Innovation promotion is as versatile as the concept of innovation itself. Sometimes it is a burgeoning trend, a new competitor, or simply chance that initiates an innovation. Often, however, important innovations emerge especially where companies, universities, networks and economic development agencies work together. The Enabling Networks Münsterland project is designed to create this network and organise cooperation at the regional level.
As a regional network initiative and successor project to Enabling Innovation Münsterland, Enabling Networks supports companies and universities in Münsterland in developing innovations, implementing them and finding the right partners for the project. After all, if you want to survive in competition, you have to quickly develop marketable processes, products or services from the latest scientific findings. The Enabling Networks project is funded by the European Union and the NRW Ministry of Economics as part of the ERDF call "Regio.NRW".
A total of five Münsterland think tanks are being set up within the Enabling Networks Münsterland project with representatives from companies, research and regional networks. They are looking for answers to questions such as: What do regional companies need in order to expand their competences and be economically successful? Where are the special opportunities and innovative competences of the Münsterland? How can the region position itself even better and enter into valuable cooperations? The analysis of the future refers to the period of the next five to ten years.
The second component is technology scouting. This involves the creation of five technology scouts who support companies in the development of new innovations. This creates special technology knowledge with which companies, research institutions and competence centres can be even better networked.
Enabling Networks identifies regional innovation competences in the Münsterland region and promotes them in the network.
Enabling Networks networks companies, universities and business development agencies in think tanks and organises innovation scouting trips to future locations.
Enabling Networks helps to develop and set up medium- and long-term cooperation projects.
Enabling Networks analyses the relevant technology trends and offers technology scouting workshops for small and medium-sized enterprises in the region.
We asked companies from the Münsterland region about the region's strengths. The central result of this Regional Environment Analysis are the innovation competence fields: They form the basis for the innovation promotion strategy Enabling Networks, which supports the special competences of the region and raises the potentials:
With the AI qualification programme, the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum offers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Weser-Ems and Münsterland regions a seven-week basic AI course free of charge. Building on the successful online course "Elements of AI", the AI trainers offer direct added value for interested companies with numerous additional and practical contents as well as practical examples from SMEs. The aim of the programme is to increase understanding in the field of AI, to network like-minded companies with each other and to empower users to initiate their own AI digitisation projects in their companies.
The event will take place both on-site and online.
Since February 2022, we have been experiencing on a daily basis that the sectors of heat, electricity and mobility are being rethought and rethought differently. In the symposium, we want to deal specifically with the topics of municipal heat routing planning, future systems for biogas plants and the direct marketing of renewable electricity.
How can the region's renewable energy potential be expanded and used in a targeted manner for a sustainable energy system?
What possibilities are there for sustainable heat supply in the rural region and how can these be recorded and implemented within the framework of communal heat management planning?
What roles can biogas plants play in energy supply and which concepts are particularly promising?
These and other questions will be discussed at the 15th Steinfurt Bioenergy Conference, to which we cordially invite you.
The event is organised jointly by Münster University of Applied Sciences, NRW.ENERGY 4CLIMATE and the district of Steinfurt and is aimed at local authorities, biogas plant operators, farmers, representatives of the energy sector, companies and engineering firms, representatives of industry as well as advocates and promoters of renewable energies.
You are cordially invited to inform yourself and get involved. We are very much looking forward to your participation.
Participation fee
90 €, including drinks during breaks and lunch.
Participation is free of charge for students of Münster University of Applied Sciences.
The participation fee is also due if you do not attend the event despite registering.
Limited number of participants - first come, first served!
At the Genussfrühling in Werne on 22 and 23 April, the city centre will be the scene of regional and delicious events: food trucks on the market square, regional producers on the church square, arts and crafts and flowers, great promotions by local retailers, information stands and a city rally with a competition invite visitors to take a tour of the historic city centre. More than 50 exhibitors have announced their participation - more than ever before.
For the first big event this year, visitors can also look forward to an open sales day on Sunday, 23 April, from 1 to 6 p.m. as part of the Genussfrühling.