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Meeting the challenges of the Lisbon Agenda: The approach of Stuttgart Region
Dr. Rolf Reiner, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH
Introduction
Stuttgart Region still is one of the strongest economic regions in Europe, heading metropolitan areas with regard to business expenditures in research and development, percentage of people employed in high-tech industries, and patenting. Nevertheless, key innovation actors and stakeholders are called upon to join efforts in developing the regional innovation system further. Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH (WRS - Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation) is in charge of initiating new measures and programs fostering innovation, co-operation and knowledge transfer within the region's economic system. This presentation briefly summarises 10 years of WRS' activities and illustrates lessons learned from international co-operation within PAXIS Thematic Network SPRING and beyond. Stuttgart Region is willing to contribute to the European Agenda (e.g. Lisbon goals) through mutual learning with European partner regions. "Co-optition" (co-operation between competing partners) seems to be the most adequate model to foster Europe's innovation capacity, improving competitiveness in a global market.
Stuttgart Region
The Stuttgart Region comprises the City of Stuttgart (capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg) and the surrounding five counties with a total of 179 local authorities covering an area of 3,650 square kilometres. It is the hub of economic, scientific, and political life in Southwest Germany and the centre of a flourishing economy with its own elected assembly and administrative structure (Verband Region Stuttgart). The economic activities are based on: services (43,3%), commerce (13,2%), industry (37,7%), construction (5,2%) and agriculture (0,6%). The Stuttgart Region is home to many major global players, including: DaimlerChrysler, Porsche, Robert Bosch, IBM, HP and many highly successful medium-size companies (“hidden champions”): e.g. Kärcher, Dürr, Schuler, Eberspächer and Beru. In 2003 the regional economy generated a GDP of 88 billion Euro.
Towards an integrated innovation strategy
It is not by chance that Eurostat figures show the Stuttgart Region to be Europe's leading high technology area. Stuttgart Region has an excellent research infrastructure, including many leading universities and institutes working at the cutting edge of new technologies (e.g. Universities of Stuttgart and Hohenheim, to the international Stuttgart Institute of Management and Technology, nine universities of applied sciences, several Fraunhofer and Max-Planck Gesellschaft research institutes). Enterprises here invest more in R&D than anywhere else in the country, accounting for 10 percent of total expenditure by German industry. The R&D expenditures by regional industry amount to more than 5 % of GDP, whereas 88% of total expenditures in R&D come from the private sector (figures for 2003). The R&D expenditures by high-tech companies have influenced the establishment of numerous research institutes. Start-ups and young technology-led businesses ar grouped in close proximity at a number of technology parks and business incubation centres.
At the beginning of this century, Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation (WRS) started supporting cluster management activities in order to foster innovation and economic development within the region by establishing Regional Competence and Innovation Centres. These integrated networks include 18 municipalities, more than 350 of its companies (mostly SMEs), and nearly 60 university institutes and research facilities. Currently 17 such Centres are focusing on well-defined fields - from fuel cell technologies to customer care and from internet-based services to solar power. The main objectives of these Regional Competence and Innovation Centres are to provide assistance and advice on market entry, to network the regional expertise and innovation by organising dialogue even between competitors and to stimulate collaborative projects.
Both, horizontal and vertical activities of WRS will be briefly presented. Interim results and an outlook of future developments will be summarized.
Mutual learning with strong partners
Stuttgart Region has become active in several European networks in order to exchange experiences and knowledge aiming in a mutual learning process: SPRING (Thematic Network in the PAXIS initiative), Innovating Regions in Europe, METREX – the Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas and others offered the opportunity to establish joint projects and activities. Impact and conclusions gained from this cooperation will complete the presentation.
Contact
Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH
Dr. Rolf Reiner
Friedrichstr. 10
70174 Stuttgart
Germany
e-mail: rolf.reiner@region-stuttgart.de
http://www.wrs.region-stuttgart.de
http://www.region-stuttgart.de
http://eu.region-stuttgart.de
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