Innovation clusters in the German capital region are re-enforcing their innovation infrastructure in order to strengthen the position of local companies and organisations in the face of global competition.
Berlin and Brandenburg join forces for innovation clusters
- 07 May 2014
The State of Berlin and its neighbour Brandenburg launched their Joint Innovation Strategy, also known as “innoBB”, in 2011. Aimed at linking the capital region’s business and R&D sectors to the international innovation community, the strategy focuses on five clusters:
Life sciences and healthcare Energy technology Mobility (including transport and logistics) ICT, media and creative industries Photonics (including microsystems technology).Cross-border clusters
The innoBB strategy creates clusters in the above-mentioned fields, and participation in them is expected to boost the competitiveness of the two regions, especially on an international scale. The clusters operate across state borders, developing and implementing internationalisation strategies and master plans. Participating in the clusters is expected to be one way of answering the challenges of market globalisation. The clusters have their own operational management structures.
In addition to the cross-border nature of the clusters, they also function in a cross-sectoral way, focusing on four main themes: materials; production and automation technologies; clean technologies; and security. These technologies are of key importance to the capital region Berlin-Brandenburg and they are expected to reinforce the innovation processes in the clusters.
In the future, Berlin and Brandenburg will continue to work together, enhancing innovation and providing opportunities for companies. Most of Germany’s major research organisations are represented in the capital region, as are universities which add further potential to research and development.
Jobs and growth
The efforts undertaken under the innovation strategy have yielded distinct successes, and there has been an increase in the number of jobs in the cutting edge fields that are consolidated in the Berlin-Brandenburg cross-border clusters.
For instance, the number of jobs subject to social insurance contributions grew by 10 % between 2008 and 2012 in the technological and innovative, as well as creative, core of the clusters. Not only was this rise in employment higher than in other areas of the Berlin-Brandenburg regional economy but it also surpassed metropolitan regions like Hamburg and München and the German average growth. Therefore, this project is an example of how the future-oriented industries contribute to a large share to economic growth and the creation of jobs in the capital region of Berlin–Brandenburg.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Innovation Strategy ‘InnoBB’” is EUR 33 700 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 15 670 000 through the priority “Innovation and knowledge-based economy” of the Operational Programme for Berlin for the 2007-2013 programming period.