Welcome to innovation - Welcome to Baden-Württemberg
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MFG Baden-Württemberg is among the leading innovation agencies in Europe, focussing on information technology, software, telecommunication and the creative industries. By networking the creative and the technology sectors, MFG strenghtens Baden-Württemberg as a business location, supports cooperation in Europe and enhances collaboration in global value chains. MFG’s specific focus lies on users of information technology across all sectors and their buyer potential. With services certified and according to the ISO 9001 standard and 100,000 technology relationships, MFG pioneers the systemic innovation management in the context of public-private partnerships.
MFG strategies for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation
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The European Year of Creativity and Innovation has started and MFG is on the front line with several projects (e.g. CReATE and EICI) and initiatives (e.g World Creativity Forum, fmx ecc. ) to promote on regional, national and european level actions closely related to the European Commission' s purposes.
Download the programme with MFG’s strategies on Creativity and Innovation and follow up MFG during the European Year of Creativity.
EICI Launch Event - Creativity and innovation Beyond 2009: Strategies for European Regions
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The European Interest Group on Creativity and Innovation (EICI) and MFG Baden-Württemberg are hosting the Creativity World Cafe´on 21st of April 2009 @ Representation of Baden-Württemberg in Brussels.
This event aims to bring together high level decision makers from European institutions with CEOs and directors from regional and local development agencies, research institutions and creative companies. Join us to demystify the real links between creativity and innovation and to discuss how we can support creative industries making Europe´s economy more competitive!
For further information click here or write to EICI-info
mfg.de
VoiceS (Integrating Semantics, Serious Games and Social Networks Into eParticipation)
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In the framework of the VoiceS initiative co-financed by the EU, MFG experiments with Web 2.0 technologies on a special eParicipation platform. The aim of VoiceS is to shape future eParticipation platforms by treading new ground with automatic text analysis, games based learning (serious games) and other innovative concepts.
For further information please click here.
Now available: Final Report, guideline and training material on successful e-business support measures
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The project FoCus aims at fostering synergies between public policies in support of e-Business for SMEs. In this context guidelines and training material for regional actors in the field of e-Business policies were developed.
Together with its partners in Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic, MFG Baden-Württemberg has developed a handbook to support planning, implementation and auditing of new e-business initiatives. In addition to outlining the success factors for regional e-business initiatives, the handbook also describes best practice examples from the four partner regions: Baden-Württemberg (Germany), Piedmont (Italy), Valencia (Spain) and Vysocina (Czech Republic). Parallel to this, a special training concept has been developed based on knowledge teaching in workshops and online seminars. The training courses are particularly targeted at representatives of trade associations and politics, who it is envisaged will subsequently act as multipliers by passing on their e-business know-how to small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Final Report is now available in English, Spanish and German and can be downloaded for free.
VoicE Platform launched in Stuttgart and Brussels!
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How is the safety of toys guaranteed? Which additives are allowed in food? Will the European market for electricity be liberalised? EU legislation in the area of consumer protection is hardly comprehensible for many consumers and raises a multitude of questions.
Now, citizens will have a unique chance to discuss current topics linked to consumer protection with their representatives in Brussels on the eParticipation platform "VoicE".
Find out more about the project!
Participate!
MFG's Annual Report 2007/2008 now available!
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MFG Baden-Württemberg's bilingual annual report is directed at our clients and partners, giving a detailled overview of MFG's current projects in the areas of Innovation Promotion and Technology Transfer, Cluster and Network Management and Regional Economic Development and Marketing. Facts and figures give an additional insight into MFG'S performance.
Please download our Annual Report here.
Save the date: CReATE Cluster Session on 13th October in Stuttgart
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CReATE Cluster Session – How Creativity and IT impact on Competitive Advantage
The economic potential of Creative Industries is one of the foremost contemporary issues in Europe. Strategies to leverage this trend need to address the importance of IT-innovations for creativity-based industries.
As a prelude to the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009, the 'CReATE Cluster Session – How Creativity and IT Impact on Competitive Advantage' discusses current topics and technological trends of the creative economy. This session focuses on IT and Media as cross-sectional technology and innovation driver in different fields of application. Specific attention is given to an effective cluster management and how it enables the innovation potential of the digital creative economy. This session imparts actual knowledge and stimulates cluster- and networking development in Germany and beyond.
Details of the CReATE Cluster Session, including the international speakers from Creative Industries and IT, can be found at www.doit-konferenz.de .
The CReATE Cluster Session is the international part of the “doit.konferenz – Where creativity meets Technology” organised by MFG Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart on 13th and 14th October 2008.
If you want to register for the conference and don't want to deal with the German application form, feel free to contact Dilara Betz (mailto:dbetzmfg.de).
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CReATE Cluster Tour - Visit the Hot Spots of Creative Industries in Baden-Württemberg
On Tuesday, 14th Oct., the "CReATE Cluster Tour" will show you some of the fascinating "Hot Spots of Creativity" in Baden-Württemberg. Letting you experience the "look and feel" of creative industries, on this day tour, our programme partners will open doors for you. While visiting creative places in Baden-Württemberg, you will dive into audio-visual, breathtaking insights related to modern design, media art, electronic music and virtual worlds.
The CReATE Cluster Tour will start at the conference hotel / venue on Tuesday, 14th, 8:30am. It will take you to one of the world’s renown Design Schools, show you how IT and Media push Visual Arts and will give you an idea of the competitive advantage resting at the interface of creativity and technology.
Finally, the CReATE Cluster Tour will let you experience the European Best Practice for linking professional training in modern Music & Sound with economic prosperity and business success. The Cluster Tour will end on 5pm, offering you the drop off at Mannheim Train Station (close to Frankfurt Airport) or transfer you back to Stuttgart Airport until 7:00pm.
Recently Published: Strategic Project Management Toolkit for Creating Digital Literacy Initiatives
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Within the EU project SPreaD - Strategic Project Management Toolkit for Creating Digital Literacy Initiative - MFG Baden-Württemberg (D), Directorate General for Modernisation of the Generalitat de la Comunitat Valenciana (ES) and CINOP (NL) have joined forces to develop a practical toolkit. Basis of the toolkit are six best practice projects that have already been successfully realised by the three partner institutions.
The toolkit aims to support regional, national and European institutions with regards to the design and implementation of large-scale digital literacy programmes. It offers useful hints to plan, finance, evaluate and sustainably implement such projects.
The recently published toolkit is available in four languages and can be downloaded here.
If you are interested in the printed toolkit version please send an email to newrly(at)mfg.de.
FITT project launched - building bridges between ICT research and business
Excellent research is not automatically leading to economic and social prosperity. The commercialisation of ideas and inventions by sales, licensing or start-ups is challenging and lot of promising ideas fail. By engaging in the project “FITT”, funded by the EU, MFG is contributing to close the gap between ICT research and market. Together with a strong European project consortium, we develop a toolbox with a set of methods and instruments supporting the different steps and objectives within the long way from the university into the marketplace.
bwcon awarded "Best German Innovation Network"
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First prize in the Competence Network 2008 competition for the best German innovation network went to Baden-Württemberg Connected e.V. (bwcon), a Stuttgart-based business initiative managed by MFG Baden-Württemberg. The €15,000 prize was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) in Berlin to recognize the network’s innovative service and added value for its members.
Find out more: Download press release
Baden-Württemberg in Second Life
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Together with the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg, MFG Baden-Württemberg recently launched an “Innovation Park” and a Baden-Württemberg representative office in Second Life. The representative office, based on the actual office in Berlin, is the first of its kind to be set up in Second Life by one of Germany’s federal states. In addition to the ultra-modern architecture of the State Office, visitors are invited to enjoy a virtual stroll through the Black Forest or along the shores of Lake Constance, take a trip to a miniature version of Stuttgart’s television tower or the Heidelberg Castle, or browse through an open-air what’s on calendar with concerts, lectures and many other events.
More information: Second Life
