The Future of Open Innovation Cities

is an Open Innovation Culture!

What is the future viability of Bielefeld? How must the city orient itself in order to maintain its economic strength and quality of life? These questions were on the minds of numerous participants in the local innovation ecosystem. So are the four organisations that initiated this project. It quickly became clear that part of the answer must be to strengthen the existing networks and activities in the city and the region of East Westphalia-Lippe and to push open, innovation-orientedexchange among each other. Thus, the idea of the first Open Innovation City was born.

The four initiators contributed to this from their respective perspectives: the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM) – University of Applied Sciences – with its expertise in carrying out research projects relevant to the public, the Founders Foundation with its novel approach to promoting entrepreneurship and startups, the Pioneers Club as an innovation-promoting platform for digitalised small and medium-sized enterprises, and owl maschinenbau e. V. as an industry network for mechanical and plant engineering. The active networking of people, motivation, and expertise to enable ground-breaking projects and solutions with the aim of strengthening the city'sinnovation ecosystem were at the forefront.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia focuses on digital transforma­tion with its economic policy. It is the train that must not be missed if one does not want to be overtaken by the competition. In the long run, no company can avoid this upheaval. That's why the ministry supports small- and medium-sized enterprises in particular on their way to digitalisation. The ministry promotes technology transfer, invests in youngtalent, and works intensively on the broadband expansion in the state.