Throughout the long history of economic development in Germany, changing circumstances have repeatedly given rise to new challenges. At the start of the 20st century, the work of economic development practitioners still revolved around marketing commercial premises and disseminating general …

A winning combination: technology transfer and local economic development in the Oldenburger Münsterland region
Steinbeis has been cooperating on economic development with the districts of Vechta and Cloppenburg for over 30 years.
The economic environment keeps changing at an ever faster rate. New technologies drive innovation and fundamentally transform products, production processes, business models …

Innovation, cooperation and funding – the keys to a competitive business
An interview with Steinbeis expert Professor h. c. Dr. Jonathan Loeffler
How can enterprises stay competitive in the face of current challenges? Innovation is one of the main keys – both for individual businesses and at national and European level. …

A catalyst of innovation and transformation
WiR GmbH in Ravensburg is the link that connects business, research and the public administration
For 24 years, Wirtschafts- und Innovationsförderungsgesellschaft Landkreis Ravensburg mbH (WiR GmbH) has been helping businesses in this region in southeast Baden-Württemberg to get fit for …

Shaping our digital future together by combining research and practice
Ulm University and the Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institute’s new Graduate School is supporting businesses with the digital transformation.
More than just a buzzword, the digital transformation involves profound changes for businesses of all sizes. For small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, this means …

The role of mediation in economic development
Conflict management and economic development have more in common than you might think
This edition’s Steinbeis Swipe columnist, Dr. Wolfram Dreier, argues that conflict resolution can play an innovative role in economic development. And, with all due modesty, he should …

Welcome to the latest edition of TRANSFER.
For decades, Steinbeis has sought to be an active partner in the economic development sector – and today, this role is more important than ever. At a time of geopolitical uncertainty, economic transformation and technological revolution, Steinbeis offers businesses guidance, …

Economic development with bwcon: an active rather than a reactive approach …
… or the value of (lifelong) learning, networks and a willingness to change
While the digital transformation poses enormous challenges for businesses, it also offers unique opportunities. In a dynamic environment characterized by technological advances, demographic change and the skills shortage, …

“Economic development agencies: the engine that drives projects”
An interview with economic development practitioner Reiner Lohse
The role of economic development agencies may appear to be clearly defined – they’re there to develop the economy, right? But the economy is a diverse beast, so there are many different …

Opposites attract
Economic development can be delivered either by a local government agency or an external service provider – both models have their advantages.
Economic development is a key pillar of local and regional development. It boosts competitiveness, supports innovation and helps …

Local residents take the energy transition into their own hands
Steinbeis experts support the establishment of an energy cooperative on the island of Borkum.
There is a growing need for concrete measures to mitigate the serious consequences of climate change. Islands are particularly vulnerable to impacts such as the increased …

Technology transfer in Tunisia: a catalyst for innovation and economic growth
A conference discussing the current challenges facing Tunisia marked the launch of the Steinbeis Transfer & Innovation Hub Tunisia.
Sharing experiences and creating and leveraging synergies between the actors in order to promote technology transfer in Tunisia – these were …

Transformation pilots: guiding structural change
Training provided by Steinbeis experts in Leipzig helps to identify conflicts, strengthen resilience and actively shape change.
There can be no progress without conflict. The huge social transformation processes associated with digital, environmental and demographic change are giving rise to …

A winning combination of courage and Steinbeis expertise
From having a startup idea to launching your own company: professional support is the key to success
Real estate expert Waltraud Bounab has been her own boss since September 1, 2024, when she founded a property management business in Singen …

Innovation ecosystems: local structures for global impact
A look back at the second Steinbeis-Dialog@Adlershof
The Adlershof science and technology park in Berlin is Germany’s largest, and hosts a diverse ecosystem of research institutions, startups and established companies. Combining innovative research with business development, it fosters cooperation between …

Seven out of thirteen in one go
Professor Dr.-Ing. Ralf Hörstmeier explains how wastage in trade businesses and SMEs belongs in the past
Equivalent to the English expression “you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs”, there’s a German saying that literally translates as “wherever you plane …

Reflection, innovation and much more besides…
...or how management mindsets can help businesses survive
There are two trends that have been diverging from each other increasingly rapidly ever since the 1970s. The first is the technologically-driven transformation of every area of our economy and society that …

“Walking the walk”
An interview with Steinbeis Entrepreneur Professor Dr.-Ing. Manfred Norbert Fisch
Businesses are currently facing unprecedented challenges, among them the skills shortage and the rise in red tape. Proactive strategies are thus more important than ever, not least because the challenges …

Developing sustainable, value-added solutions with mathematics
An interview with Steinbeis Entrepreneur Dr. Mitja Echim
What are the key issues for tomorrow’s entrepreneurs? And what specific role can mathematics play in the development of meaningful solutions to economic and social challenges? TRANSFER discussed these questions with Dr. …

Entrepreneurship with a future: resilience, sustainability and adding value
It’s one thing to run your day-to-day business SUCCESSFULLY, but it takes more than that to be an ENTREPRENEUR who is ready for the challenges of the FUTURE. Which CONDITIONS must be met and which questions answered so that businesses …

Green patents and trademarks as indicators of sustainability impact
Steinbeis experts in intelligent IP analysis help to make innovations more sustainable
With its European Green Deal, the European Union (EU) aims to make Europe a net-zero continent by 2050. To meet this goal, it is driving the transition to …

Partnerships: a strategy for the future of entrepreneurship
A combination of traditional and innovative approaches can be the key to success
The transformation of entrepreneurship in Germany is being driven by several key factors. In recent years, the “innovator rate” in established German companies has fallen significantly, suggesting …

Resilience: the key to long-term business success
Sustainable strategies and ethical responsibility for an uncertain future
Business resilience is an increasingly important factor in the current global environment. But there’s much more to it than financial stability and coping with short-term crises. It also entails the ability …

Design thinking in innovation management
Focusing on the customer
We live in an increasingly complex world. Trends like digitalization and globalization are transforming the way we live, learn and work. Businesses are also coming under growing pressure to change, and need to find ways of …

Going circular!
Baden-Württemberg enterprises obtain funding to implement circular economy projects
SMEs from Baden-Württemberg achieved by far the highest success rate in the first open call of the EU’s Up2Circ project. Two of the four Baden-Württemberg businesses awarded grants of up to …

Our computer colleagues
Steinbeiser Thomas Hösle urges us to leverage the efficiency potential of software and automation solutions
The multiple ongoing crises of recent years are causing ever greater challenges, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is becoming increasingly difficult to …

The key to success lies in challenging, understanding and continuously improving business processes
An interview with Professor Dr.-Ing. Jörg W. Fischer, Steinbeis Entrepreneur at the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Computer Applications in Engineering (STZ-RIM)
Steinbeis expert Professor Dr.-Ing. Jörg W. Fischer talks to TRANSFER about how we can solve the most complex business …

Cooperation is essential for meeting the challenges of the future
An interview with Dr.-Ing. Petra Püchner, Steinbeis expert and Commissioner for Europe of the Minister of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg
That Dr.-Ing. Petra Püchner is every inch a committed European can be seen from the passion and …

Evolving instead of optimizing: a systemic look at transformation
Proactively getting to grips with change always requires an ability to cope with uncertainty and risk
Our economy is transforming. For some years now, statements like this have been widely used – some might say over-used – in the press …

Resilience in small and medium-sized enterprises calls for sound liquidity management
Reducing risk with a diversified finance mix
The crises of recent years have put resilience at the core of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business strategies. Lending platforms strengthen SMEs’ resilience by making access to loans less bureaucratic, diversifying their …

Supporting business transformation
Steinbeis experts in Rostock help SMEs to internationalize their business, initiate projects and take the first steps toward sustainability
As a member of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), over the last three years the Steinbeis Research Center Technology Management Northeast …

It’s all about the mix of technical, social and cognitive skills
An interview with Dr.-Ing. Markus Urner, Managing Director of IWT Wirtschaft und Technik GmbH
We live in an increasingly complex world, and this trend is accelerating significantly in both our private and our professional lives. What skills are needed to …

A circular economy for rare earth magnets
The partners in the EU project REEsilience are developing pre-processing technology for hard disk drives, loudspeakers and electric motors
Rare earth elements are crucial components in many modern technologies and devices such as electric vehicles, wind turbines and sensor applications. …