© freepik
NRW.Innovation Partner in the Münsterland
© NRW.Innovationspartner
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.
As a regional collaborative initiative, the NRW.Innovationspartner project in the Münsterland region improved the innovative capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises from 2017 to 2021 by strengthening regional innovation management structures and funding advice. As part of the project, innovation, digitalisation and funding advice was expanded in the region. Further project data can be found here.
The NRW.Innovationspartner project was funded by the Ministry of Economics of the State of NRW.
Milestones of the project
© Foto von Kvalifik auf Unsplash
Project launch
The NRW.Innovationspartner Münsterland project started on 1 February 2017 with a volume of around 199,000 euros. The partners included: Münster Technology Promotion, Coesfeld District Economic Development, Borken District Economic Development, Steinfurt District Economic Development, Warendorf District Economic Development and Münster Chamber of Trade. The project was supported by TAFH Münster GmbH of Münster University of Applied Sciences, the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences and IHK Nord Westfalen.
© Münsterland e.V.
Start of the qualification measures
After an analysis of the regionally specific qualification fields, a qualification programme was created that included further training, seminars, excursions, an accompanying lecture series and an information event. Among other things, the innovation advisors from the Münsterland region were able to train as innovation coaches and attend a seminar on network management and a workshop on market analysis.
© Münsterland e.V.
Publicising the services of innovation promotion
In order to raise awareness of the range of services offered by regional innovation support and to reach as many companies as possible, a leaflet was produced and distributed in June 2018 as an insert in the magazines "Die Wirtschaft" (circulation 17,000) and "IHK Wirtschaftsspiegel" (circulation 33,000), which are available in the Münsterland region.
This leaflet is also available online.
© Münsterland e.V./Anja Tiwisina
Expansion and continuation phase of the project
After the completion of the set-up phase of NRW.Innovationspartner at the end of July, the expansion and continuation phase of the project started on 1 August 2018 with funding of 254,000 euros. The project was able to gain numerous additional project supporters from the municipal economic development agencies in Münsterland.
© Münsterland e.V.
Launching further qualification measures
Building on and complementing the qualification of the innovation advisors during the start-up phase, an extensive training programme was offered during the expansion phase. In additional workshop and exchange formats, the sustainable transfer of the contents into the everyday advisory work of the network partners was strengthened. Training sessions were held, for example, on the topics of technology scouting, virtual counselling and agile working. Further training to become an innovation coach was also continued. In addition, the exchange between the advisory institutions in Münsterland was supported through numerous exchange formats.
© Münsterland e.V.
Final presentation: Further training as an innovation coach
The training to become an Innovation Coach was carried out in cooperation with the Verrocchio Institute for Innovation Competence. Here, the partners in our network received many valuable impulses for consulting, e.g. with regard to innovation strategy and business model development and the moderation of creative workshops and innovation projects.
Click here for the video of the final event.
As a result of their further training as innovation coaches, the network partners in the NRW.Innovationspartner project present the Münsterland Innovation Posters.
© Münsterland e.V./Junes Pol
Innovative Makers" communication campaign
On the website www.innovativ-macher.de, five entrepreneurs from the Münsterland region tell what role innovations play in their business, how they are supported by institutions and how valuable partnerships are in developing forward-looking projects and products. In exciting interviews, they talk about how ideas are driven forward, new technologies are developed and their own company is made fit for the future.
© Münsterland e.V./Anja Tiwisina
Project end
The funded project NRW.Innovationspartner in the Münsterland ended on 31 December 2021. NRW.Innovationspartner will be continued by the Ministry of Economics of the State of NRW. Münsterland e.V. and its partners support the continuation without further funding of their own.
