The InnoRegio-program: a new way to promote regional innovation networks - empirical results of the complementary research -



1. The InnoRegio-Program and its aim

Ten years after German reunification the economic situation in the new Federal Lander was
still unsatisfactory. New approaches were being sought in promotional policy so that the
weaknesses that are known or suspected can be better targeted and removed. One of these
weaknesses is the lack of research, and the consequent shortage of innovation by
companies. Another is inadequate regional cohesion between companies and related
facilities. Formal and informal co-operation between the various regional protagonists is
regarded as essential to strengthen corporate innovation and exploit the regional economic
potential, and that means networking companies, research facilities, universities, the
administration and politicians.

In April 1999 the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) therefore
launched a promotional initiative known as the InnoRegio.1 Prospective participants were
invited to enter a competition for promotional funds by putting forward concepts for the
development of innovative regional joint ventures or associations. During the period from
1999 to 2005 the BMBF will provide a total of € 255 million for this initiative. Thus, the
InnoRegio-Contest is the most important pillar of the ministry’s innovation policy for East
Germany. In the course of 2001, two further measures have been added to the promotion of
regional innovative networks, “Innovative Regional Growth Cores” and “Interregional
Alliances”.

This article outlines the concept of the promotion and selected empirical results of the
development of the InnoRegio networks and the establishments involved.

2. Design of the InnoRegio-Program

The networks involved in this program were chosen in a multi-stage-competition:

I: Initial qualification phase (from April 1999 to October 1999)

Participants put forward their first concepts for promotion for their project associations. Out of
444 applicants 25 initiatives were selected in November 1999 for the next phase.

II: Development phase (from November 1999 to October 2000)

These 25 InnoRegios were awarded up to 300.000 to mobilize the partners required and to
draw up a more detailed version of their concept. In October 2000 the jury recommended 19
InnoRegios for promotion in the implementation phase (another 4 InnoRegios in Summer
2001). Thus 23 InnoRegios were promoted currently (map)

III: Implementation phase (from November 2000 to 2004)

The networks have developed their organizations, acquired further partners, and above all
they have adapted their projects to the conditions of the promotion.

1 http://www.innoregio.de



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