Innovation and Structural Transformation (WIR!) Accompanying Research
The central object of investigation of this accompanying research, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), is the formation of alliances with their respective regional innovation ecosystems, first in eastern Germany and then also in western Germany within the framework of the WIR! initiative. In this context, the accompanying research contributes to the best possible understanding of the regional innovation ecosystems as central impulse generators and instruments for innovation-led regional structural change. It provides valuable impulses for targeted activities of the partners (including BMBF, PtJ, PRpetuum) in order to provide targeted support and link the alliances. This increases the overall impact of the individual alliances, the WIR! initiative and the "Innovation & Structural Change" programme family with regard to the overriding objectives of sustainable regional structural change and equal living conditions in Germany. The accompanying research thus promotes the vision of the WIR! initiative as a learning system. In doing so, findings from theory, empirical research and practice are combined in such a way that challenges in the establishment, management and further development of regional innovation ecosystems can at best be anticipated, otherwise identified at an early stage and effectively addressed. In addition to knowledge for action, concrete methods and tools for the management of regional innovation ecosystems are also developed. These will benefit the WIR! initiative and its partners from science, business and civil society. In addition, the aim is to make these findings available to other innovation-oriented regional funding programmes and the interested (specialist) public. The accompanying research helps to systematically record the progress of the individual alliances and identify development priorities. If you have any questions about the project, please contact the project coordinator Christina Dienhart.