TECH.LAND Launch! Innovation pact “filled with life in an exemplary manner”
None other than the godfather of the German-Dutch Innovation Pact took part in the launch of the TECH.LAND program. “The motto of making the border between our two states a connection is fulfilled in this region in an exemplary manner with life, ideas and concrete measures,” said Peter Altmaier (retired Federal Minister of Economics).
Muenster – Former Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier sees the Digital Summit Euregio, which took place for the fourth time today (April 17th) at the IHK Education Center in Münster, as an “important contribution to the German-Dutch innovation and technology pact”. Around 350 guests from Germany and the Netherlands used the technology conference, which Altmaier opened together with the Dutch consul, Willemijn van der Toorn, to strengthen their network and find out about technology trends. The organizers are the IHK Nord Westfalen, the German-Dutch Chamber of Commerce, the Dutch regional agency Oost NL, the IT Forum North Westphalia and the Digital Hub Münsterland. The motto is “Transforming Borders into Connections”.
The previous evening Altmaier had already informed himself in detail about German-Dutch cooperation. He was impressed: “I am pleased that the innovation pact has found such fertile ground here,” said Altmaier at the Dutch-German Tech Dinner in the VR Bank Westfalen-Lippe in front of around 80 guests from politics, business, science and administration . “The motto of making the border between our two states a connection is fulfilled in this region in an exemplary manner with life, ideas and concrete measures,” summed up the former Federal Minister of Economics.
Altmaier initiated the innovation pact at the national level and signed it together with his Dutch counterpart at the beginning of 2021. Just a few weeks later, on May 18, 2021, in Münster, the development agency Oost NL, the Twente Board and the IHK Nord Westfalen signed an official declaration to systematically strengthen economic relations between the East Netherlands and North Westphalia. The aim is to increase the competitiveness of the border region with the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland as well as the Münsterland and the Emscher-Lippe region.
“Together with many municipal partners and universities as well as a cross-border strategy for achieving common goals, we have succeeded in gaining more visibility in Düsseldorf, The Hague and Brussels,” emphasized IHK President Dr. Benedikt Hüffer at the tech dinner. The recently completed program under the “TECH.LAND” brand, which the partners have agreed on, will also contribute to this. From a business perspective, German-Dutch cooperation in the region reaches “a whole new level of commonality and commitment,” said Hüffer.
The program, whose website was launched today, promotes cross-border cooperation between companies, universities and research institutes as well as public institutions and “draws a clear profile,” says Hüffer, with a focus on energy (Battery research & Hydrogen), Circular Economy, Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics as well Health & MedTech. “It is precisely in these areas that we and our companies and universities can become leaders in Europe if we see ourselves as a common economic and innovation region and act as such,” said the IHK President with conviction.
“Green technology” and the overriding topic of “artificial intelligence” are also the focus of the Digital Summit Euregio program, which included more than 20 lectures and panel discussions that are both practice-oriented and forward-looking. Immediately after the opening, keynote speaker Jim Stolze (tech entrepreneur and writer from the Netherlands) reported on the next technological trends. Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke from the University of Münster showed how to work with universities and develop your own skills for managing business processes, while Christian Grotholt and Michael Großholdermann from 2G Energy in Heek gave very pragmatic tips for “efficient implementation of the energy transition using a combination of combined heat and power and heat pumps”. Malte Blumenthal (Vice President Global eCommerce, Miele X) explained how Miele, the world's leading provider of premium home appliances, is propelling digitalization forward with the help of its digital competence center “Miele X". The tech conference ended with a German-Dutch startup competition. Congratulations to the Winner: WasteAnt.
Source: Innovationspakt „vorbildlich mit Leben erfüllt“ - IHK Nord Westfalen
Picture: Thomas Mohn