistics

PEC – Packaging Excellence Center Packaging Technologies

Waiblingen

Fuel Cell and BatteryAlliance

Satellite communication

Competence Center ProgrammeCompetence Centers in the Stuttgart Region

Energy and Eco-Design

City of Stuttgart

Esslingen

Göppingen

Geislingen/SteigeKirchheim/Teck

DenkendorfFilderstadt County of GöppingenCounty of Böblingen

Technical Textiles

Mechatronics

Telematics, Mobile Computing, Customer Care

Software and IT

Virtual Dimension CenterVirtual Reality, Simulation, Collaborative Engineering

FellbachWaiblingenAlliance

County of EsslingenIndustrial Components and Surface Cleaning

Competence Center ProgrammeResults of the Initiative

• 12 Competence Centres in different technology areas

• Very high level of participation:

> 500 companies (80% SME)

> 60 university institutes and research facilities

• Focus on tangible business benefits / market orientation• Focus on tangible business benefits / market orientation

• Extensive private investments could be triggered with

little public money (2 Mill. € for set-up phase)

• Many innovative co-operation and/or research projects

initiated (> 100)

• Requests for additional Competence Centres

(in and outside the Stuttgart Region)

Competence Center ProgrammeImportant success factors

Important instrument: The „Network Manager“ who

− sets up and cultivates the network,

− relieves the network partners as far as possible from network effort and

− keeps the partners’ participation and commitment alive

Important process:

The Communication between the partners which should be supported by modern

technologies (e.g. a communication platform)

Important constitutional element:

Establish a legal body for the network (e.g. a union) to ensure the partner’s

commitment for financing and (net-)working

Important task:

Initiating concrete projects to ensure the partner’s perception of (net-)work

advantages

Competence Center ProgrammeImportant success factors

Important structural element:

- The “right mix” of SMEs, large companies, public bodies and research institutions. �

cover all elements of the “process-chain”; “network of enterprises”

- Bottom-up insetad of top-down

- Public-Provite Partnership (strong involvement of location municpality)

Competence Center ProgrammeRegional Coordination Unit

Coordination Unit at WRS provides a set of additional services:

• initiation and promotion of innovative regional projects

(regional funds)

• support in marketing, communication and public relations

(e.g. web, print, media, etc.)(e.g. web, print, media, etc.)

• assistance in the organisation of events, support of events

organized by several competence centers

(e.g. “Dialogveranstaltung”)

• links to other existing (regional, national, international)

networks in the Stuttgart Region

• information and support regarding national and international

grants/programmes

Project examples

Project: Arena of Innovation

Project: Energy efficiency

(100 Mitglieder)Project:

Simulation universal storage system (virtual engineering)

Competence Center Programme

efficiencySavings by new machine concepts

Projekt: Branchenatlas (CEC)

Project:

Guideline Industrial Services

Project:

Simulation wind power

Project:

AR interior fittings

Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation

Friedrichstrasse 10

70174 Stuttgart

Germany

www.region-stuttgart.de

kompetenzzentren.region-stuttgart.de

Competence Center ProgrammeContact

Dr. Martin Zagermann

Fon: +49.711.22835 - 53

Fax: +49.711.22835 - 55

martin.zagermann@region-stuttgart.de

Dr. Andreas Findeis

Fon: +49.711.22835 - 69

Fax: +49.711.22835 - 55

andreas.findeis@region-stuttgart.de