investment guide - L-Bank

Transcription

INVESTMENT GUIDE
@ Baden-Württemberg
Investment Guide Baden-Württemberg
3
WELCOME TO BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG!
Baden-Württemberg is an attractive place, one that appeals to
skilled specialists and companies from a wide range of disciplines and regions. The state located in southwestern Germany
is known for its ability to integrate. This is a particularly important factor for companies that need highly trained specialists, an exceptional infrastructure and cooperative businessdevelopment programs.
of Baden-Württemberg is helping technology companies turn
their new developments into market-ready innovations and remain globally competitive. The strength of Baden-Württemberg
continues to be underpinned by the automotive and mechanical-engineering industries, both of which are among the most
important and innovative sectors in the state. Both industries
are projected to increase their exports over the midterm.
Baden-Württemberg’s economy is a driving force at home in
Germany and abroad. In one reflection of this strength, for years
the state has ranked first among Europe’s most innovative regions on the Innovation Index of the Baden-Württemberg Statistics Office. This ranking is achieved not only by successful
major corporations, but also primarily by the many small and
midsized enterprises in the state while being supported by an
alliance of university and nonuniversity research institutes. For
years now, Baden-Württemberg has been promoting this close
relationship between the worlds of theory and practice as part
of its business-development activities.
Much is happening right now in this dynamic state. These developments serve as a good reason for the publishers of “Investment Guide Baden-Württemberg” to release a completely
updated and expanded version of the publication. The innovation guide paints both a broad and detailed portrait of a state
that is the leader in many areas, offers pinpoint investment support and is a great place to live. With this compass in hand,
every business traveler can easily find his or her way around
Baden-Württemberg. We look forward to seeing you!
Baden-Württemberg has everything it needs to remain a leading
business and research location in the future—and even expand
it. The state commands a broad, first-class economic structure. Added to this are an exceptional research and university
landscape and a broad alliance between academia and business. This is clearly seen in terms of digitization of the economy
in general and in Industry 4.0 in particular. These megatrends
are fueling nearly every industry and market today. With the
innovation push in its investment-support programs, the state
DR. ULRICH THEILEIS
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE
MANAGEMENT BOARD
OF L-BANK
DR. ANDRÉ HÜLSBÖMER
MANAGING DIRECTOR
F.A.Z.-INSTITUT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Quality of Life starting on page 5
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
The Baden-Württemberg brand People and places
Vacation region
Baden-Württemberg, the land of connoisseurs
Art and culture
Sports and leisure time
Work-life balance
School education
2
Infrastructure in Baden-Württemberg—
a Solid Foundation
starting on page 17
2.1
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
2.1.5
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.2
Central infrastructure
Trade-fair and exhibition centers Transportation and transportation infrastructure
Modern administrative practices
Broadband service
Labor pool and job market
Science and education
Research and development (R&D)
University degree programs and vocational training 3
Economic structure and
business development
5
7
7
8
9
12
14
14
17
17
20
21
22
22
24
24
30
starting on page 36
3.1
3.2
3.3
Economic structure
Regional economic clusters
Economic performance and development
4
Investment-support programs
for companies
starting on page 53
4.1
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
Contact partners Investment-support programs
External financing Equity and equity-type financing
(mezzanine financing)
4.2.3 Loan guarantees
36
39
51
53
57
58
58
60
5
Overview of company law and
business taxes
starting on page 61
6
Contact addresses
starting on page 64
5
1 QUALITY OF LIFE
@ Baden-Württemberg, Germany‘s southwestern-most state, really does live its culture of openness
and hospitality quite literally. The state welcomes skilled specialists and investors from Germany and
abroad by providing them attractive opportunities that enhance their careers and lives outside of the
work environment. Surveys continue to validate the high quality of life in Baden-Württemberg, whether
in urban or rural areas. People here enjoy beautiful landscapes and a broad spectrum of cultural and
sporting activities as well as numerous vacation and leisure-time opportunities. The State Statistical
Office recorded 49.2 million overnight stays in 2014, a state record. Baden-Württemberg provides
families with a diverse, first-class childcare and education system that ranges from kindergartens to
universities and addresses every need and requirement. Such great fundamentals are reflected in a
population figure of 10.6 million—the highest it has ever been. This growth has been fueled in particular
by the influx of people coming to the state. More than 70,000 people moved to Baden-Württemberg
during 2013.
1.1 THE BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG BRAND
“Made in Baden-Württemberg” is a well-known concept
around the world. Corporations like Daimler, Porsche, Bosch
and SAP are global players headquartered in the state. The
state capital, Stuttgart, enjoys a high degree of international
recognition, thanks to all that it has to offer in so many respects. In 2014, the city registered nearly 3.5 million overnight
stays, which means another increase compared with previous
years. Vacationers are drawn to the tourist hot spots in the
Black Forest and on Lake Constance as well as to Heidelberg and Baden-Baden. But in terms of tourist destinations,
Baden-Württemberg has so much more to offer. Visitors to
all parts of the state will find so many charming towns, cities
and countrysides well worth visiting. That applies to attractive
countryside tours on foot or by bike, to recreational parks like
Europa Park in Rust, to magnificent palaces and castles, and
to vibrant towns and cities. Everywhere in the state, great importance is attached to quality of life.
Baden-Württemberg continues to be able to persuade the
large numbers of people who have relocated here that this
region is a great place to live and work. The foundation for
this high standard of living has been laid by an economy that
has made the southwestern state one of the leading business locations in the world for many industries. In this respect Baden-Württemberg benefits from the robust economy
in the rest of Germany and in key export markets. In 2014, the
An Alpine panorama at Lake Constance. Source: City of Friedrichshafen, www.gerhardkassner.de.
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state’s economy grew in real terms by 2.4 percent compared
with 2013, the strongest in three years. GDP growth of 2.3
percent is forecast for 2015.
Baden-Württemberg has been historically characterized by a
high level of employment. In September 2015, the state’s unemployment rate totaled 3.8 percent, second only to Bavaria
as one of the lowest rates in Germany. Baden-Württemberg
is also one of Europe’s top innovation regions. The 2014 Innovation Index calculated by the State Statistical Office ranks
Baden-Württemberg in first place by some considerable margin, making Baden-Württemberg the region in the EU with the
greatest power to innovate. This top position can be attributed in
particular to the state’s vigorous, research-intensive industrial
sectors, such as vehicle manufacturing, mechanical engineering
and electrical engineering, as well as to the high concentration
of patent registrations in the state.
tancy. Today, a newborn boy in Baden-Württemberg has an
average life expectancy of 79.2 years. For a newborn girl, that
figure is even higher at 83.7 years. These age levels demonstrate the high quality of life in the state through which the
Rhine and Neckar rivers flow as well as the population’s pronounced sense of health awareness. After all, the latter is a key
factor in life expectancy according to statisticians.
Another of Baden-Württemberg’s strengths is its superb education system. Secondary schools and institutions of higher
learning as well as secondary-school and college students in
the state perform at a strong above-average level in national and
international studies and competitions. This outstanding performance is reflected in the top scores achieved by high-potential individuals just as much as in the overall high average
standard of education throughout the entire education system.
The educational institutions in Baden-Württemberg have
achieved such a degree of transparency that
every young person can receive a school
Innovations drawing from intensive research and development work are not
and vocational education that matches
only generated by global corpohis or her own abilities and interrations. The backbone of the
ests—with the gratifying result
state’s economy is a strong
that youth unemployment is
and healthy midsized busionly 3.1 percent. This is the
ness sector, which also
lowest rate in Germany.
conducts a great deal of
The newly launched collective school (Gemeinresearch and development work itself. Hardschaftsschule) concept
ly any other region in
helps ensure that future
Europe can boast such
academic success of individual students is less
a robust midsized business sector as the
dependent on a person’s social background
backbone of its economy
than previously. Indeed,
as Baden-Württemberg.
Baden-Württemberg has
More than 99 percent of
one of the lowest school
all companies in the state
dropout rates in Germany. At
are businesses with up to
the same time young people
250 employees. The standouts among them include the
in the state can take their first
The historical town of Tübingen.
approximately 300 hidden chamsteps on the career ladder more
Source: Ulrich Metz, Tübingen.
pions—midsized global market leaders
quickly after completing their college
that develop state-of-the-art technology
education or vocational training programs
products and components and sell them in the
than in other regions. A very important point for
global market. With 3.8 global market leaders per 100,000
parents who work is this: The state is improving employees’
inhabitants, Baden-Württemberg has the highest concentration
work-life balance by increasing the number of childcare facilities and all-day schools.
of these pacesetters in their industries compared with all other
states in Germany. The number of global market leaders totals
This overview of the state exemplifies what characterizes
more than 400. The midsized business sector employs the bulk
Baden-Württemberg and its people as well as what employees
of highly qualified skilled specialists and executives working in
and investors who come to the state can expect to encounter:
the state and is looking to recruit new employees. The state’s
open-mindedness, a passion to perform and inquisitiveness.
economy is underpinned by an excellent research infrastructure,
That applies to every region in Baden-Württemberg, to the
especially as far as innovations are concerned. Foreign trade
technology-oriented metropolitan areas of Stuttgart and Karlsprofits in particular from these parameters, with an export share
ruhe as well as to the regions along the Rhine and to Hohenof about 50 percent.
lohe and Upper Swabia. This points to another of Baden-Württemberg’s strengths: its structural balance. The entire state
Baden-Württemberg also achieves great results in other areas
features a tightly woven network of educational and research
of life. Since the beginning of the 1970s, people in the southwestern state have regularly had Germany’s highest life expecfacilities as well as companies that cooperate with each other in
industrial clusters consisting of research and production facilities. As a consequence, the concept of a structurally weak area
in Baden-Württemberg is alien.
1.2 PEOPLE AND PLACES
The focus has always been on people in Baden-Württemberg.
As a reflection of this, the formation of the state was approved
in a referendum before it was formally established on April 25,
1952—a unique occurrence in the Federal Republic of Germany. On December 16, 1951, the majority of voters in
Württemberg-Baden, Württemberg-Hohenzollern and Baden
voted for the merger to form a new federal state. Theodor
Heuss, the first president of West Germany and a native of the
Swabian region himself, called the new state a “model of German possibilities.” The referendum in favor of establishing the
state proved to be the opening chapter of a success story that
is still being written today.
The current population of Baden-Württemberg totals more than
10.6 million people. This represents an approximately 60 percent
increase since 1952 when the state was established. Buoyant
immigration from other parts of Germany and from abroad keeps
the population level steady, regardless of demographic trends.
The most populous cities are Stuttgart (604,000 residents),
Karlsruhe (299,000 residents), Mannheim (297,000 residents)
and Freiburg (220,000 residents). Baden-Württemberg covers more than 35,751 square kilometers, making it Germany’s
third-largest state by area. Its southern neighbor, Switzerland,
is only slightly bigger, and Belgium is somewhat smaller.
Baden-Württemberg has comparatively few natural resources,
however the state is rich in the talents and creativity of its inhabitants. The people in Baden-Württemberg are known as
tinkerers who continue to come up with new ideas and refine
them into marketable products. The most famous invention from
Baden-Württemberg, which revolutionized the world, was the
automobile. Inventors like Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler are
part of a long line of technical experts and engineers who have
helped make the state what it is today: one of the most successful technology regions in the world.
The people in Baden-Württemberg not only have an affinity
for technology, they also demonstrate their abilities in the
fields of art and culture. Many famous individuals come from
Baden-Württemberg, including the great writers, Friedrich
Schiller, Hermann Hesse and Martin Walser. Having a sense
of history and place as well as receptiveness to progress and
modernity: these are the hallmarks of the strong bond between tradition and innovation in Baden-Württemberg. The
Black Forest is one of the regions in Baden-Württemberg most
steeped in history. But this rural upland area, located on the
boundaries between the state regions of Baden and Württemberg, is also home to a number of highly specialized midsized
companies that are world leaders in their niche markets. The
state is diverse, and this diversity is Baden-Württemberg’s
strength. Its residents have a strong sense of place, while
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being cosmopolitan, creative and affable as well as colorful
and socially cohesive.
Tourist links:

www.tourismus-bw.de www.familien-ferien.de
www.urlaub-bauernhof.de
www.heilbaeder-bw.de
www.naturparke-bw.de
www.camping-bw.de
www.rad-blogger.de
1.3 VACATION REGION
Tourism in Baden-Württemberg is synonymous with variety. The
state offers both attractive amusement parks and highly rated
health resorts as well as diverse landscapes and a rich assortment of city and cultural programs. Baden-Württemberg has
more than 2,000 protected areas. Mountains, forests, gorges,
river valleys, caves, rock formations, lakes and vineyards are
great places for visitors to explore while hiking, bike riding,
climbing, swimming, diving, paddling, walking and cycle touring.
Visitors can actively explore each of the state’s regions on hiking and long-distance biking routes totaling more than 50,000
kilometers. This is particularly the case in the seven natural
parks. Each day, historical cities like Heidelberg, Freiburg and
Tübingen welcome thousands of visitors from all over the world.
With 57 certified spas and health resorts, Baden-Württemberg
is Germany’s top spa location. The Black Forest in particular is
well known for such health resorts as Bad Dürrheim, St. Blasien,
Baden-Baden and Bad Herrenalb. These places have a special
climate that is praised for its salubrious effects. The highest
concentration of star restaurants also attracts visitors.
In addition to the Black Forest, Lake Constance, the Swabian
Alps, the Neckar Valley and the Hohenlohe and Allgäu regions
are all visitor magnets. All tourist regions are linked to the public
rail network and are also easy to reach by car. The state government promotes sustainability as a key aspect of its tourism
strategy. The projects receiving state funding include sustainable tourism and improvements to the tourism infrastructure. A
project called the “Green South” bundles tourism opportunities
in the areas of outdoor enjoyment, environmentally conscious
mobility and climate-compatible accommodation as well as
sustainable regional products and cuisine.
Baden-Württemberg remains one of Germany’s most frequently
visited destinations. An attractive location featuring an unspoiled natural environment, sport and leisure activities, art and
culture as well as festivals and events offers every visitor a welcome getaway from the routines of everyday life. Monuments
and museums, castles and gardens, events and exhibitions all
provide visitors an opportunity to share in the state’s traditions
and cultural identity.
That is positively reflected in the travel industry’s results. According to the State Statistical Office, the number of overnight
8
Helder & Leeuwen Kaffeeroester, Mannheim: Coffee
enjoyment in Grid City and beyond
At the beginning of 2007, Enver Atabay and his former business partner launched their own coffee roasting company,
Helder & Leeuwen, located in Mannheim’s Quadraten (grid
district), the center of the university city, by registering their
business. “We conducted extensive research into coffee
roasting for 18 months beforehand and developed a business and finance plan for our start-up,” qualified commercial lawyer Atabay explains. In September 2007, the founders started roasting coffee in a back-yard opposite the
Water Tower, Mannheim’s landmark. The retail store they
planned to open was initially still occupied and only opened
in March 2008 following conversion work, including the installation of a bar. Yet the idea of running a coffee house
died after just one year. “The business numbers just didn’t
add up,” Atabay acknowledges. “Since that time, I have
developed huge respect for anybody who becomes selfemployed in the food-service industry because it’s tough.”
So Enver Atabay focused on his roasting facility. He and
his business partner initially financed their coffee-roasting
equipment by borrowing money from family and friends. Prior to that, they had failed to secure loan financing from
a major bank. The start-up entrepreneurs were initially
not in a position to repay these private loans. In the end,
their relationship bank, a savings bank, partnered with
Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg to assist the founders to restructure their debt. This former start-up is now
growing steadily and generating profits year after year. That
provides the financial security and latitude to be able to
expand the business. Atabay relocated his coffee-roasting facility, warehouse and online sales operation to Mannheim’s Hafenpark, while the retail store, offering around
30 different coffee varieties, remained in Mannheims city
center (Quadraten).
these positive signs relating to overnight accommodations in
Baden-Württemberg could also be seen in individual segments.
In one reflection of this, the overall hotel segment—the industry’s core sector–posted above-average growth of 3.8 percent
in overnight bookings. Camping vacations are also increasingly
popular, as demonstrated by the 5.4 percent growth in overnight
stays.
The economic significance of tourism can be observed in the
ratio of overnight stays to 1,000 residents. In particular, four
counties stand out: Breisgau–Upper Black Forest county, the
urban district of Baden-Baden and the counties of Freudenstadt
and Lake Constance. The growing importance of city tourism is
demonstrated by the fact that four other urban districts—Heidelberg, Freiburg, Stuttgart and Ulm have joined the traditional
tourist destination of Baden-Baden to boast an above-average
ratio of overnight stays. A comparison with 2008 shows that the
number of municipalities with the most overnight stays has remained stable over the course of time. Most municipalities were
able to improve their overnight-stay figures. The town of Rust,
home to Europa-Park, has firmly established itself among the
leading tourist destinations in the state, ranking behind the cities of Stuttgart, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Mannheim and Karlsruhe.
Culinary links:

www.tourismus-bw.de
www.schmeck-den-sueden.de
www.badischer-weinbauverband.de
www.weinbauverband-wuerttemberg.de
www.weininstitut-wuerttemberg.de
www.turmbergwein.de
www.einfach-besser-bier.de
www.dehogabw.de
1.4 BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG, THE LAND OF
CONNOISSEURS
Today, the company employs two full-time staff and three
temporary helpers. Atabay also partners with subcontractors at events, such as the IAA in Frankfurt (International
Motor Show). Helder & Leeuwen’s sales territory therefore
extends way beyond the Rhine-Neckar region. “We receive
plenty of private orders from people who originally come
from here,” Atabay explains. “They want to enjoy their
coffee even after they have moved away.”
Baden-Württemberg is extending its lead in Germany’s finedining league. The 2015, the Michelin Guide awarded one, two
or three stars to 77 restaurants in Baden-Württemberg in acknowledgment of their good to excellent cuisine. That speaks
volumes for the vast range of culinary options in this first-class
land of connoisseurs. Baden-Württemberg’s chefs continue to
receive prestigious awards for their cuisine. Baden-Württemberg now heads the German rankings with a total of two threestar, six two-star and 68 one-star restaurants.
stays during 2014 increased to more than 49 million. In 2014,
as in previous years, this increase could mainly be attributed to visitors from abroad. According to the State Statistical
Office, 4.5 million visitors with foreign residence booked at least
one overnight stay in Baden-Württemberg last year. Overnight
stays by foreign visitors exceeded the 10 million threshold for
the first time in 2014 by reaching 10.3 million. The number of
overnight stays booked by visitors from Germany also increased
in 2014 over the previous year, setting a new record. In 2014,
One municipality in the state that is worthy of special culinary
mention is the Black Forest village of Baiersbronn. In 2014, master chef Harald Wohlfahrt, executive chef of the Schwarzwaldstube in Baiersbronn again retained his third star, which he has
now been awarded 23 consecutive times—more than any other
leading German chef. People even refer to a Wohlfahrt school of
cuisine now. After all, students of the master chef demonstrate
their culinary prowess in six restaurants that have each been
awarded a new Michelin star. These include Paul Stradner from
Brenners Park-Restaurant in Baden-Baden and Peter Hagen,
9
colonization. Anyone who today travels through the winegrowing regions of Baden-Württemberg will find a large number
of wineries serving fine wines from the bottle or the barrel. There
are many wine taverns throughout the state ready to welcome
visitors.
Chefs at the Sennhütte in Tegernau. Source: Grether.
With a share of around 25 percent of Germany’s overall wine-growing land, Baden-Württemberg is the country’s
second-largest wine-growing state behind RhinelandPalatinate. Both Baden and Württemberg have several different wine-growing regions. The different altitudes, soils and
climate conditions yield a fascinating variety of grapes. Trollinger is Württemberg’s best-known grape variety and regarded
as the Swabian national beverage. In Baden, more than half the
wine-growing area is dedicated to burgundy-type red and white
grape varieties. This area extends from the north to the south,
practically covering the entire Baden side of the Rhine River.
Every year in the late summer and fall, the state’s wine-growing
regions hold their traditional wine festivals, attracting many visitors from Germany and abroad.
executive chef at ammolite—The Lighthouse Restaurant at
Europa-Park in Rust. Five of the 11 three-star restaurants in
Germany are also headed by former Wohlfahrt students. A total of two three-star restaurants are located in Baden-Württemberg: In addition to Wohlfahrt’s Schwarzwaldstube there is
Restaurant Bareiss, also located in Baiersbronn.
Not only good wines but also famous beers are produced in
Baden-Württemberg. The state’s breweries take advantage of
the excellent quality of the water and its numerous natural mineral springs to brew fresh beer. The most popular beers include
products brewed by the Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus in the
Black Forest.
Yet “Baden-Württemberg, the land of connoisseurs” has so
much more to offer. In addition to wide-ranging international
fare, the state’s regions offer their very own specialty dishes and
beverages, almost all of which are made using locally produced
agricultural products. The beef stew called Gaisburger Marsch,
Linsen mit Spätzle (lentils with Swabian noodles), Maultaschen
(Swabian dumplings) and Schupfnudeln (thick noodles) are wellknown, popular traditional dishes representing Baden-Württemberg’s good home-style cuisine. Since 1996, the state has been
promoting the campaign Taste the South—Baden-Württemberg.
Restaurant owners who participate in the program provide their
guests with an extra range of special regional or seasonal dishes or beverages.
Among the state’s festivals, the Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart
is by far the largest. Boasting more than 330 enterprises and up
to 5 million visitors, it is Europe’s biggest carnival and covers an
area of 35 hectares.
Art and culture links:

www.kultur.baden-wuerttemberg.de
www.schloesser-und-gaerten.de
www.landmuseen.de
http://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de
www.tanzszene-bw.de
1.5 ART AND CULTURE
Baden-Württemberg both hosts and organizes a large number
of internationally well-known events dedicated to the culinary
arts. This makes “Baden-Württemberg, the land of connoisseurs” a firm fixture at many trade fairs. Since 2007, the annual
consumer trade fair Markt des guten Geschmacks – Slow Food
Messe has been held in Stuttgart. It is an event that focuses on
conscious enjoyment as well as healthy, sustainably produced
food.
Viniculture and beer brewing—quality through tradition and
expertise
Baden-Württemberg is well known throughout the world as
wine-growing country. The beginnings of the state’s traditionfilled viniculture industry stretch back to the era of Roman
Maintaining traditions and securing their relevance in the
present—this is a core responsibility of a society’s culture.
Baden-Württemberg is a modern cultural region that consciously addresses its history while remaining receptive to the
new and modern. This polarity between tradition and innovation
creates a fertile environment and supports the state’s cultural
identity with its sweeping forms and variations. This concentrated, multifaceted artistic and cultural landscape in Baden-Württemberg boasts so many highlights. In numerous cities, the state
sustains theaters, music ensembles, museums, archives and
colleges of art and music that reflect international standards
of art and culture. Visitors will find such cultural opportunities
in the metropolitan areas of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe as well as
in midsized cities and towns and in rural areas. The state and
municipalities—frequently in cooperation with companies and
10
The Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden. Source: Festspielhaus Baden-Baden.
private sponsors—act as patrons of a cultural life that is diverse,
experimental and passionate.
The pillars of artistic and cultural life in the state include the
Württembergische Staatstheater Stuttgart with its worldrenowned ballet company, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra,
the German Literature Archive Marbach, the Center for Art and
Media Karlsruhe, and the Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stutt-
gart. Baden-Württemberg has two state theaters, three
regional theaters, nine municipal theaters, about 50 privately run
theaters and many amateur theaters. The state currently funds
16 theater festivals, including the Heidelberger Stückemarkt,
the Internationale Schillertage and the Mozartsommer in Mannheim as well as the Tanz! dance festival in Heilbronn. The dance
scene in Baden-Württemberg covers a wide range of styles,
from multiple-award-winning classical ballet in the state theat-
SDN Präzisionstechnik GmbH, Denkingen: Serial production of turned components for the global market
Realizing their full potential and bringing their own ideas to
life are powerful incentives for people starting up their own
companies. Alexander Buschle was, in his own words, “an unhappy employee for many years,” one who wasn’t allowed to
implement his ideas about personnel policies and optimized
processes at his old employer. The cutting-machine operator’s search for a suitable company turned out to be tough.
Takeover candidates frequently lacked substance because
of outdated machinery, or sole proprietors withdrew their
offers for sale. That was until an insurance representative
let Buschle know about a supply company that sold springloaded plungers. Based in the Swabian town of Aldingen,
Schwer Dreh- und Normteile GmbH, SDN for short, was the
name of the 70-year-old company whose operations Buschle
leased for five years in 2007 and then bought outright in 2012
with a loan from his relationship bank. Right from the start,
the new CEO digitized the company from top to bottom and
modernized its administration and logistics functions.
SDN has been manufacturing spring-loaded plungers and
precision-turned components in a new building in Denkingen
since 2011. With 26 full-time employees and 20 shelteredworkshop staff, the company now provides an extensive product catalog that incorporates around 760 standard components. Added to these are some 480 customer-specific
CAD components. Buschle abandoned the turned-part supply
business of his predecessor as a result of the global economic
crisis in 2009. “Our profit margins evaporated completely,” he
recalls. “On the other hand, we took advantage of our proprietary manufacturing opportunities.” The company now uses
14 machines to manufacture around 60 percent of the turned
components it sells, while it purchases the remaining 40 percent from four turneries in Baden-Württemberg. SDN supplies
these products to nearly 300 customers from the mechanical-engineering, medical-technology, automotive-supplier
and aerospace industries. One-third of the company’s output is exported, especially in the EU, but also to the United
States, Switzerland and Israel. This has enabled Buschle to
implement many of his ideas, including where personnel are
concerned: Working with mentally handicapped colleagues
from the organization Lebenshilfe Rottweil has become an integral and indispensable part of SDN’s value chain.
11
European School Karlsruhe: The educational home of 14 languages
It’s routine for the European School Karlsruhe (ESK) to admit
and integrate international students whose parents’ global careers take them to western Baden-Württemberg. “As one of 14
European Schools, we are supervised by all the EU member
states,” the school’s Danish director, Tom Høyem, explains. “And
we teach European values such as openness, tolerance and democracy to our students.” Located in north Baden, ESK opened
in 1962 initially to educate the children of officials working at the
Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU), a European Commission research organization. The school has long been open to
students from European and non-European countries, and now
the share of ITU students comprises only 20 percent.
Classroom instruction is conducted in three core languages,
German, English and French, as well as in all relevant native
languages. The school provides the approximately 1,000 students with an educational program that ranges from kindergarten through the European Baccalaureate level. The around 160
staff members at ESK come from all EU member states and
teach subjects in their native languages. The school’s catchment area has almost as broad a reach as the backgrounds of
its teaching staff: “Our students come from the entire Karlsruhe
technology region and beyond,” Høyem outlines. “That means
from Mannheim and Heidelberg in the north, Strasbourg in the
south and Stuttgart in the east.” Høyem does not dispute the
fact that many parents need to be earning good salaries to be
able to send their children to the school in Karlsruhe. But: “We
have concluded more than 150 agreements with companies
ers to free dance and contemporary choreography and performances. TanzSzene BW is an association of professional dance
companies and representatives of the free-dance community in
Baden-Württemberg that focuses on developing dance in the
state.
The state’s musical life is a vibrant mosaic of many different
styles and genres. In Baden-Württemberg, music lovers will
find an excellent range of options that includes everything
from classic and contemporary music to jazz and pop. The
state supports the theater orchestras at state and municipal theaters, Südwestrundfunk’s Radio Symphony Orchestra
and eight cultural orchestras. As a result, the state provides
a first-class program of concerts and enables ensembles to
represent the state during guest performances around the
world.
Pop music and youth culture play an important role in
Baden-Württemberg’s society, culture and economy. The
state’s Popakademie was established in 2003 in Mannheim
as a source of inspiration for the music industry. A number of
regional pop centers act as points of contact for musicians,
trade associations and businesses. The Popakademie’s RegioNet project oversees the integration of existing structures and
networks.
that pay the school fees and then settle up individually with
their employees.” In addition, a certain number of reduced-price
openings are available to parents who have a particular reason for their children to attend ESK. School fees total between
2,000 Euro and 6,000 Euro a year.
The curricula, which are coordinated throughout the EU, and
the European Baccalaureate are intellectually challenging,
but potential students shouldn’t let this deter them. Intensive
courses in the three core languages as well as segmentation
of the seven high-school years into two- or three-year stages
make lateral entry easier for new students, even when they
are already young adults.
Source: European School Karlsruhe.
Fans can visit a wide range of festivals in the state practically
every week throughout the year. In the European world of music, the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden has joined the prestigious
summer festival ranks of such places as Salzburg, Lucerne
and Aix-en-Provence. Featuring 2,500 seats, the building,
which hosts performances year-round, is one of Europe’s
largest classical music performance halls. The approximately
120 performances given each year bring joy to the lives of an
average of more than 220,000 music lovers from all parts of
the world.
Thanks to its more than 1,200 museums and museum-like facilities, Baden-Württemberg’s museum landscape is very diverse—
ranging from large state-funded institutions, important city art
collections, significant special-subject museums and regional
rural open-air museums to a host of smaller museums run by
volunteers. As a result, Baden-Württemberg has the highest
concentration of museums in Germany. Around 15 million people
visit museums in the state every year.
Baden-Württemberg has a very large number of historical buildings and monuments. The Romans, the Hohenstaufens and
the Alemanni as well as dukes, bishops and kings have all left
their mark on the region. The state heritage agency, Staatliche
Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg (SSG), maintains 60
12
SKILLED WORKERS’ ALLIANCE—AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG’S CULTURE
OF OPENNESS AND HOSPITALITY
The shortage of skilled specialists in Germany concerns many
companies. In light of demographic change, some industries
now have difficulty meeting their needs for skilled specialists
and trainees. To counteract this trend, the Skilled Workers‘
Alliance has begun to bring together all partners in BadenWürttemberg involved in meeting the demand for skilled specialists. They have agreed on a list of objectives with 10 areas
for action:
In addition, Welcome Centers provide information and support
to immigrating skilled specialists and their families to help
them with getting established. Offered in cooperation with existing providers of advising services and other relevant institutions, assistance includes, for example, apartment searches,
employment for life partners and childcare. Welcome Centers
also provide guidance in terms of the government agencies
and organizations that immigrants need to approach.
1.Enhance vocational training
2.Expand professional-development opportunities
3.Increase the number of women in employment
4.Increase the number of older people in employment
5.Integrate people with immigrant backgrounds more
effectively into the labor market
6.Reduce unemployment, particularly long-term
unemployment
7.Boost the level of full-time employment
8.Increase the number of employees in engineering,
a field with shortages
9.Target immigration
10.Establish regional Skilled Workers’ Alliances
Welcome Centers cooperate locally with regional Skilled
Workers’ Alliances. The regional alliances are structured in a
similar manner as the Baden-Württemberg Skilled Workers’
Alliance. Stakeholders in the regional alliances join forces
at the regional level to agree on objectives and measures to
recruit and retain professionals. Most regional Skilled Workers’ Alliances have identified the area to take action as the
issue of immigration by foreign skilled specialists. Welcome
Centers have access to local employment agencies, regional
employer and trade-union representatives, chambers of
industry and commerce, chambers of crafts and trades,
regional business-development agencies, municipalities,
institutions of higher learning and other partner organizations through the coordination center of each regional
Skilled Workers’ Alliance.
The Skilled Workers’ Alliance is also implementing a joint
program to recruit and retain skilled professionals. A key element of the Skilled Workers’ Alliance is the establishment
of 11 Welcome Centers for international skilled specialists
in Baden-Württemberg. The state is enhancing its culture
of openness and hospitality. Welcome Centers act as central points of contact for international skilled specialists and
small and midsized enterprises (SMEs). The centers help the
state pursue its objective of recruiting and retaining additional skilled specialists from abroad. Welcome Centers assist
SMEs and bw-i with recruiting international skilled specialists. Their task is to approach companies, provide them with
information and assist with searching measures.
state-owned palaces, monasteries, gardens, castles and ruins.
Around 3.6 million people visit the rich variety of state palaces,
monasteries and castles each year. Heidelberg Castle retains
its position among Germany’s top travel destinations with more
than 1 million visitors. Those interested in historical buildings
and monuments can also view the remains of the Limes, a
Roman frontier wall; Hohenzollern Castle; and Maulbronn
Monastery. Other visitor attractions include Schwetzingen
Palace and Palace Gardens, Ludwigsburg Palace, Maulbronn
Monastery, Weikersheim Palace and Palace Garden, and Salem
Monastery and Palace.
Lively traditions include Swabian–Alemannic Fastnacht (carnival) when merrymakers in traditional costumes and historical
wooden masks symbolically drive away winter.
To fulfill their guidance function, Welcome Centers maintain
a strong network of contacts at various organizations and
government agencies. These include the immigration advising
services provided by the member associations of the League
of Independent Welfare Associations as well as the social integration officials in the municipalities. The aim is to leverage synergies within this network. Incidentally, all Welcome
Centers communicate directly with each other. At regular
meetings, information is shared on such topics as the recognition of vocational qualifications and provision of advising services concerning recognition as well as on residence-
 Sports and leisure-time links:
www.sport-in-bw.de
www.schulsport-in-bw.de/Aktuelles.html
www.wilhelma.de
www.blueba.de
1.6 SPORTS AND LEISURE TIME
Baden-Württemberg attaches importance to sports at all levels: both as part of the school curriculum as well as at the
levels of competitive and popular sports in cooperation with
clubs and associations. Of course, athletic activities for the
disabled are also part of the sports landscape in the state.
After all, sports bring people together. Sport as a policy
objective was incorporated in the state constitution in 2000.
permit, employment-law and social-law fundamentals and
immigration advising services.
An important building block in this culture of openness and
hospitality is the right of immigrants to have their professional
qualifications assessed for equivalence. It provides immigrants
with a legal entitlement to have the professional qualifications
they obtained abroad individually assessed for equivalence with
German qualifications. The underlying objective is to more effectively exploit the potential of skilled specialists with an immigrant background who already live in Germany as well as the
potential of people willing to immigrate from abroad.
That includes the goal of intensifying efforts to recruit and retain more foreign graduates from Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher learning to strengthen the state’s resources in
the area of skilled specialists. Many foreign students have been
leaving Germany after they graduate. Partners in the Workers’
Alliance, coordinated by the Ministry of Finance and Economics,
are attempting to counteract this trend by creating a culture
of openness and hospitality. The Welcome Campaign at the
state’s institutions of higher learning provides foreign students
and graduates with targeted information about living and working in Baden-Württemberg. Welcome events titled “Your Future
in Baden-Württemberg” are held at many colleges and universities. These events involve both the relevant institutions of
higher learning and the relevant partners in the regional Skilled
Workers’ Alliance. Participating students learn about options to
live and work in Baden-Württemberg after graduating and how
to find employment with a Baden-Württemberg company if they
opt to return to their home country. To date more than 10,000
students from Germany and abroad have participated.
The bw-jobs.de communication platform provides job-seekers
from Germany and abroad with an overview of living and working in Baden-Württemberg. Visitors can also obtain targeted
For many years now, Baden-Württemberg has enjoyed an exceptional reputation as a host of international sporting events.
In particular, the state capital, Stuttgart, has demonstrated to
a global audience that it is an commendable host of major international sporting events. This was demonstrated, for example, as the city served as a venue for World Cup soccer games
in 1974 and 2006 as well as when it hosted the European and
World Athletics Championships in 1986 and 1993 respectively
and the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 1989 and
2007. But other cities like Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Sinsheim
have hosted and will continue to host major sporting events. In
two examples of this, Mannheim hosted the World Ice Hockey
Championships in 2010, and Sinsheim served as a Women’s
World Cup venue in 2011.
13
information about programs and support services related to recruiting skilled specialists provided by the state of Baden-Württemberg, the Federal Employment Agency, business and industry associations, and regional business-development agencies
as well as the regional Skilled Workers’ Alliances. The core
component of the website is a job-search engine with around
30,000 job openings in technical professions.
to the Welcome Centers in
 Links
Baden-Württemberg:
Welcome Center Sozialwirtschaft Baden-Württemberg
www.welcome-center-sozialwirtschaft-bw.de
Welcome Center Bodensee-Oberschwaben
www.welcomecenter-bo.de
Welcome Center Freiburg-Oberrhein
www.welcomecenter-freiburg-oberrhein.de
Welcome Center Gewinnerregion Schwarzwald-BaarHeuberg
www.welcome-sbh.de
Welcome Center Heilbronn-Franken
www.welcomecenter-hnf.com
Welcome Center Neckar-Alb
www.welcomecenter-neckaralb.de
Welcome Center Nordschwarzwald
www.welcome-to-nordschwarzwald.de
Welcome Center Rhein-Neckar
www.welcomecenter-rn.de
Welcome Center Stuttgart/Welcome Service Region
Stuttgart
www.welcome.region-stuttgart.de
Welcome Center TechnologyRegion Karlsruhe
www.welcome.technologieregion-karlsruhe.de
Welcome Center Ulm/Oberschwaben
www.welcomecenter-ulm-oberschwaben.de
At the level of club sports, teams and athletes from Baden-Württemberg continue to attract attention and provide spectators
with exciting competitions. VfB Stuttgart and 1899 Hoffenheim currently play in Germany’s premier soccer league, the
Bundesliga, and SC Freiburg, Karlsruher SC, 1. FC Heidenheim and SV Sandhausen compete in the second Bundesliga.
The Mannheimer Adler ice hockey team is the reigning German
champion. The same applies to VfB Friedrichshafen in volleyball.
Four teams in the state compete in Germany’s premier handball league—the Rhein-Neckar-Löwen, Frisch Auf Göppingen,
HBW Balingen-Weilstetten and TVB Stuttgart 1889. In 2013,
195 athletes from Baden-Württemberg won 115 bronze medals, 113 silver medals and 120 gold medals at the World and
European Masters Athletics Championships. Baden-Württemberg is home to five elite sports schools: Tauberbischofsheim,
Furtwangen, Stuttgart, Heidelberg and Freiburg. The state also
14

International schools in Baden-Württemberg:
Black Forest Academy, Kandern: www.bfacademy.com
Deutsch-Französische Grundschule, Freiburg:
www.dfgs.fr.bw.schule.de
Deutsch-Französische Grundschule, Stuttgart/Sillenbuch:
www.dfgs-sillenbuch.de
Deutsch-Französisches Gymnasium, Freiburg:
www.dfglfa.net/dfg
Ecole Française Pierre et Marie Curie, Heidelberg:
www.ecole.de
European School, Karlsruhe: www.eskar.org
H.I.S. Heidelberg International School, Heidelberg:
www.hischool.de
ISS International School of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, and ISS
BaSICS (International School of Stuttgart, Böblingen and
Sindelfingen International Community School),
Sindelfingen: www.issev.de
ISU – International School of Ulm/Neu-Ulm, Neu-Ulm:
www.is-ulm.de
Metropolitan International School, Heidelberg/Mannheim/
Viernheim: www.metroschool.de
Schule Schloss Salem: www.salem-net.de
SIS Swiss International School, Friedrichshafen/
Stuttgart-Fellbach: www.swissinternationalschool.de
UWC – Robert Bosch College, Freiburg:
www.uwcrobertboschcollege.de
Monitoring Early Childhood Education Systems” with the best
staff-to-child ratio in Germany. On average, each full-time child
daycare professional cares for 3.1 all-day nursery children or
7.7 kindergartners.
That means Baden-Württemberg has once again improved its
ratio of childcare professionals to children. The many skilled
specialists working in preschools ensure a high standard of
quality in childcare. The state is also breaking new ground in
terms of introductory and advanced training of educational professionals and making the job of preschool teacher even more
attractive. This means this profession will appeal to even more
people—including a large share of people who have a qualification to attend an institution of higher learning.
Under the motto “Baden-Württemberg, the land of children,”
the state’s political leaders are turning their attention to children and young people, their needs and their potential. Parents
are to be able to decide freely and independently about the way
they want to lead their family lives and can count on government
support when necessary. Various options, including child-care
centers and childcare providers as well as all-day schools and
kindergartens, are designed to help parents raise, educate and
care for their children.
Links to education:

www.kultusportal-bw.de
1.8 SCHOOL EDUCATION
has a network of Olympic training-center partner schools and
partner sports schools that provide valuable support to students
developing their athletic ability.
The range of leisure-time activities offered to people in the
state extends well beyond sports. There are many amusement parks, water parks, game reserves and zoos throughout
the state, like the Wilhelma in Stuttgart. Germany’s biggest
amusement park, Europa-Park, is located in the town of Rust.
Located just outside Stuttgart, the Sensapolis indoor recreational park is a great place to go. Outletcity Metzingen is a
well-known shopping destination. And rap jumping in Leonberg
gets the adrenaline flowing when you launch yourself off the
edge of a roof.
Stiftung Kinderland:

www.stiftung-kinderland.de
1.7 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Baden-Württemberg provides targeted support to families with
a range of government-funded benefits. The state is providing
a growing amount of support so parents can create a better
work-life balance. This effort includes the needs-based expansion of early-childhood care. In this area, Baden-Württemberg
has significantly improved childcare provisions, earning special
mention in the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s report “State by State:
Types of schools and trends
More than 1.1 million young people attend the generaleducational and vocational schools in Baden-Württemberg.
A diversified and precisely coordinated range of courses is
designed to promote the individual abilities of students. In its
educational policies, the state government focuses on the
individual interests and special talents of people. Like most German states, the school system begins with four-year elementary
school (Grundschule). This is followed by secondary school. In
the previous three-tier school system, elementary school was
followed by secondary general school or vocational secondary
general school (Hauptschule or Werkrealschule), intermediate
school (Realschule) or college-preparatory secondary school
(Gymnasium). The large majority of schools are public. Private
schools exist alongside public schools. In 2012, the new collective secondary school (Gemeinschaftsschule) was launched.
This represents the first step toward creating a two-tier school
model, which the state wants to expand. Collective secondary
schools frequently offer all types of diplomas under one roof.
College-preparatory secondary schools will retain their autonomy. The defining principle of the collective secondary school is
the mission to create a high-performance, socially just school
that will educate students on the basis of their individual abilities and enable them to achieve their best individual educational
potential.
Baden-Württemberg’s current school system has an excellent
reputation both at home and abroad. The state offers a range
of multifaceted and compatible options that enable students to
prepare for college. Of the total number of secondary-school
graduates who obtained a general-education diploma in 2013
while attending secondary general or vocational schools,
30 percent earned a diploma entitling them to attend an
institution of higher learning, 12 percent were qualified to attend a university of applied sciences, nearly 42 percent earned
an intermediate secondary-education diploma, and 16 percent
earned a diploma from a secondary general school. Secondary-school students benefit from the high level of transparency within the school system in Baden-Württemberg. Students
who attend secondary general schools, vocational intermediate
schools or intermediate schools have the opportunity to earn the
diplomas necessary to attend college.
The state government is also increasing the number of allday schools as a way of expanding the amount of instruction
provided. Almost 1,700 public and private all-day schools
were providing education in the state during the 2013/14 academic
year. All collective secondary schools are all-day schools.
During the 2013/14 academic year, college-preparatory
secondary schools accounted for the next-largest proportion
of all-day schools at over 53 percent, followed by vocational
intermediate schools and secondary general schools at nearly
51 percent.
International schools and bilingual instruction
Several international schools in the state provide continuous instruction in foreign languages. The range of English-language
instruction is particularly large. At international schools such
as the European School Karlsruhe (see text box on p. 14) the
number of instructional languages offered as part of foreignlanguage teaching is particularly large. A German-French
college-preparatory secondary school (Deutsch-Französisches
Gymnasium) is located in Freiburg. The range of bilingual
instruction in individual subjects is considerably bigger. Several elementary schools offer German-French, German-English
and German-Italian courses. About 60 college-preparatory
secondary schools have bilingual German-English departments.
Several schools enable students to earn a “Baden-Württemberg international college-entrance diploma” in addition
to the German diploma that entitles them to attend college.
Several college-preparatory secondary schools have bilingual
German-French departments, and the Königin-Katharina-Stift
in Stuttgart has a bilingual German-Italian profile. Students
who attend such bilingual departments earn a diploma that
entitles them to attend college in the particular country.
Programs for gifted students at college-preparatory secondary schools
Baden-Württemberg offers programs for gifted students at
15 college-preparatory secondary schools. These programs
15
 Schools for gifted students:
State College-Preparatory Secondary School for Gifted
Students, Schwäbisch Gmünd: www.lgh-gmuend.de
Leonardo-da-Vinci-Gymnasium, Neckargemünd:
www.ldvg.de
College-preparatory secondary schools with

programs for gifted students:
Albert-Einstein-Gymnasium, Ulm:
www.einstein-gym.ul.schule-bw.de/
Bismarck-Gymnasium, Karlsruhe:
www.bismarck-gymnasium.de
Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium, Marbach am Neckar:
www.fsg-marbach.de
Hans-Thoma-Gymnasium, Lörrach:
www.hans-thoma-gymnasium.de
Heinrich-Suso-Gymnasium, Constance:
www.suso.schulen.konstanz.de
Karls-Gymnasium, Stuttgart: www.karls-gymnasium.de
Königin-Katharina-Stift, Stuttgart:
www.königin-katharina-stift.de
Kurfürst-Friedrich-Gymnasium, Heidelberg:
www.kfg-heidelberg.de
Leibniz-Gymnasium, Rottweil:
https://lg.rw.schule-bw.de/home/
Lessing-Gymnasium, Mannheim:
www.lessing-gymnasium.de
Reuchlin-Gymnasium, Pforzheim:
www.reuchlin-gymnasium.de
Robert-Mayer-Gymnasium, Heilbronn:
www.rmg-heilbronn.de
Scheffel-Gymnasium, Lahr: www.scheffel-gymnasium.de
Spohn-Gymnasium, Ravensburg:
www.spohn.rv.bw.schule.de
Uhland-Gymnasium, Tübingen: www.ug.tue.bw.schule.de
are designed to give these gifted students an opportunity to receive support near their homes at an early period in
their education and to receive optimum assistance in their
academic careers. The college-preparatory secondary
schools were selected on the basis of their educational quality and their good access to public transportation. The schools
are located in all areas of the state, enabling nearly every
talented child to reach a nearby school that offers the program for gifted students. Each of the programs for gifted students works through the curriculum at a faster pace in order
to create additional time for further instruction without increasing the number of hours spent in class each week. The
State College-Preparatory Secondary School for Gifted Students
with Boarding School and Center of Excellence in Schwäbisch
Gmünd also accepts external students. The private Leonardo
da Vinci College-Preparatory Secondary School is located in
Neckargemünd near Heidelberg.
16
 The school system in Baden-Württemberg
The four-year elementary school (Grundschule) is the school
system’s primary level. All children attend this school. Its
mandate is to develop the various talents of children within
the context of a common educational program. Every child
is to be fostered according to his or her learning abilities. All
elementary school pupils in Baden-Württemberg begin learning a foreign language in the first grade. In most schools, this
language is English. But it is French in schools located along
the Rhine.
Collective secondary schools (Gemeinschaftsschule) have
existed in Baden-Württemberg since 2012. In essence, the
collective secondary school consists of grades five through
10. Above a certain number of students at the college-preparatory level from grade 10 onward, collective secondary
schools can also offer grades 11 through 13. Their courses
meet all valid educational standards and lead to all three secondary-school diplomas.
The secondary general school (Hauptschule) consists of five
school years and ends with the award of a diploma. Students
then have an opportunity to voluntarily attend a 10th grade at
the vocational intermediate school (Werkrealschule), in which
they can reach a level equivalent to an intermediate school
diploma (Realschulabschluss). The vocational intermediate
school is designed to issue a mid-level diploma after six years
and provide students with the opportunity to attend special
courses to systematically bolster their strengths.
The intermediate school (Realschule) is designed to encourage and educate its students through practical courses. This
includes the teaching of personal and interpersonal skills as
well as methodology and subject-matter content. After six
years of study, students are awarded a general certificate of
secondary education. This diploma enables them to enter approved vocational training programs as well as other courses
of education that lead to a diploma that entitles them to attend college.
In an eight-year program—nine years at some model schools—
college-preparatory secondary schools (Gymnasien) provide
students with a broad and in-depth general education in which
they earn a diploma that entitles them to attend college. This
diploma forms the basis for vocational training in a company
without a college degree and for a course of study leading to
a college degree. All students at a college-preparatory secondary school learn at least two foreign languages. With the
selection of the language profile in the eighth grade, students
receive instruction in a third foreign language. They have the
option of taking a fourth language in the 10th grade.
In addition to the traditional college-preparatory secondary
school, Baden-Württemberg is expanding its vocational college-preparatory secondary schools (berufliche Gymnasien)
across the state. Nearly every third student earns his or her
secondary school diploma at such a school. As a result, increasing numbers of young people from all sorts of social backgrounds are earning diplomas that will entitle them to attend
college. The three-year vocational college-preparatory secondary schools are full-time schools that offer college-preparatory courses and vocational instruction in particular areas:
@ Agriculture
@ Biotechnology
@ Nutritional science
@ Social sciences and health care (in various profiles)
@ Technology (in various profiles)
@ Economics (in various profiles)
At a few locations, the vocational college-preparatory secondary school offers a six-year program in economics, beginning in the eighth grade.
17
2 INFRASTRUCTURE IN BADENWÜRTTEMBERG—A SOLID FOUNDATION
@ A modern society and a prospering, internationally competitive economy require a modern infrastructure in terms of mobility and transportation, energy and communications, and education and science.
Both the people who live in Baden-Württemberg now and the skilled specialists and executives who
relocate to the state benefit from this infrastructure. In Baden-Württemberg, companies and investors
are certain to encounter exactly the conditions needed to produce first-class products and services and
to compete in global markets.
2.1 CENTRAL INFRASTRUCTURE
2.1.1TRADE-FAIR AND EXHIBITION CENTERS
As the state’s marketplace, the trade-fair and exhibition centers
in Baden-Württemberg serve as both a gateway to the world
and to the region. The state features a concentrated network of attractive trade-fair and exhibition centers of various
sizes and specialties. High-caliber trade fairs and exhibitions
take place at these centers throughout the year. The calendar
of events includes a broad range of industries and topics, extending from international high-tech trade fairs to regional
consumer exhibitions. The state’s nine trade-fair companies
are jointly represented on the www.bw-fairs.de online portal.
This portal provides information in German, English and French
about the locations as well as a trade-fair calendar detailing all
scheduled events.
The state’s largest trade—fair organizer is the Stuttgart Trade
Fair Center, or Messe Stuttgart, which manages 72 trade fairs
featuring around 21,400 exhibitors—including around one-fifth
from abroad, more than 1.3 million visitors and a total return
of around 137 million Euro. The contoured roofs of the exhibi-
The Baroque palace in Mannheim where much of the University of Mannheim is located.
Joint home page of the exhibition centers:
www.bw-fairs.de
Stuttgart Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-stuttgart.de
Freiburg Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-freiburg.de
Friedrichshafen Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-friedrichshafen.de
Karlsruhe Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-karlsruhe.de
Mannheim Trade Fair Center:
www.maimarkt.de
Offenburg Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-offenburg.de
Sindelfingen Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-sindelfingen.de
Sinsheim Trade Fair Center:
www.schall-messen.de
Ulm Trade Fair Center:
www.ulm-messe.de
Villingen-Schwenningen Trade Fair Center:
www.messe-vs.de
Source: Stefanie Eichler, University of Mannheim.
18
Important transportation links in Baden-Württemberg
Source: Atlas on Logistics in Baden-Württemberg, Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics.
tion halls and the parking facility spanning the A8 autobahn are
trademarks of the trade-fair grounds and make it easy to identify from a considerable distance. The Messe Stuttgart building
complex has already won many awards for its modern architecture.
The Stuttgart trade-fair site has 105,200 square meters of
exhibition space and seven halls, each incorporating 10,500
square meters of space. Added to this are a multifunctional
trade-fair and event hall with 26,800 square meters of space
and a hall in the ICS International Congress Center Stuttgart
with 4,900 square meters of space. The ICS has more than two
dozen large rooms with seating capacity ranging from 20 to
4,900 and a total seating capacity of 10,000. To expand capacity, Messe Stuttgart is planning to build the new Hall 10 by
2017. The trade-fair grounds are located right next to Stuttgart
Airport on the A8 freeway and near the A81. The location is also
easy to reach from the Stuttgart Central Train Station using the
rapid-transit train system (S-Bahn).
Messe Stuttgart is the organizer of several leading trade fairs.
These include CMT, Europe’s largest public trade fair for tourism
and leisure; R+T, the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters,
doors, gates and sun protection; Intergastra for the hotel and
restaurant sector; the Intervitis Interfructa wine and fruit-juice
technology trade fair; the AMB machine-tool-building event;
and Interbad for swimming pools, saunas and spas. Other important industry events include trade fairs like Global Connect,
a forum for export and internationalization; VISION, the world’s
leading trade fair for image processing; and Invest, the leading exhibition for finance and investment. The crafts and trades
are also represented with shows like Südback and Süffa. Messe
Stuttgart also has operations in more than 54 countries around
the world. It has also established subsidiaries in China, Turkey
and the United States with the intention of expanding its international business.
The Friedrichshafen Trade Fair Center, or Messe Friedrichshafen, is located right in the heart of the economically vibrant
four-country region of Lake Constance. Distinguishing features
of the trade-fair grounds include the elegant architecture and
well-planned infrastructure that benefits from the immediate
proximity to the regional airport. The site comprises 85,000
square meters of state-of-the-art exhibition space distributed over 12 exhibition halls, two outdoor areas, two multifunctional
entrance hallways and numerous conference and meeting
rooms.
Friedrichshafen is one of Europe’s leading exhibition locations
for sports and leisure-time trade fairs. Its most important events
include business exhibitions like EUROBIKE, the world’s leading
bicycle-industry trade fair, and Outdoor, the world’s No. 1 trade
fair for outdoor athletic activities. AERO is Europe’s leading exhibition for the general aviation industry. Other major European
trade-fair events include the water sports trade fair INTERBOOT and TUNING WORLD BODENSEE. Fakuma—the international trade fair for plastics processing—is this global industry’s
key rendezvous point.
19
The Karlsruhe Trade Fair Center, or Messe Karlsruhe, is
Baden-Württemberg’s third internationally focused exhibition location in addition to Stuttgart and Friedrichshafen. The
city lies very close to the French border and is near Switzerland. Every year, events organized by Karlsruher Messe- und
Kongress-GmbH attract nearly 8,000 exhibitors and 770,000
visitors to this commercial, academic and research region.
The trade-fair site comprises around 52,000 square meters
of exhibition space and 62,000 square meters of outdoor
space. The adjoining convention center has four event buildings and halls with 28 rooms and a total of approximately
13,000 seats.
More than 140 conventions, both as guest and proprietary
events, take place every year at the Karlsruhe Trade Fair
Center. IT-Trans, the international convention and trade fair
on IT solutions for public transportation, is a rendezvous
point for this industry’s international market leaders and key
players. LEARNTEC, an international trade fair and convention for IT-aided learning, provides information about the
latest trends in IT-assisted learning. WTT-Expo is Europe’s
leading trade fair devoted to industrial heating and cooling
technology for process-related applications. Karlsruhe is also
the home of Eunique, an international trade fair for applied art
and design, and art KARLSRUHE, the trade fair for classical
modern and contemporary art, both of which have a strong
international appeal.
Aside from the trade-fair centers mentioned above, other
exhibition centers in Baden-Württemberg also stage premiumquality specialist trade events. The exhibition facilities
in Freiburg, Mannheim, Offenburg, Sinsheim, Ulm and
Villingen-Schwenningen cover between 5,500 square meters (Villingen-Schwenningen) and 21,500 square meters
(Freiburg). The international flagship event Interbrush organized by the Freiburg Trade Fair Center, or Messe Freiburg, is
an international trade fair for the brush and paintbrush industry that features more than 200 exhibitors and over 7,000
visitors from 90 countries. Around two-thirds of exhibitors and
visitors at Interbrush come from abroad. Further examples of
successful trade fairs include the Mannheim Maimarket,
Germany’s largest consumer exhibition with about 350,000
visitors; Eurocheval, the European equestrian trade fair in Offenburg; Druck+Form, the printing trade fair for the graphics
industry in Sinsheim; Leben – Wohnen – Freizeit, the springtime trade fair in Ulm; and Südwest-Messe, the broad-based
trade fair for the general public in Villingen-Schwenningen.
Transportation infrastructure links:

www.mvi.baden-wuerttemberg.de
www.logistik-bw.de
www.bahnprojekt-stuttgart-ulm.de
www.flughafen-stuttgart.de
www.3-loewen-takt.de
www.binnenhafen-bw.de
20
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Baden-Württemberg promotes sustainable mobility and is
therefore strengthening public transportation. Currently,
around 10 percent of all journeys in the state are made
using public transportation—a percentage that is to be
doubled within 10 years because operators of streetcars,
rapid-transit rail systems, buses and flexible transportation
options are pooling their efforts to improve their range of regional rail transportation services in populated areas. New
concepts that link cities more closely to outlying areas have
helped increase the appeal of the regional rail transportation network. As a result, rapid-transit rail networks, in particular, have been significantly expanded in certain areas.
A regional-train car in Stuttgart.
Source: Deutsche Bahn AG.
state. In all, Baden-Württemberg has about 1,020 kilometers of
autobahns, 4,370 kilometers of federal highways, 9,500 kilometers of state roads and 11,700 kilometers of county roads. Given its central location in Europe and status as a transit region,
Baden-Württemberg plays an important role in handling traffic
volumes, especially with regard to the upkeep and maintenance
of federal highways.
Rail
Especially on long-distance routes, rail transport is a competitive alternative to road transport for quickly moving people and
goods over long distances. In Baden-Württemberg, Deutsche
Bahn AG’s rail network covers around 3,800 kilometers. Added
to this are about 860 kilometers of privately owned rails, rail operations at inland harbors and intermodal transport facilities as
well as about 340 private sidings for industrial and commercial
purposes. The main axes of the rail network for goods transport
cover a total of 1,206 kilometers.
The Rhine Valley route between Mannheim and Basel serves
as an important corridor for international rail transport and is
being expanded to four tracks for this reason. The creation
and expansion of the Rhine Valley railroad is actually one of
the federal government’s planned demand projects. Thanks
to the Rhine Valley route, Baden-Württemberg has excellent
direct connections to the seaports of Antwerp, Rotterdam and
Amsterdam (ARA ports) as well as to the Mediterranean region.
The Mannheim–Basel route will play an increasingly important role as an access route for NEAT (New European Alpine
Transit) through Switzerland. NEAT is Switzerland’s major rail
project to improve the north-south transport of goods through
the Alps.
2.1.2TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE
Baden-Württemberg is located in the heart of Europe. International mainline routes like Paris–Budapest, Amsterdam–
Milan, Hamburg–Marseilles and Warsaw–Paris intersect in
Baden-Württemberg. People living in the state as well as
the manufacturing- and export-focused economy benefit
from this efficient transportation infrastructure and from
sustainable mobility. Baden-Württemberg is very convenient to reach by road, rail, water and air. Within the state,
nearly 3 billion tonnes of goods are transported overland,
375 million tonnes by rail and 222 million tonnes on inland
waterways.
Roads
Baden-Württemberg has an efficient network of roads and
highways covering more than 26,500 kilometers. This ensures
exceptional links to the economic centers of Europe as well as
fast, uncomplicated connections to cities and regions within the
In long-distance transportation, the state has two transEuropean
routes
(Paris–Strasbourg–Stuttgart–Vienna–
Bratislava and Antwerp/Rotterdam–Duisburg–Basel–Lyon/
Genoa) and numerous other routes within the trans-European
rail system. As a result, it enjoys fast, frequent connections to
many important business centers inside and outside Germany.
The Stuttgart-Ulm rail project is one of the state’s largest infrastructure projects. It consists of two parts:
@ The restructuring of the Stuttgart rail hub in a project named
Stuttgart 21, comprises constructing the new central station
and linking the airport and Messe Stuttgart to regional and
long-distance transportation routes
@
Constructing the Wendlingen–Ulm high-speed rail route,
which will be linked to the new rail hub
On this two-track line, which largely runs along the A8 autobahn, trains can travel at speeds of up to 250 kilometers an
hour.
21
Around 9.7 million passengers use the airport every year. Nonstop flights take off from Stuttgart to not only Europe’s leading
cities, but also, for example, to the United States. Additional
international connections departing from Frankfurt am Main,
Munich, Zurich, Basel and Strasbourg airports can be reached
by plane in less than an hour.
Intermodal transportation
Check-in at Terminal 1 of the Stuttgart Airport.
Source: Stuttgart Airport.
Inland waterways
For commercial shipping, the state features a well-developed
interconnected network of inland waterways covering around
550 kilometers on the Rhine, Neckar and Main. The Rhine alone
accounts for around 80 percent of inland shipping traffic in Germany. The Baden-Württemberg ports of Mannheim, Karlsruhe,
Kehl, Breisach and Weil am Rhein are located on Germany’s
longest federal waterway. Given the environmental compatibility
of this form of transport and the future growth of freight traffic, inland shipping has substantial capacity reserves and can
relieve some of the traffic pressure in metropolitan areas. Shipping containers as part of intermodal transport offers annual
growth rates of up to 10 percent.
Baden-Württemberg has 10 harbors and numerous loading
and unloading berths. Compared with other states in Germany, Baden-Württemberg’s 10 harbors handle the secondlargest amount of commercial inland shipping cargo. They also
represent three of the 10 largest inland harbors in Germany.
Serving as the logistics core of the Rhine-Neckar international metropolitan region, the neighboring harbors in Mannheim
and Ludwigshafen (in Rhineland-Palatinate) form the secondlargest inland harbor in Europe. By linking the rail, inlandwaterway and overland modes of transport, Baden-Württemberg’s harbors serve as logistics hubs that provide nationally
important trimodal services.
Aviation
Scheduled airline services are provided to and from Baden-Württemberg’s three commercial airports: Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/
Baden-Baden and Friedrichshafen. The airports link the state
to the German and international airline network. For years,
the number of passengers using the three airports has totaled
around 11.5 million. The state is also home to 18 airfields.
Stuttgart Airport is the state’s international transportation hub.
Intermodal transportation consisting of road, rail and inland
waterways has been growing substantially in Baden-Württemberg, especially as far as international transport and transportation is concerned. According to a report conducted on behalf
of the state’s transport ministry, freight volumes with a point of
departure or destination in Baden-Württemberg are set to increase to 13 million tonnes by 2025. That means an increase of
around 67 percent compared with the base year of 2010. For this
reason, the business location of Baden-Württemberg depends
on good links to trans-European axes. The state is already being
heavily used as a transit territory. To that extent, it is helpful that
Baden-Württemberg’s metropolitan regions are well equipped
with intermodal transport facilities. Mannheim, Stuttgart,
Kornwestheim and Ulm play key roles in this respect. Karlsruhe,
Weil am Rhein, Singen and Heilbronn also have the infrastructure to handle intermodal transport. Trains that are part of the
“rolling road” system to northern Italy depart from and end in
Freiburg. The 10 inland ports and five additional transshipment
terminals for intermodal transport are the key logistics hubs in
Baden-Württemberg. Seven inland ports offer trimodal transport services.
Portals for administrative services:

www.im.baden-wuerttemberg.de
www.service-bw.de
2.1.3 MODERN ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES
People living in Baden-Württemberg can rely on the efficient,
customer-focused public administrative services offered in the
state. This has a three-tier structure with the ministries at the
top; the four administrative regions of Stuttgart, Karlsruhe,
Tübingen and Freiburg as intermediate authorities; and counties and urban districts as well as municipalities at the local
level. The state is divided into a total of 35 counties, nine urban
districts and 1,101 municipalities. To even more effectively address the concerns and needs of residents and companies, the
state’s entire administrative apparatus has in the last few years
enhanced transparency in the services it offers as well as in
the speed it delivers them. This is intended to relieve companies
of bureaucratic burdens over the long term. Many administrative procedures and processes can now be conducted electronically
as part of the state’s Electronic Government (e-government)
program. Here, information on practically all administrative
issues is available online. Baden-Württemberg residents and
22
companies can also communicate electronically with all government agencies, in most cases eliminating the need to personally
visit government offices.
The central virtual access point to government agencies at the
state, county and municipality levels, including their services,
is the Internet portal www.service-bw.de. This is where all
available e-government services in Baden-Württemberg can
be found. In particular, this includes information about administrative procedures, online forms, electronic requests and notifications. In accordance with the EU Services Directive, a group
of contact persons acting as points of single contact address
questions and concerns put to government agencies and serve
as guides to administrative procedures. In Baden-Württemberg, the chambers of industry and commerce, the chambers of
crafts and trades, counties and districts provide points of single
contact for both companies and self-employed professionals.
These contacts handle all procedures and formalities necessary for these companies and individuals to initiate and carry
out their activities in accordance with the EU Services Directive.
The services provided by Baden-Württemberg’s government
agencies don’t cease at the state’s borders: The EU Services
Directive has created the legal framework for freedom of establishment and freedom to provide cross-border services to other
member states. Administrative procedures are also being modernized and barriers to the establishment of service companies
are being eliminated. The intention of the EU in this regard it to
enable small and midsized companies, in particular, to use the
internal market without restriction. For example, companies and
self-employed individuals can, for example, more easily submit
declarations, registrations and applications to obtain authorization from responsible agencies as well as entries into registers,
professional listings and databases.
Links concerning broadband:

Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Rural Affairs and Consumer
Protection: http://mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de
Clearingstelle Baden-Württemberg: www.clearingstelle-bw.de
2.1.4BROADBAND SERVICE
Broadband connections for fast Internet service are a must
for cities, towns and municipalities as well as for companies. According to TÜV Rhineland, 99 percent of households
in Baden-Württemberg receive basic services of at least two
megabits per second, and 69 percent of households are able to
use high-speed networks with 50 megabits per second or more.
Nearly all urban areas are have fast Internet service. There are
fewer and fewer rural areas lacking service. More than threequarters of all counties are participating in the state’s broadband initiative or are working on planning contracts. This will
enable the state to establish the most comprehensive coverage of fast Internet services possible over the next few
years. The state has tripled funding for broadband expansion,
increasing the amount from 11.7 million to 31.7 million Euro a year.
One example of a regional initiative to expand broadband connections is the founding of the High-Speed-Netz Rhein-Neckar
Association. Its establishment in 2014 created Germany’s largest municipal fiber-optic cable-network expansion association
by population, in which all 54 towns, cities and municipalities in
Rhine-Neckar county in northwest Baden-Württemberg are involved. County-wide networks facilitate significant high-speed
and maximum-speed Internet improvements.
Job-market links for Baden-Württemberg:

www.bw-jobs.de
www.arbeitsagentur.de
2.1.5 LABOR POOL AND JOB MARKET
The job market in Baden-Württemberg offers good career prospects for skilled specialists from Germany and abroad. The
state already boasts strong demand for highly qualified skilled
specialists in the technical and engineering professions The unemployment rate in Baden-Württemberg is correspondingly low:
4.0 percent on average in 2014; 3.8 percent in September 2015.
Aside from Bavaria, this is the lowest rate in Germany. Youth unemployment in Germany is the lowest here as well: 3.1 percent
in September 2015 is the lowest rate in all of Germany.
The people living in Baden-Württemberg boast a high average level of education. The high level of employees’ qualifications is an important business-location advantage in the
race to attract national and international investors. Nearly
30 percent of all people 15 and older have a diploma that
will entitle them to attend college (Abitur). Today, most current and recent secondary-school graduates have earned
this qualification. Only around 5 percent of young people in
Baden-Württemberg leave school without earning a diploma,
making Baden-Württemberg the state with the lowest school
drop-out rate in Germany.
Employment opportunities are particularly good for people in the
technical and engineering professions as well as in the healthcare and nursing sectors. According to the “Fachkräftemonitor” on skilled specialists released by the Baden-Württemberg
Chamber of Industry and Commerce and an analysis published
by the Federal Employment Agency on the shortage of skilled
specialists, the following sectors have a demand for qualified
skilled professionals:
@ Mechatronics and automation engineering
@ Mechanical and industrial engineering
@ Automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding engineering
@ Electrical and energy engineering
@ Research, development and design engineering as well as
production-management professions
@ Computer science and IT applications consulting
@ Software development and programming
@ Mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics professions
@ Geology, geography and environment-protection professions
23
ENERGY REVOLUTION: EXPLOITING OPPORTUNITIES, MANAGING RISKS
By unleashing its energy revolution, Germany has initiated a
major change in its system of generating electricity, moving
away from nuclear power and coal and shifting to renewable
sources of energy. Baden-Württemberg alone is pursuing a
tangible strategy of fundamentally changing climate protection and the energy supply in the state by the year 2050. With
this deadline in mind, the energy revolution can be expressed
in the concise formula of 50-80-90:
@ With 50 percent less energy consumption
@ and 80 percent renewable energies
@ a 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions is possible.
Fifty percent less energy consumption (compared to 2010):
In terms of saving energy, the main objective is not to consume less energy per se. The main focus is on more efficient
use of electricity and heat.
Eighty percent renewable energies: In 2050, the state will
generate 80 percent of its energy needs from renewable
sources, with wind and solar energy the main resources. Solar collectors, environmental heat and geothermal energy will
play a key role in the supply of heating.
Ninety percent lower greenhouse gas emissions (compared
with 1990): By 2050, the state wants to have reduced greenhouse gas emissions related to electricity generation by
90 percent compared with 1990. A milestone reduction of
25 percent is to be achieved as early as 2020.
An industrialized state like Baden-Württemberg does, of course,
depend on reliable supplies of energy. Security of supply is guaranteed at all times. At the same time, electricity and heating
have to remain affordable. That applies to private households
as much as it does to companies and the public sector. For that
reason, the state is pursuing the goal of minimizing the risk of
increasing energy costs. Although the current energy revolution
requires substantial initial investments, in the midterm and long
term the switch to renewable energies will deliver greater independence from the fossil fuel market and falling energy prices.
Creating smart grids
The objectives of the energy revolution can only be achieved by
fundamentally and comprehensively changing the energy supply
system. In the future, electricity generation will be more decentralized than it is today. At the same time, the relevance of fluctuating, weather-dependent in-feeds of electricity from renewable
sources will increase. The system transformation that the energy
revolution involves requires rapid, comprehensive expansion of
the German power-transmission grid. At the same time, decentralized development of renewable energies requires upgrading
existing distribution grids to smart power grids.
These smart grids have to link electricity generators, grid operators, storage facilities and customers into a network using
state-of-the-art ICT. They can adjust the electricity generated by decentralized facilities to meet grid and system stability requirements and thus help match electricity generation
to electricity consumption. In addition, they can help create
more flexibility in the demand for electricity and, as a result,
ease the burden on the load-management system, which is
geared toward electricity generation.
Promoting energy efficiency
Baden-Württemberg also helps companies conserve energy.
In one reflection of this, L-Bank’s Resource Efficiency Financing program provides financial support to SMEs in the form of
low-interest development loans to enable them to take action
to increase energy efficiency and environmental protection in
Baden-Württemberg.
Depending on their investment priorities, companies have a
choice among three program components:
@ Program component A—Energy-Efficient Production:
funds action that leads to substantial and easily quantifiable energy savings in operational processes
@ Program component B—Material Efficiency and Environmental Technology: funds action that focuses on careful
handling of operational resources or a positive impact on
the common environmental resources of air, water and soil
@ Program component C—Energy-Efficient Operational Buildings: funds the construction of energy-efficient
operational buildings and energy-saving upgrades in
existing buildings as well as energy-saving measures
related to building technology
The Berghülen onshore wind farm.
Source: EnBW/Weltenangler.
24
2.2 SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
2.2.1RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D)
Leading the innovation rankings
Baden-Württemberg is not only No. 1 in Germany as a hotbed of innovation, it ranks at the top in Europe as well.
Baden-Württemberg’s research landscape gives the state a
key business-location advantage compared with other regions
in Germany and abroad. It is characterized by universities that
focus primarily on basic research and by a well-developed
infrastructure of nonuniversity, business-relevant research
instituts.
In terms of business-relevant research, the state of BadenWürttemberg invested a total of 102.3 million Euro in 2015, which
is almost double the 2010 figure. Of this total, 70.8 million Euro
was channeled directly into the business-relevant research institutes—for example, the Fraunhofer Institutes, the German
Aerospace Center and the Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg. The state’s research and development expenditure ratio
totals 4.8 percent. This means the state has already exceeded the target of 3 percent, a goal the EU has specified as the
European average to be achieved by 2020.
The 2014 Innovation Index, an assessment of the innovation
skills of 87 regions in the 28 EU member countries compiled
by the Baden-Württemberg Statistical Office, continues to rate
the southwestern German state as the region in the EU with
the most power to innovate. Other top-ranked regions include
Bavaria, the French capital region Île de France, Berlin,
Denmark, Finland, Hesse, Sweden and Hamburg.
No other European region invests as high a share of its economic output in research and development as Baden-Württemberg. Nowhere is the share of people employed in researchintensive industry sectors higher and nowhere are more patents
registered per capita than in Baden-Württemberg. Per million
inhabitants, inventors in the state register five times as many
patents at the European Patents Office than the average of all
28 EU member states.
Baden-Württemberg benefits from that fact that researchfocused corporations like Bosch, Daimler, ZF Friedrichshafen,
Porsche, SAP, Voith, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, IBM and
Hewlett-Packard have their headquarters or subsidiaries in
the state. These corporations invest immense R&D resources
here and are among the largest patent applicants in Germany and Europe. These innovators are bolstered by a concentrated network of midsized businesses, excellent universities and
nonuniversity research organizations. With about 70 public and
private universities, Baden-Württemberg has the most multifaceted array of institutions of higher learning in Germany. Three
of Germany’s 11 Universities of Excellence are located here.
OFFENBURG OUTPATIENT HEMATOLOGY/
ONCOLOGY THERAPY CENTER, OFFENBURG:
PIONEERING WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF
PATIENTS
On average, people are living longer and even patients
with serious illnesses can expect increased life expectancies as medical advances are made. Nevertheless, there
is plenty of room for improvement in the therapy and care
of cancer patients. Ten years ago that prompted former
hospital physicians Dr. Marianne Müller and Dr. Bernhard
Linz to set up a registered oncology practice in Ortenau
county. “At the beginning, we were in direct competition
with the Ortenau Clinic because providing cancer therapy
for patients was at the time a monopoly enjoyed by hospitals,” Müller recalls. So the decision of the South Baden
Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians to
issue a special-need approval for this ambitious project
came at a good point. Assistance was provided by L-Bank
in the form of low-interest investment loans.
The initial rivalry between the medical practice and the
clinic has long since transformed into a close partnership.
In 2006, Dr. Andreas Jakob, formerly a senior physician
at the Ortenau Clinic and now chief physician and head
of the Ortenau Oncology Center, joined the practice as a
partner. And since moving to a new medical center, the
outpatient therapy center and the clinic are now also located nearer one another and cooperate on such activities
as joint tumor conferences. Dr. Henning Pelz, who has also
been a partner since 2012, explains: “We can offer our
often seriously ill patients in Baden-Württemberg’s largest
county the full spectrum of outpatient care, ranging from
diagnosis to chemotherapy, in the form of tablets and infusions. Each one of our approximately 12,000 patients
has a dedicated contact person.”
The minimal staff turnover rate demonstrates that a committed team has been assembled in Offenburg and now
at a second location in Achern. “Since we started up, our
team has tripled in size and now numbers 24 employees,”
Müller explains. “We are growing and are experiencing
limited turnover.” Working together as a team and regular
coaching are very important for the work at the center because every day employees are confronted with seriously
and gravely ill patients.
The high-quality and multidisciplinary range of study programs
meets practically all desires and requirements related to a
university education.
According to the Innovation Index, the share of people employed
in research-intensive industry sectors is higher in BadenWürttemberg than in any other region. In 2012, around 17
percent of the state’s working population held jobs in industrial high-technology sectors like mechanical engineering and
vehicle and engine manufacturing or in the production of computers and electronic and optical devices.
Internet links (a selection):

Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers:
www.helmholtz.de
Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz e.V.:
www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften
e.V.: www.mpg.de
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten
Forschung e.V.: www.fraunhofer.de
Steinbeis-Stiftung für Wirtschaftsförderung: www.steinbeis.de
Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg: www.innbw.de
Nonuniversity research
Both institutions of higher learning and more than 100 nonuniversity research organizations call Baden-Württemberg
home—no other region in Europe has more such institutions. All
together, about one-quarter of all research capacity in all major
German research institutions is concentrated in the state. Major
international and German research centers like the European
Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the German Cancer
Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg are located here as are
numerous institutes run by well-known research organizations.
These include 12 Max Planck Society institutes, 17 Fraunhofer
Society-Gesellschaft institutes and seven Leibniz Association
institutes. The Helmholtz Association operates several research
centers in Baden-Württemberg. Especially worth noting are the
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT, see text box on p. 33)
and the above-mentioned DKFZ, which is the largest biomedical
research institute in Germany.
Another major research organization is the German Aerospace
Center (DLR), which has two locations with a total of seven institutes located in Baden-Württemberg. These organizations
are complemented by 12 business-relevant research institutes
run by the Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg and other
nonuniversity research institutes. Two German government ministry research facilities are located in Karlsruhe: the Max Rubner
Institute—Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food and
the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute.
With around 600 transfer centers in Baden-Württemberg alone,
the Steinbeis Foundation champions technology transfer
from research institutes to companies. The range of advisory
services, training and development provided by this network
especially targets small and midsized enterprises that would
fall behind in the innovation race without the assistance.
Strategic research priorities and technology transfer
Innovations that draw from scientific research work result
from researchers communicating and cooperating with each
25
AMERIA GMBH, HEIDELBERG: DIGITAL
ADVOCATES INVIGORATE BRICKS-ANDMORTAR RETAILERS
In 2001, the signs weren’t exactly encouraging for establishing a software company. The New Economy was in the
process of folding and taking countless start-ups and business ideas with it. But for a group of Heidelberg students
headed up by Albrecht Metter, the combination of circumstances turned out to be a springboard to self-employment.
“While at college, we carried out software projects focused
on corporate marketing,” Matter, who holds a degree in
economics, recounts. The young entrepreneurs had learned
from the mistakes of the New Economy. “We didn’t want
to develop standard products of our own, rather only take
on contract work,” explains Metter, who has been CEO of
Heidelberg-based ameria since its founding.
In those early years, the contracts the company had taken
on included projects that had been started by other businesses prior to going bankrupt. “We completed those projects,” Metter relates. But after acquiring its first major clients and technological innovations began to emerge, ameria
increasingly focused on mobile applications. “This segment
is still growing substantially in contrast to the weakening
e-commerce sector,” the CEO states. For that reason, the
company provides solutions for the areas of POS consumer
engagement as well as mobile and web development. The
goal of these solutions is to improve the way retailers engage with consumers through a variety of channels and to
successfully attract consumers to interact with retailers. In
Metter’s view, there’s a great deal of untapped growth potential in the bricks-and-mortar retail segment.
ameria, which now employs around 30 full-time workers and
partners with a pool of freelance programmers, launched a
new product on the market in 2014: the Virtual Promoter,
which enables shop windows to feature interactive, virtualreality designs. This product makes it possible to project
a hologram-like figure of a life-size promoter, usually female, onto a shop window along with other digital content.
“The virtual figure speaks to passers-by like a promoter and
can interact with them by means of gesture control,” Metter says in explaining the product’s basic functions, which
sufficiently impressed the jurors of the Innovation Award of
the state of Baden-Württemberg and the CyberOne Award
that each recognized ameria with their respective awards.
The digital promoters are particularly popular among Asian
and American customers because of the product’s gamelike elements and cross-channel options.
other. For that reason, Baden-Württemberg fosters a networking culture that involves partners from universities, nonuniversity research organizations and companies. In many cases, this
enables ideas and technologies derived from various fields of
research to be transferred to society at large as well as to the
26
IOLITEC IONIC LIQUIDS TECHNOLOGIES
GMBH, HEILBRONN: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON
CHEMISTRY
Dr. Thomas Schubert has been a firm believer in ionic
liquids and their capabilities for a long time. “They are
really well suited for transporting and storing energy,” he
explains. “They also don’t burn if they overheat, which is
an important safety aspect.” The as yet untapped potential of ionic liquids led Schubert and a cofounder to relocate to the Freiburg biotech region in 2003 and launch
Ionic Liquids Technologies GmbH, IoLiTec for short. “We
had the crazy idea of realizing our business idea solely
with the aid of a savings bank loan,” the chemist with a
graduate degree says in looking back on the company’s
early days. “We did indeed find an excellent biotechnology
start-up infrastructure in Freiburg.”
The Freiburg business incubator was just one step in the
process for IoLiTec: Given an increasing capital requirement, Schubert wanted to attract venture-capital funding.
So the offer made by Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn, a major
venture capitalist, was very opportune in 2008. IoLiTec relocated to Heilbronn into a larger, unoccupied building and
enhanced its own capacities. The company has employed
22 people to date. “Employing people is an enormous responsibility,” Schubert stresses. “Therefore it’s great that
we have been able to earn money from our technologies
from the very beginning and show a profit on our balance
sheet every year.”
IoLiTec generates around one-quarter of its revenues from
projects sponsored by the EU and the German government, including ones that focus on battery technology and
fuel cells. The company is primarily involved in e-mobility
and energy-revolution research projects. “Baden-Württemberg is home to the relevant clusters,” emphasizes
Schubert, who also partners with numerous research organizations in Europe and the United States. Since relocating to Heilbronn, the founder of IoLiTec has also gained
a number of customers in the neighborhood. “Ionic liquids
have a diverse range of applications, because of their versatile properties.” In one reflection of this, IoLiTec develops nanotechnology applications, for instance, for furniture manufacturing and for use in household appliances,
on behalf of hidden champions based in the HeilbronnFranconia region. The work they do keeps on giving
Schubert and his colleagues new perspectives on what
chemistry can achieve; “We keep on discovering new
applications for ionic liquids and nanomaterials when we
meet the specific needs of our customers.”
business community. The state pursues the objective of enabling companies to benefit from the broad-based know-how
of the institutions of higher learning and nonuniversity research
organizations in order to increase the international competitive-
ness of Baden-Württemberg as a business location. In addition,
the state promotes the more effective utilization of university
inventions, champions patent applications and supports business start-ups by young scientists. The Nobel Prize laureates
Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Klaus von Klitzing, Bert Sakmann
and Harald zur Hausen are representative of this excellent track
record of scientific success.
By adopting its policy of long-term, strategically focused support for research, the state is aiming to create international
focal points, centers of excellence and alliances as well as to
establish close links with nonuniversity research institutions.
One core objective is the development of specific markets of the
future with significant growth potential:
@ Sustainable mobility
@ Environmental technologies, renewable energies and resource efficiency
@ Health care
@ Information and communication technologies (ICT), green IT
and intelligent products
Bio-economics: Solutions that combine economic growth with
global responsibility for feeding the world and protecting the
environment, climate and nature need to be developed. The
Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts has devised its
bio-economics research strategy and established a financial support program to provide assistance to interdisciplinary,
cross-location research alliances.
Electro-mobility and lightweight vehicle design and construction: New mobility solutions are an integral part of the energy
revolution. To make interlinking, electrification and automation
a reality, an interplay of complex, integrated elements from the
technology fields of vehicles, energy, ICT and production is required. The state agency e-mobil BW pools and coordinates all
electro-mobility, networked, automated-driving and fuel-cell
technology activities within Baden-Württemberg. The federal
and state governments as well as the Stuttgart region provide
financial assistance to the Elektromobilität Süd-West cluster
and the LivingLab BWe mobil showcase in the amount of more
than 200 million Euro.
Lightweight design and construction: There are several lightweight design and construction initiatives in Baden-Württemberg. These include establishing the state agency Leichtbau
BW (Lightweight Design and Construction BW), creating the
collaborative research program Hybrid Lightweight Design
and Construction, building the High Performance Fiber Center
(HPFC) at the German Institute for Textile and Fiber Research
(DITF) in Denkendorf and constructing the Research Campus at
Stuttgart University called Active Research Environment for
the Next Generation of Automobiles – ARENA 2036. The state
agency coordinates knowledge-transfer activities, highlights innovation potential, initiates cross-industry and cross-technology collaborative ventures, supports the recruitment of junior
employees and students to work in lightweight design and construction, and champions Baden-Württemberg as a research
and business location. Five collaborative research projects
related to lightweight design and construction are tackling research topics along the hybrid lightweight design and construction value chain, extending from automated manufacturing to
coupling technology through to processing. At the High Performance Fiber Center HPFC, several pilot lines are available for
the research, development and manufacturing of high-strength
carbon and ceramic fibers. The ARENA 2036 research campus
unites research and development into the area of lightweight
design and construction with innovative production technologies
for the vehicle-manufacturing industry of the future.
Energy research: Numerous initiatives like the Energy Lab 2.0
at KIT in Karlsruhe, the Industry-on-Campus (IoC) project
Resources and Energy Efficiency Achieved by Process Technology Innovations, and the Wind Energy Research Cluster South
(WindForS) at Stuttgart University are conducting research relevant to the energy revolution. Energy Lab 2.0 will become a smart
platform to facilitate research into the interplay of components
of future energy systems. To realize this, a simulation and control center as well as a power-plant network will be constructed
at KIT Campus North by 2018. In addition, an electrolysis test
center will be set up at the research center Forschungszentrum
Jülich, and testing facilities to trial power-to-heat concepts will
be built at the German Aerospace Center in Stuttgart within the
same time frame. For the IoC project Resources and Energy
Efficiency Achieved by Process Technology Innovations,
Stuttgart University, KIT and the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology are working together to set
up a process center for resource-efficient process-technology
methods. Partners within the WindForS network, which is leadmanaged by Stuttgart University, cooperate on matters of windenergy research and advanced training and further education.
Aerospace engineering: Europe’s largest aerospace college is
located at Stuttgart University. The Ecoflight research project
has been incorporated into the DLR@Uni-Stuttgart project in
order to establish the subject of electric aviation as a flagship
project. Two globally unrivaled research platforms, e-Genius
(IFB Uni Stuttgart) and Antares H2 (DLR-TT) are available for
this purpose.
Information and communication technology (ICT): ICT, both in
its own right and as an interdisciplinary technology for all key
industries in Baden-Württemberg, is a vitally important driver
of innovation and an indispensable foundation for the longterm competitiveness of Baden-Württemberg as a business
and science location. Besides existing institutions like the FZI
Research Center for Information Technology, which is tasked
with transferring the latest scientific findings to, in particular,
SMEs, the state provides support for ICT innovation by backing
specific projects. ICT applications are of particular importance.
Key issues, which the state is increasingly addressing, include IT
security, cloud computing, internationalization, mobility and the
Digital Innovation Center, which is tasked with devising and providing information, consulting services and qualification upgrade
strategies as well as supporting start-ups.
27
Industry 4.0: Industry 4.0 links the disciplines of mechanical
and electrical engineering with information technology to deliver
new, intelligently networked production methods for use in the
factories of the future. Leading Industry 4.0 research organizations like the Fraunhofer Institutes for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), for Labor Economics and Organization (IAO) and for Optronics, System Technologies and Image
Exploitation (IOSB) as well as many Stuttgart University and
KIT institutes are located in Baden-Württemberg. Reutlingen
University and Stuttgart University have joined with the Bosch
Group to establish a study and research center for power electronics, the Robert Bosch Center for Power Electronics. The
Ingenieurwissenschaften@BW 2025 think tank has also begun its work. In its role as a research and teaching cluster, the
Robert Bosch Center for Power Electronics covers the entire
spectrum of higher education, research, technology transfer,
promotion of young talent and scientific professional development in the area of power electronics. Power electronics will
have industrial applications in electro-mobility, photo voltaics,
wind power plants, microelectronics, medicine and drivetrain
technology. The think tank, consisting of representatives from
the scientific and business communities, analyzes the key engineering sciences required to make Industry 4.0 a reality and
makes recommendations.
Medical research and medical technology: The ministries concerned with science and social affairs have collaborated to establish the Health Telematics Task Force in order to improve
telemedicine conditions in Baden-Württemberg for the long
term. In addition, the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts
is supporting the creation of a statewide telemedicine coordination office at the Heidelberg University Faculty of Medicine in
Mannheim with the aim of pooling existing telemedicine skills in
the state.
Excellence Initiative to support university-level scientific
studies and research
Baden-Württemberg has the best track record of all the states
involved in the Excellence Initiative supported by the federal
and state governments. Baden-Württemberg’s universities
currently receive a total of 571 million Euro in funding from
the ongoing 2012–2017 program. The state itself contributes one-quarter of the total amount (host-state share). The
state is ensuring the long-term impact of the Excellence Initiative is retained by permanently allocating budget resources
that benefit the universities concerned. These resources are
equivalent to the state’s previous share, and extend beyond
2017. Baden-Württemberg is home to three of the current 11
Excellence Initiative universities across Germany: the universities of Heidelberg, Constance and Tübingen. BadenWürttemberg’s universities submitted 22 of the 99 approved
applications for the Excellence Initiative II received from German universities. This figure of 22 can be broken down into 12
of the total of 45 graduate schools, seven of the 43 Excellence
Clusters and three of the 11 future concepts.
28
Baden-Württemberg Universities
Source: Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts.
Universities increase their share of external funding
The state advances key research priorities as part of numerous financial support programs and helps its universities recruit top minds. In this respect, the flexible, fixed-term financial support of projects and priorities acts as a catalyst for
the universities to tackle new fields of research, to develop
them further after the support phase and to attract external
funding. That this is often successful is reflected in the fact
that income from external funding comprises the most important source of universities’ own income. In 2012, total income
from external funding set a new record at around 821 million
Euro. Compared with the previous year, income from external
funding increased by 6 percent. This means that universities
financed nearly one-quarter of their expenditure in 2012 using
external funding.
As in previous years, the biggest single share of total external
funding, at 37 percent or 305.5 million Euro, was provided in
2012 by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The second
most important source of external financial support was the
German government, which substantially increased its external
funding by 44.7 million Euro to over 228 million Euro in 2012.
That is equivalent to an increase of over 24 percent at a share
of 28 percent of total external funding.
Supporting the next generation of scientific talent to secure
Baden-Württemberg’s future as a location of innovation
Baden-Württemberg provides targeted support to excellent
young scientists ranging from the point they earn their doctorates to periods of postdoctoral work through to the obtaining
of postdoctoral qualifications. By doing this, the state plays a
significant role in helping the next generation of scientists earn
qualifications. This also improves the employment situation
of the nonprofessorial teaching staff in the higher-education
sector.
Support of graduate-school students: The state helps ensure the quality of doctorate degrees by employing a series
of measures. These measures enhance the transparency and
quality of the process for obtaining a doctorate degree and
improve the mentoring of doctoral candidates. Particularly
well-qualified young arts and science students have the opportunity to receive support for their doctoral projects as part
of the state’s support program for graduate-school students.
The DFG-funded institutionalized support of doctoral candidates through graduate research groups is particularly
successful.
Junior professorship program: Baden-Württemberg’s Junior
Professorship Program supports junior professors in order to
foster new, high-quality research projects at the state’s universities. The requirements for a junior professorship appointment
include suitability to teach and the particular ability to conduct
scientific work.
29
Equal opportunity: A fundamental principle of Baden-Württemberg’s higher-education policy is the promotion of equal
opportunity for women and men in science. The focus here is
on improving the work-life balance for science careers, supporting young female academics, boosting efforts to create
equal opportunities and achieving higher percentages of female students in the natural sciences and technical degree
programs. A key objective is to improve the situation of women
working in scientific-oriented occupations at the state’s institutions of higher learning. The share of women holding professorships at Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher learning has increased steadily in the past few years. In 2013 that
figure was nearly 19 percent. In the case of doctorates (2013:
43.1 percent) and completed postdoctorate work (2013: 28.1
percent), the share of women has also increased substantially.
Special support programs such as the Margarete von Wrangell
Postdoctoral Qualification Program have helped encourage
this trend.
Incubators and start-up networks:

Ministry of Finance and Economics’ Business Start-up and
Business Succession Initiative: www.gruendung-bw.de
Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the
Arts’ Young Innovators Program: www.junge-innovatoren.de
L-Bank: www.l-bank.de
Baden-Württemberg: Connected: www.bwcon.de
Campus Startup Konstanz: www.campus-startup.org
Career- und Gründercenter HS Aalen:
www.htw-aalen.de/de/facilities/7
CONTACT-AS: www.contact-as.de
CyberForum: www.cyberforum.de
EXIST – Business Start-Ups in Science: www.exist.de
Business Start-Up Office at Albert-Ludwigs University
Freiburg: www.gruendung.uni-freiburg.de
Gründerverbund Ulm: www.gruenderverbund-ulm.de
HdM Startup Center: www.hdm-stuttgart.de/startupcenter
Heidelberg Startup Partners: http://heidelberg-startup-partners.de
HTWG Start GmbH: www.htwg-start-gmbh.de
IHK-Campus Start-Up: www.ihk-campus-startup.de
Institute for Entrepreneurship, Technology Management and
Innovation (EnTechnon), Karlsruhe: www.entechnon.kit.edu
KIT Gründerschmiede: http://kit-gruenderschmiede.de
MAFINEX Gründerverbund Entrepreneur Rhein-Neckar:
www.gruenderverbund.info
PUSH!: http://push.region-stuttgart.de
Technology Mountains: www.technologymountains.de
TTI Technologie-Transfer-Initiative GmbH, Stuttgart:
www.tti-stuttgart.de
VC-BW – Netzwerk für Beteiligungskapital: www.vc-bw.de
Softwarezentrum Böblingen/Sindelfingen e. V.:
www.softwarezentrum.de
Innovationsfabrik, Heilbronn: www.innovationsfabrik.de
Innocel Innovations-Center, Lörrach: www.innocel.de
Innotec Pforzheim – Zentrum für Software, Technik und
Design: www.innotec-pforzheim.de
innoWerft – Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Walldorf
Stiftung GmbH: www.innowerft.com
30
Business start-ups from universities and research institutes
The state helps young scientists with innovative start-up
ideas to set up their own businesses. The state’s institutions of
higher learning and research institutes provide a good incubation environment where start-ups with innovative products and
services can grow. Baden-Württemberg also provides targeted
business-transfer and succession support. For this reason, the
state offers a wide range of information, training and consulting
services as well as support and financial instruments to highly
qualified people who take the daring step of starting their own
companies.
The Young Innovators Support Program is designed to appeal
to young scientific staff and science graduates of Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher learning and publicly funded
nonuniversity research institutes. It supports specific preparations for business start-ups under the auspices of a university or
research institute. Since establishment of this line of funding in
1995, the state has supported more than 211 projects and 328
young start-up entrepreneurs. In particular, the scientific spectrum encompasses sectors with a promising future, including
optoelectronics, biotechnology, medical and solar technology,
automation engineering and software development.
The state’s official Internet portal for business start-up, transfer
and succession, www.gruendung-bw.de, is an integral component of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics’ Initiative for Start-ups and Business Transfer, or ifex.
It provides detailed information specific to particular industries,
topics and target groups for start-up entrepreneurs and people seeking to acquire or transfer a business in Baden-Württemberg. Start-up alliances and incubators help young entrepreneurs remain on campus during the start-up phase of their
businesses and conveniently use the resources available at institutions of higher learning and research centers.
L-Bank, working in cooperation with the state of Baden-Württemberg, other support institutions and the European Social
Fund, promotes business start-ups. Its portfolio of services for
young entrepreneurs includes development loans, venture capital, mezzanine capital and loan guarantees. In addition, L-Bank
operates three technology parks as meeting places for science
and industry. By doing so, it creates synergies: partnerships
and the exchange of experiences, knowledge and technology
transfer and contact to political and business leaders. Attractive locations with good access to transportation infrastructure
near institutions of higher learning and research institutes are
augmented by integrated company infrastructure and services.
These broad-based offerings in the technology parks relieve
pressure from companies and allow them to focus on their core
businesses.
Technologiepark Karlsruhe GmbH (TPK) bundles a number of
location benefits with the potential of the leading research and
technology region of Karlsruhe. About 70 innovative companies
with more than 3,000 employees are currently operating in 12
buildings.
Technologiepark Tübingen-Reutlingen GmbH (TTR) is a
representative example of innovation in the areas of bioand nanotechnology. With a broad range of institutions of
higher learning, research institutes and hospitals, the parks
offer an excellent environment for technology transfer
between the scientific community and practical application. At
TTR in Tübingen, the Start-up Center for Biotechnology leases
fully equipped laboratories to new companies. In Reutlingen,
flexible space is available for use as offices, laboratories and
even clean rooms.
The Stuttgarter Engineering Park GmbH (STEP) has more than
95,000 square meters of customizable office space available.
More than 50 interdisciplinary companies with over 3,500 employees have already set up shop in STEP.
to information about studying in
 Links
Baden-Württemberg:
www.studieninfo-bw.de
www.bw-studyguide.com
www.was-studiere-ich.de
www.talent-aktiv-bw.de
www.deutschlandstipendium.de
www.studieren-mit-kindern.de
http://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de
2.2.2 UNIVERSITY DEGREE PROGRAMS AND
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher learning offer young
people from Germany and abroad an abundance of degreeprogram options with a large number of educational paths.
Students can choose from universities, colleges of education,
colleges of art and music, universities of applied sciences and
the Cooperative State University, all offering an array of majors and study options. In addition to the qualification options,
the state offers students at every higher-education location an
attractive urban environment and high quality of life. Tuition
costs are also moderate, thanks to state subsidies.
As part of a life-long-learning approach, continuing education is
also becoming more relevant for students with work experience
and professional qualifications. As a result, for several years
now an increasing number of people who hold jobs have been
attending Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher learning
to obtain additional qualifications in study programs designed
for working professionals. At the same time, the number of flexible, educational opportunities for working professionals is constantly expanding. To enable working students to balance their
studies with their careers and family obligations, institutions of
higher learning are breaking the traditional teaching mold. This
approach includes, for example, employing different principles
of teaching and providing more learning opportunities that are
not dependent on time or place through the use of online and
blended-learning programs.
31
University model is unique in Germany and continues to be a
very successful educational innovation. In this model, theoretical phases taking place at institutions of higher learning alternate with practical phases carried out at a company.
The number of students attending Baden-Württemberg‘s institutions of higher learning has never before been so high as now.
According to the State Statistical Office, more than 344,000
students attended the state’s institutions of higher learning during winter semester 2013/14. More than half of these students
were enrolled at state universities (almost 51 percent), followed
by universities of applied sciences (almost 40 percent when
taken together with the Cooperative State University) and
colleges of education (7 percent).
International study opportunities
Buildings at the Tübingen-Reutlingen technology park.
Source: Technologiepark Tübingen-Reutlingen GmbH.
Institutions of higher learning
The institutions of higher learning in Baden-Württemberg boast
high standards for research and teaching. Students can choose
among:
@ Nine universities
@ Twenty-three universities of applied sciences
@ Six colleges of education
@ Nine branches of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative
State University
@ Eight colleges of art and music
@ One administration and economics academy
@ One film academy
@ One pop academy
@ One academy of dramatic arts
@ Twenty-seven state-approved private universities
Baden-Württemberg is practically unrivaled in Germany for the
broad diversity of choices in the institutions of higher learning
and degree programs it offers potential students. The state‘s
institutions of higher learning perform well in comparison
with international counterparts. These institutions continually place highly in German and international rankings, including the CHE University Ranking. The universities of Heidelberg
and Tübingen were among the top five German universities for
2014/15 in THE World University Rankings. The international
reputation of Baden-Württemberg‘s institutions of higher
learning attracts many students from Germany and abroad.
The state‘s colleges of art and music teach young artists and
performers from all over the world. The Cooperative State
Across nearly all disciplines, the degree programs at the state’s
institutions of higher learning are very international in character.
Within this context, such aspects as digital networks, international exchanges and partnerships are playing an increasingly important role. In the course of Europeanization and globalization, gaining international experience has become substantially
more relevant to students. This is reflected in the fact that
many students at Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher
learning complete a semester abroad or even a full degree program in other countries. For that reason, students interested
in studying abroad can take advantage of a large number of
state programs, university partnerships and scholarships. This
includes, for instance, the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM,
which provides financial aid to around 1,200 students studying
outside Germany each year.
Mobility in education going in the other direction is also on the
rise. In the winter semester 2013/14, the share of international
students attending Baden-Württemberg’s institutions of higher
learning grew to 12.4 percent. At this point in time, a total of
42,600 foreign students were studying at Baden-Württemberg’s
institutions of higher learning. In particular, the introduction of
internationally comparable study structures with bachelor’s and
master’s degrees initiated as part of the Bologna process is promoting the development of a shared European region of higher
education.
Information about study programs for immigrants
Baden-Württemberg welcomes applications from people
with an immigrant background who are interested in studying at one of the state’s institutions of higher learning. The
www.talent-aktiv-bw.de Internet portal provides initial information on this topic. In addition, the service point Studieninformation, -orientierung und -beratung (SIOB) stands ready to advise
potential students on their choice of a suitable major and to
assist them in organizing their degree program.
32
Students from Reutlingen
University at a textile
design press.
Source: Atelier Scheuring.
University websites:

www.uni-freiburg.de
www.uni-heidelberg.de
www.uni-hohenheim.de
www.kit.edu
www.uni-konstanz.de
www.uni-mannheim.de
www.uni-stuttgart.de
www.uni-tuebingen.de
www.uni-ulm.de
Universities
At the core of Baden-Württemberg’s higher education systems are the nine state universities. In this system, students
both receive a sound, theory-focused education and learn how
high-level research and teaching can be interlinked. The universities regularly place very high in the various German rankings
as well as compete well at the international level. They provide
ongoing support in various areas to Baden-Württemberg in its
role as a science location. These efforts include fostering young
scientists, promoting technology transfers, providing continuing
education opportunities and extensively exchanging information
with companies.
Offering a particularly broad spectrum of subjects and
disciplines are Baden-Württemberg’s oldest universities in
Heidelberg, Freiburg and Tübingen. The universities in Karlsruhe
and Stuttgart are, in particular, specialized in engineering and
the natural sciences. Hohenheim, Constance, Mannheim and
Ulm universities each have their own particular subject focal
points and degree programs. In one reflection of this, Mannheim University is well known for the sound education it provides
in economics and social science. Hohenheim University focuses on economics and agricultural science. As a public entity,
the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) holds the status
of both a university and a major national research center within
the Helmholtz Association (see box on p. 33).
Upon completion of their studies, students graduate with one of
the following degrees:
@ Bachelor’s
@ Master’s
@ State examination
A bachelor’s degree can be earned within six to eight semesters.
A master’s degree can be earned after completing two to four
additional semesters with a specific area of focus. Some majors allow students to earn a degree at a foreign university—in
addition to the German degree—within the framework of an
integrated international study program. After graduation, a
student may enter a doctoral program with the option of then
pursuing other academic qualifications, such as a junior professorship, or postdoctoral research.
Universities of applied sciences:

www.hs-aalen.de
www.hs-albsig.de
www.hochschule-biberach.de
www.hs-esslingen.de
www.hs-furtwangen.de
www.hs-heilbronn.de
www.hs-karlsruhe.de
www.hs-kehl.de
www.htwg-konstanz.de
www.hs-ludwigsburg.de
www.hs-mannheim.de
www.hfwu.de
www.fh-offenburg.de
www.hs-pforzheim.de
www.hs-weingarten.de
www.reutlingen-university.de
www.hs-rottenburg.de
www.hfg-gmuend.de
www.hdm-stuttgart.de
www.fht-stuttgart.de
www.hs-ulm.de
www.fhpol-vs.de
www.fh-schwetzingen.de
THE KARLSRUHE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(KIT)—GERMANY’S LARGEST RESEARCH AND
TEACHING ORGANIZATION
KIT in its present form was established in 2009 as part of
Germany’s first merger of a major university, the University
of Karlsruhe, with a major nonuniversity national research
organization, the Karlsruhe Research Center in the Helmholtz Association. As a public entity, KIT unites university
and nonuniversity research, provides excellent instruction
to its students and lays the foundation for a wide range
of product and process innovations. The new institute has
around 9,000 employees, 20,000 students, more than 300
professors and an annual budget of about 700 million Euro.
The focal points of KIT research are energy, nano- and
microtechnology, the environment and climate issues as
well as elementary and astroparticle physics. KIT is also
involved in materials science, communications and information technologies, optics and photonics as well as research
in the area of mobility systems.
Link to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT):

www.kit.edu
Universities of applied sciences
of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative
 Branches
State University:
The 23 universities of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg are particularly synonymous with the concept of
combining science with practical experience. A comprehensive network of these universities strengthens the economy
as well as structural aspects of Baden-Württemberg as a
whole and the individual regions. In cooperation with the
state’s business community, universities of applied sciences educate students to become qualified workers. They also
make university personnel and equipment resources available for knowledge and technology transfer. Nearly all
state-sponsored universities of applied sciences have an
institute for applied research that serves as a point of contact for companies wanting to collaborate with the institution
of higher learning on research.
www.dhbw.de
www.dhbw-heidenheim.de
www.heilbronn.dhbw.de
www.dhbw-karlsruhe.de
www.dhbw-loerrach.de
www.dhbw-mannheim.de
www.dhbw-mosbach.de
www.dhbw-ravensburg.de
www.dhbw-stuttgart.de
www.dhbw-vs.de
Colleges of education
In the colleges of education that train teachers, Baden-Württemberg has its very own form of institution of higher learning that can also award doctoral and postdoctoral degrees,
a feature that differentiates it from other German states.
The high-quality, hands-on training of teachers for elementary, intermediate, secondary general, intermediate and special schools is highly focused and upholds strong academic
standards.
33
Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University
Baden-Württemberg State Cooperative University (DHBW)
can be regarded as one of the state’s most successful educational innovations. After all, it has earned a reputation as a
highly respected, proven and forward-looking model of tertiary
education. The education of students at the university closely links theory learned in the classroom with practices implemented in business. The nine branches of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University in Heidenheim, Heilbronn,
Karlsruhe, Lörrach, Mannheim, Mosbach, Ravensburg,
Stuttgart and Villingen-Schwenningen currently have more than
33,000 students and partner with around 9,000 companies and
social services agencies. The broad spectrum of majors focuses
in particular on business administration, technology and social
work.
34
When it established the Center for Advanced Studies in
Heilbronn in October 2014, the DHBW brought together its
dual master’s degree programs with continuing education opportunities in the sciences, the Zentrum für Hochschuldidaktik
und lebenslanges Lernen and the DHBW Test Center. DHBW
has now gained university status, which significantly raises the
national and international stature of dual-study programs that
draw from Baden-Württemberg’s model. Other key features of
the Cooperative State University include a commitment to collaborative research, training company membership in the Cooperative State University and their participation in committees
and working groups.
Colleges of music, the arts and media (a selection):

www.adk-bw.de
www.mh-freiburg.de
www.hfg-karlsruhe.de
www.hfm-karlsruhe.de
www.kunstakademie-karlsruhe.de
www.filmakademie.de
www.muho-mannheim.de
www.popakademie.de
www.mh-stuttgart.de
www.abk-stuttgart.de
www.mh-trossingen.de
Colleges of art and music
Baden-Württemberg offers a wide variety of college-level educational opportunities in all branches of the arts. The five
colleges of music, three art schools, the Pop Academy, the
Baden-Württemberg Film Academy and the Academy of the
Performing Arts train students for the entire spectrum of careers
in the arts: artists, teachers, managers and producers. In addition to traditional arts, new media and new technologies play an
important role at all these colleges.
Private university links (a selection):

Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen: www.zu.de
SRH Hochschule Heidelberg: www.hochschule-heidelberg.de
Internationale Karlshochschule: www.karlshochschule.de
AKAD Bildungsgesellschaft: www.akad.de
Private universities
Private universities complement the educational programs offered by public universities. With 27 private universities, BadenWürttemberg has the most such institutions of higher learning
in Germany. The state’s Ministry of Science assures the quality
of academic programs offered by private institutions of higher learning by conducting careful reviews and accreditation
processes and then issuing state certification to the specific
institutions.
Professional development links (a selection):

www.fortbildung-bw.de
www.handwerks-power.de
www.bildungsakademie.de
www.steinbeis.de/index.php?id=119/L=0
www.biwe.de
www.dgwf.net
College-level professional development
Given the rapid changes sweeping through the world of work,
lifelong learning is an indispensable component of the knowledge society of the 21st century. In 2011, Baden-Württemberg
had already launched its Bündnis für Lebenslanges Lernen
(Alliance for Lifelong Learning, or BLLL). Members of this
alliance include around 40 Baden-Württemberg umbrella
associations, organizations and individual institutions involved in
general, vocational and college-level professional-development
programs as well as the relevant government ministries. Those
interested in this topic will find a summary of information and
points of contact at the www.fortbildung-bw.de Internet portal.
The state’s institutions of higher learning are playing an increasingly more important role as places of lifelong learning. In the
future, even more students with work experience or professional
qualifications will be able to make use of these universities and
colleges for professional development. The number of flexible,
part-time educational opportunities is constantly expanding. In
the past few years Baden-Württemberg has made the transition from career to university or college easier: Institutions of
higher learning will take skills acquired over the course of
a career more into consideration. Graduates of recognized
career-advancement training such as, for instance, master
craftspeople and specialists can access general higher education programs. Those with professional qualifications and at
least two years of vocational training can qualify for subjectrelated entry to these general higher education programs
once they have completed a proficiency test. Admission to the
proficiency test generally requires three years of professional
experience. Introduction of the extension bachelor’s degree in
the new State Higher Education Act of 2014 provides people
who have already completed vocational training at the secondary-school level access to a new undergraduate degree program.
The state’s Master Online program supports the establishment
of multimedia, online-assisted postgraduate programs in selected disciplines. The target group of these degree programs is
college graduates who now have jobs and who want to enhance
their qualifications by adding specialized technical content. The
program is conducted in conjunction with participants’ normal
work schedules and can be primarily completed by taking supported online courses. The degree programs lead to a master’s
degree.
Another example of the close cooperation between the state
and regional institutions with respect to the issue of college-
level professional development is the Servicestelle Hochschulwirtschaft. Here the state works closely with the Educational
Institute of Industry and Commerce in Baden-Württemberg, in
particular Südwestmetall, the regional association of the metal
and electrical industry. The state has also established a partnership with the Baden-Württemberg group of the German
Association for University Continuing and Distance Education.
The partnership brings together the continuing education departments of the state’s institutions of higher learning.
The dual vocational education program:

www.gut-ausgebildet.de
www.service-bw.de (about employees’ circumstances)
The dual vocational education program
The second route to completing a degree at an institution of
higher learning is nonacademic vocational training within
the dual education system, a parallel program at a company
and in a vocational school. The dual education system closely links practical training with theoretical instruction. Trainees
learn the practical side of work at the companies where they
train, while the vocational school provide the theoretical underpinning. During the training program, young people are increasingly integrated into the company’s work flow. In Germany, there
are about 350 government-approved training occupations. In
Baden-Württemberg, approximately 196,000 young people
completed such training programs in 2013—more than half of
each age group.
By completing a dual vocational education program, young people fulfill the basic three-year vocational-training requirement.
Young people who do not start a vocational training program
after finishing secondary school and also do not attend a continuing vocational school initially fulfill their vocational training requirement in a one-year program of vocational preparation or vocational orientation. In addition to the dual system,
young people have the option of receiving vocational training
at a technical school or—for students with an intermediate
secondary education—at vocational colleges. There is also the
option of continuing vocational education at a technical college.
In a separate program, young people can obtain a higher-level
high-school diploma all the way up to the Abitur by attending
two-year vocational-training schools, vocational preparatory
schools, vocational colleges and vocational college-preparatory
secondary schools.
In Baden-Württemberg, practically all young people who want
to complete a dual vocational education program obtain a place
by taking one of the routes described above. That can enter
an actual apprenticeship program or complete the one-year
vocational-preparation program or earn an introductory qualification by attending a continuing vocational secondary school
or a career-preparation course. This very comprehensive
inclusion of all young people with their professional careers can
be attributed to the close cooperation among the government,
35
the business community, trade unions, the Federal Employment
Agency and municipalities.
The low youth unemployment rates are also a testament to the
success of labor-market policies in Baden-Württemberg and
to the dual vocational training program in Germany. In September 2015, youth unemployment totaled just 3.1 percent in
Baden-Württemberg. This is the lowest rate in Germany and
also one of the lowest rates in Europe. The fact that so many
young people can commence vocational training after completing their secondary school education can, in particular, be attributed to the companies in the state that are willing to provide
training and offer a large number of apprenticeship positions.
Today’s school graduates are tomorrow’s working professionals whom Baden-Württemberg as a business location urgently
needs. The great interest being shown by other European countries and the United States in the dual vocational training program demonstrates that its success has gained international
recognition and success.
36
3 ECONOMIC STRUCTURE AND
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
@ The land of tinkerers and thinkers, of start-up entrepreneurs and exporters, has a broad-based,
technically advanced economic structure that is unrivaled anywhere in the world. Baden-Württemberg
is home to global corporations as well as to international midsized companies that have become niche
market leaders by providing specialized solutions and good service. Competing on the global market
while remaining rooted in the region has created a corporate landscape that is able to preserve jobs
and capital resources in tough economic times as well as unleash new vitality in boom times. In one
reflection of this, Baden-Württemberg’s economic output in 2015 is likely to have increased by more
than 2 percent and once again have grown faster than the German average. For highly qualified skilled
professionals from Germany and abroad, these are ideal conditions—conditions that are augmented
by a wide range of personal-development opportunities available in communities throughout the state.
3.1 ECONOMIC STRUCTURE
Industry with a service culture—part of the state’s cultural DNA
A glance at the histories of long-established Baden-Württemberg businesses consistently reveals a key driving force behind
the company founders: the search for a better solution. This
credo is still present in midsized companies and major corporations that maintain programs fostering employee inventions
and suggestions as the primary source of their power to innovate. It is therefore no coincidence that Baden-Württemberg
is Europe’s most innovative region. The state has traditionally headed the German rankings in terms of per capita patent
applications.
Work on a notching press.
Source: Schuler AG.
Continuous enhancement of products and processes coupled
with a pronounced willingness to change has launched a large
number of Baden-Württemberg’s companies to the top in their
respective international markets. Industrial expertise and business excellence are sustained through a strong focus on the
customer focus and a marked service mentality. Outside of companies and their market environments, this culture is reflected
in residents’ involvement in their communities and strong civic
competence. As a result, Baden-Württemberg is also among
the leading states in Germany in terms of its citizens’ volunteer
activities.
Baden-Württemberg’s companies have developed a successful
international value-creation strategy that draws on technological and entrepreneurial skills along with cultural and social
Map of regional clusters in Baden-Württemberg
Source: Cluster Atlas Baden-Württemberg 2015, Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics.
37
38
awareness. The business creativity of the major corporations
and midsized companies that represent the Baden-Württemberg brand worldwide is sweeping, encompassing the power
to innovate, close cooperation with local research and science
institutes on project partnerships, joint research activities and
skills networks as well as technology- and industry-focused
clusters and the establishment of cross-border networks of
suppliers, production facilities and sales centers. The international partners and competitors of these companies are also
aware of this fact. That is why they want to tap into the source
of this success by investing in the state.
In striving to achieve maximum production efficiency and offer
the best solutions to customers, companies in Baden-Württemberg focus on cutting-edge technology sectors like mechanical
engineering, electrical engineering and vehicle manufacturing
as well as on cross-sector industries like environmental and
energy engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), photonics, microsystems engineering, materials and
surface-finish technology, and bio- and nanotechnology. The
state and the business community are committed to these industries of the future in order to maintain their own leadership
and enhance their expertise in dealing with the structural transformation of industry. As part of the Forward IT initiative, ICT
industry stakeholders in the state have joined forces to form the
IKT-Allianz Baden-Württemberg (ICT Alliance Baden-Württemberg). The objective of this alliance is to play an active role in
the process of digital transformation and advance this critical
area. Key players have jointed together to form the Industry 4.0
Alliance and pool their activities to support small and midsized
enterprises and their employees on the path to Industry 4.0.
Daimler AG, is regarded as one of the most respected industrial companies in the world, just like Porsche, Bosch, Würth,
Trumpf and Voith. All these global players bear the names of
Baden-Württemberg families and are to some extent still under
family ownership today. Companies like SAP, which was founded by former IBM managers and has advanced to become one
of the world’s leading software service providers, represent the
entrepreneurial spirit of the people in Baden-Württemberg.
But it is the small and midsized enterprises (SMEs), which have
competed successfully in international markets for a considerable time now, and the self-employed, whose business activities often occupy key points in the value chain, who create
the basis for this industrial efficiency and excellence. Twothirds of all jobs and 80 percent of trainee positions in BadenWürttemberg are provided by midsized companies. As a result,
this sector generates more than half of the state’s economic
output. Together with the major corporations, small and midsized businesses incorporate a wide range of different activities,
giving Baden-Württemberg exceptional industrial diversity.
In addition, companies are closely linked across industries
and form regional manufacturing and skills networks. These
regional clusters are complemented by the state’s extensive
research landscape consisting of institutions of higher learning,
nonuniversity research organizations and private institutes, which
together champion the enhancement of industrial know-how.
This industrial performance and efficiency extends throughout the state, with none of the 44 urban districts and counties
can be regarded as structurally weak. The distinct strengths
and industrial focal points of the regions have each resulted in
differing employee qualification patterns that guarantee a high
degree of job security, even in times of crisis.
Global excellence
Competitiveness and effective networks have enabled
Baden-Württemberg’s companies to attain worldwide leadership in their respective industries. In 2015, Mercedes-Benz was
again voted Germany’s most valuable brand. Its brand parent,
Thanks to the continuous investments being made in research
and development in Germany, Baden-Württemberg is the leading German state and one of the leading regions in the EU in
terms of complex, forward-looking technologies. Of all the
states in Germany, Baden-Württemberg invests the most in
Industrial structure
5.1
2.5
2.2 2.1
1.8
24.7
5.1
Mechanical engineering
Manufacture of motor
vehicles and components
5.0
Manufacture of other goods
Manufacture of
data-processing systems,
electronic and optical
products
Manufacture of rubber
and plastic products
8.1
17.6
11.9
13.9
Manufacture of metal
products
Manufacture of
electrical equipment
Manufacture of food
and feed
Production of pharmaceutical products
Production of paper,
cardboard and products
Metal production and
processing
Manufacture of
chemical products
Share of Baden-Württemberg’s workforce involved in manufacturing, in % ; annual result = monthly average; total of 1,073,313 employees.
Source: Baden-Württemberg Statistical Office.
research and development. Expenditure on research and development as a share of gross domestic product is 4.8 percent
(see chapter 2, p. 24). Institutions of higher learning, external
research institutes and transfer centers between the scientific
and business communities are key components of the state’s
research infrastructure. For this reason, the state is strengthening business-related research institutes and facilitating successful technology transfers, particularly to SMEs. This is also
reflected in the fact that the state is a creative hotbed of invention: With more than 14,500 patent applications to the German
Patent and Trademark Office in 2014, Baden-Württemberg is
only second to Bavaria in terms of absolute figures. No other
state files as many patents per capita as Baden-Württemberg.
In 2014, the most active patent applicant was Robert Bosch
GmbH, at well over 4,000 applications. The majority of patent
applications in Germany are filed by vehicle manufacturers and
mechanical-engineering companies.
Industry and services
Baden-Württemberg’s economy features four leading industries: mechanical engineering, vehicle manufacturing, information and communications technology, and electrical engineering. Together they generate around two-thirds of total industry
revenues in the state. More than half of the capital goods produced are exported abroad. Alongside these lead industries, the
metal-processing, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries are
also major elements of Baden-Württemberg’s industrial profile.
The state’s industrial sector has an international focus: In 2014,
companies with more than 50 employees achieved an export
share of 56.3 percent in terms of sales abroad as a share of
total sales.
In Baden-Württemberg, the manufacturing industry—that is, industry and construction, recorded a higher share of value added
than in any other German state. In 2014, nearly 40 percent of
gross value creation was attributed to the manufacturing industry and about 60 percent to services. Despite the inverted
proportions of gross value creation, the manufacturing industry
has a much greater macroeconomic impact than the services
sector because of its strong interconnectedness to industryrelated service providers. In recent years, the service sector in
Baden-Württemberg has grown dynamically. In addition to the
traditionally strong manufacturing industry, company-related
and consumer-focused services have rapidly expanded. Among
company-related services, research and development, media,
information and communications services, consulting services
and financial services are particularly successful.
The dynamic growth of the services industry is also reflected in
employment figures. In 2014, a total of 6 million people were
employed in the Baden-Württemberg economy. Of this number,
the services sector employed 4 million people, the manufacturing industry nearly 1.9 million, and agriculture and forestry
nearly 0.1 million. Nearly every other person working in the state
primarily holds a service-related job like planning, research
and organization. As a result, a total of about four-fifths of the
39
state’s employed residents have a service-related job. Retailing,
the leisure industry, financial services and self-employed professionals are widely represented in the state’s services sector.
The traditional yet innovative crafts and trades industry rounds
out Baden-Württemberg’s economic structure.
Baden-Württemberg is characterized by a multifaceted variety
of economic clusters. Many companies, research institutes and
universities have joined regional cluster initiatives and statewide
networks. Clusters are innovative, regional business associations. In regional clusters, companies—including competitors—
work together to conduct goal-oriented work with partners from
research institutes, the scientific community and trade associations. The shared goal is to increase the total benefit of a
company’s own business activity. This facilitates innovation
processes through an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge
and experience. Concrete results can include innovative products and services for domestic and international markets. The
“2015 Baden-Württemberg Regional Cluster Atlas” captures
information about these specialties within a single publication.
The ClusterAgentur Baden-Württemberg provides support to
cluster initiatives and statewide networks to help them continue
to professionalize their operations.
to the regional cluster atlas and to the cluster
 Link
database:
http://s.faz-i.de/4pa
www.clusterportal-bw.de/clusterdatenbank/clusterdb/Cluster/
list
3.2 REGIONAL ECONOMIC CLUSTERS
Automotive industry
Baden-Württemberg is Germany’s leading location for the manufacture of motor vehicles and their components. One out of every
four jobs in the automotive industry is located in Baden-Württemberg. More than one-fifth of industry revenues are generated
in the state, and about 30 percent of capital expenditures made
by the industry throughout Germany are generated in BadenWürttemberg locations. In Baden-Württemberg, the industry
is home to world-renowned brands, leading automakers and a
strong supplier sector with companies that cover a broad spectrum of the value chain. The automakers work very closely with
their suppliers. Suppliers from other industries also play an important role. They primarily come from the information and communications technology and the electrical-engineering sectors as well
as the metal and the rubber and plastics industries.
Mechanical engineering is the largest industrial employer in the
state. It is followed by motor-vehicle and vehicle-component
manufacturing, a key industrial sector with 225,000 employees
and revenues of almost 100 billion Euro. The industry generates most of its revenues in international markets (around 70
billion Euro). There is hardly any other industry that is so export
oriented. A total of 40 percent of revenues generated abroad by
40
INDUSTRY 4.0—MADE IN BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG
The digitization of industrial production is regarded as the
fourth industrial revolution, which structures the production
of goods in the form of networks of suppliers, producers and
customers. It facilitates a flexible and efficient use of resources as well as a focus on customer requirements all the
way through made-to-specification industrial production. The
cyberphysical systems needed for this process have been a
reality since the start of the new millennium as a result of
miniaturization of the necessary electronics, software enhancements, interlinking with the Internet of Things and the
development of smart mechatronics.
Baden-Württemberg is striving to become a leading Industry
4.0 location. For that reason the state established the Allianz Industrie 4.0 Baden-Württemberg in March 2015 in order
to link all the relevant stakeholders. Mechanical- and electricalengineering companies in Baden-Württemberg are jointly
developing the basis for smart, networked production
methods in the factories of the future in tandem with the IT industry. This also involves improved cooperation among various
sectors in conjunction with an optimization of value chains
and industrial processes. Key issues here include new work
environments, security, standardization and the development
of new business models.
Baden-Württemberg as an industry location is in a position to
demonstrate its ability to innovate through the enhancement
of production methods. Convergence with the Internet-based
economy increases the appeal of industrial companies to
digital-native job applicants and to jobseekers with programming and application knowledge related to the web-based
solutions required by Industry 4.0. A critical requirement for the
formation of an effective network interlinking Baden-Württemberg’s decentrally located industrial companies is comprehensive availability of high Internet-connection transmission rates
(broadband connections with at least 50 MBit/s).
Baden-Württemberg’s companies and institutes also cooperate closely with other organizations in Germany and
abroad. A very successful example of this type of cooperation is the SmartFactoryKL in Kaiserslautern, the world’s
first cross-manufacturer Industry 4.0 plant. The system’s
modular structure facilitates fast, flexible configuration of
production lines. Modules supplied by various technology
the state’s industry can be attributed to this sector. Its export
share is 73 percent due to the rapid spread of globalization.
Seventy-five percent of international revenues are now generated
doing business with customers outside the eurozone.
In addition, Baden-Württemberg has a strong structure, with
more than 1,000 automotive suppliers, many productionequipment suppliers and service providers from various sectors.
A survey carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and
companies based in Baden-Württemberg, such as Bosch
Rexroth, Festo, Hirschmann, Pilz, SAP and Wittenstein have
been incorporated into the SmartFactoryKL. These companies are contributing smart sensor and actuator technology
as well as interfaces and software and are jointly developing the necessary know-how to achieve outright digitization and integration of industrial value chains. Other components include IT infrastructure and IT security, which are
provided in Baden-Württemberg by, for example, Leuze elektronik, HMS, Industrla Networks, Pepperl und Fuchs, AlcatelLucent, telent, Festo and Balluf as well as by WIBUSystems and Avira.
In total more than 1 million people in Baden-Württemberg
work in sectors that are directly related to Industry 4.0.
Other sectors besides mechanical engineering and vehicle
manufacturing include the metal, electrical-engineering and
electronics industries as well as ICT services. Revenues generated by these sectors totaled more than 270 billion Euro
in 2014, which is equivalent to around 60 percent of the
state’s economic output. The outlook for demand in the next
few years is positive: According to a study carried out by the
consulting company PwC, those German companies surveyed
want to invest around half of their equipment budgets in Industry 4.0 projects. The interest in investing in digitization and
smart networks shown by plant and mechanical-engineering
companies and by the ICT industry is rather high.
Sectors involved in Industry 4.0 in Baden-Württemberg:
(2014; basis: companies with more than 20 employees)
Sector
Revenues (in M€)
Employees
Mechanical engineering
70,761
304,476
Vehicle manufacturing
98,676
225,389
Metal production and
processing, manufacturing
of metal products
31,861
168,906
Manufacturing of electrical
equipment
21,869
99,812
Manufacturing of computer
equipment as well as electronic and optical devices
13,623
62,200
Information and
communication services1
36,711
153,766
1) Details relate to 2013.
Source: Baden-Württemberg State Statistics Office.
Innovations Research (ISI) revealed that around 13 percent of
all employees in the chemicals industry, around 20 percent of
workers in the rubber and plastics industry and around 32 percent of all employees in the metal-working and metal-processing industry can, in a broader sense, be considered as working
for automotive suppliers. Like the automakers themselves, the
vehicle-supplier industry enjoys an excellent reputation around the
world. It is characterized, in particular, by exceptional flexibility and
responds to globalization trends among automakers in the process.
41
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is one of the most important cross-sector
technologies of the 21st century. Its focal point is red biotechnology, which primarily addresses the issues of biopharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine and diagnostic tests. Other
fields include green and white biotechnology. This technology
field cannot be restricted to a few industries. Rather, it applies
to many application areas, primarily medical technology, pharmaceuticals and chemistry. Its range includes bioprocess engineering, medical-pharmaceutical biotechnology, food biotechnology, genetic engineering, bioinformatics, nano-biotechnology and
stem-cell therapy. The industry’s business is stable, with taxable
revenues totaling 2.4 billion Euro in both of the past two years.
Systems that provide more assistance to drivers. Source: Daimler AG.
Vehicle manufacturing in Baden-Württemberg consists of several
major companies on the production and system-supplier side as
well a wide range of small and midsized enterprises among the
suppliers. In one reflection of this, around 40 vehicle and engine
makers are located in the state, with Daimler AG and Porsche AG
leading the way. Audi AG also has an important production and
development location in the state. In the commercial-vehicle and
auto-tuning sector, such major companies as Mercedes-Benz
Trucks, Volvo Busse Deutschland GmbH, Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, Mercedes-AMG GmbH, quattro GmbH and BBS
Kraftfahrzeugtechnik AG are based in the state.
Eleven of the 12 regions in the state have been designated
automotive clusters. Mass-produced automotive products
and vehicle end products are manufactured in the regions of
Stuttgart, Heilbronn-Franconia, Danube-Iller, the mid–High
Rhine region and the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan area. The
automotive industry is characterized by a broad range of
value-creation activities. The regional clusters set up in the
state have also been incorporated into a statewide innovation
network under the umbrella of Automotive-BW.
Automakers and their suppliers can draw on the substantial
know-how of specialists, engineers and research institutes in
Baden-Württemberg. The state’s institutions of higher learning
train young skilled workers by offering vocational training and
courses of study in construction and process engineering, vehicle
technology and engineering, mobility technology, and mechanical and plant engineering required for production. Issues involving all aspects of the automobile are explored by institutions
of higher learning and business-related research institutes. The
focus of such research is sustainable mobility, including alternative drive systems, lightweight construction and smart traffic
systems. According to the study “Technologien, Tüftler und Talente” (“Technologies, Tinkerers and the Talented”) conducted by
management-consulting firm McKinsey & Company and by the
Institute for Applied Economic Research (IAW) at the University
of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg can generate added value of
3 billion Euro to 5 billion Euro annually through 2020 with products and services from the area of sustainable mobility.
With nearly 100 companies and more than 2,700 employees,
Baden-Württemberg is one of Germany’s leading biotechnology
locations. As a result, Baden-Württemberg is the second-biggest
biotechnology location in Germany, with a complete value chain
that extends from research and development to production and
sales. Both small and midsized companies, like the third-largest contract manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals, Rentschler
Biotechnologie GmbH, as well as global corporations like Roche,
Boehringer Ingelheim and Aesculap, are representative of this
industry in Baden-Württemberg. Baden-Württemberg has one
of Germany’s highest concentrations of biotechnology activities.
About 45 percent of companies have fewer than 10 employees
and an additional 45 percent have up to 50 employees.
Biotechnology is a new, knowledge-intensive technology and an
important source of innovative products and processes. Eight
universities, 11 universities of applied sciences, 19 nonuniversity
research institutes and four university medical centers conduct
biotechnology-relevant research with a high level of innovation
for the health-care industry. An example: The cutting-edge
BioRN cluster in the Rhine-Neckar-region includes, for instance,
Heidelberg University, the German Cancer Research Center and
the European Molecular Biology Laboratory as well as international companies like Roche, Merck Serono and AbbVie and
around 80 SMEs. Bioparks, which receive financial support from
the state and are open to business start-ups, are located in
this area as well as in the regions of Ulm and Freiburg and in
the Stuttgart metropolitan region. L-Bank offers two technology
parks that concentrate on bio- and nanotechnology in Tübingen
and Reutlingen (Technologiepark Tübingen-Reutlingen, or TTR).
Energy
Baden-Württemberg provides a good business environment
to energy service providers and manufacturers of energy
technologies used in both conventional power generation
and renewable energy usage. The state has a high level
of renewable-energy expertise and is a pioneer in fuel-cell
technology. The development of new fuel-cell technologies
for wide-scale use is of major relevance, especially to the
automotive industry. Companies from different industries are
actively involved in this segment: In one example of this, the
42
Mechatronics training at ABB.
Source: ABB.
vehicle manufacturer Daimler conducts research through its
subsidiary NuCellSys. Suppliers such as Freudenberg and
Mann + Hummel as well as energy providers like Energie
Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW) are working on solutions to
this forward-looking issue.
Around 4,000 companies employing some 31,000 people are
involved in the energy-supply sector in Baden-Württemberg.
Renewable energies are playing an increasingly important role
in their businesses. In the wind-energy segment, more than
200 supplier companies in Baden-Württemberg are developing
and producing systems and components for companies in the
wind industry, including familiar manufacturers like Liebherr and
Voith Turbo. In the hydropower segment, two of the world’s most
important specialists for hydropower units, Voith Hydro and
Andritz Hydro, are represented in the state along with numerous
components suppliers. The bio-energy and geothermal energy
segments have a similar profile.
Health-care industry
Health care has a high priority in Baden-Württemberg. People
resident in the state enjoy a good standard of health-care provision, and the health-care industry is an important sector of
the economy. According to the OECD, health-care expenditure
per inhabitant was around 3,600 Euro in 2012. Total expenditure on health-care-related products and services throughout
Baden-Württemberg amounted to more than 38 billion Euro in
2012. This equates to average per capita spending of 3,600
Euro—more than 100 Euro below Germany’s national average.
The lower level of costs is due to more favorable demographic trends and the above-average good health of the state’s
residents.
This segment benefits from innovations in medical technology
as well as in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. The
health-care sector consists of public health services and the
health-care industry. Public health services include inpatient,
partial-hospitalization and ambulatory care, health protection,
emergency medical services and similar areas. The health-care
and intermediate service industries include medical technology,
the pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology.
The health-care industry employed about 710,000 people in
Baden-Württemberg during 2012. These people worked in
many professions and occupations, including about 76 percent
in ambulatory and inpatient health care. Based on these figures,
nearly one out of every nine employees in the state works in
the health-care industry. Forecasts show that this
figure is expected to rise to over 20 percent of all employees in
Baden-Württemberg by 2030. Today, the health-care industry is
already the leading employer, ahead of mechanical engineering,
retailing and public administration.
Local cluster initiatives have been established in 10 of the total
of 12 regions in Baden-Württemberg. An above-average number of hospital companies and university medical centers are
located in the cities of Stuttgart, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe
and Mannheim as well as in the counties of Ortenau and Tübin-
gen. According to the McKinsey and IAW study noted above,
medicine and long-term care have the potential to generate
supplemental added value of between 15 billion Euro and 20
billion Euro annually. One reason for this growth is the expected
rise in the number of individuals requiring long-term care from
225,000 today to about 300,000 by 2020.
Information technology and telecommunications
At around 232,000 employees, Baden-Württemberg’s share
of the total number of people employed in the information
and communications sector throughout Germany is more than
18 percent. The approximately 15,000 companies subject
to sales tax generate revenues of around 42 billion Euro in
Baden-Württemberg, making the state one of the world’s leading ICT locations. With 154,118 workers, Baden-Württemberg
accounted for around 18 percent of those employed throughout
Germany in the ICT industry in 2012.
The ICT sector ranks third in the state in terms of total workforce, behind mechanical engineering and vehicle manufacturing. Global players like Sony, IBM, Hewlett-Packard and
Siemens as well as successful small and midsized enterprises
like GFT Technologies, transtec and Bechtle play a major role
in the industry’s track record of international success and are
securing the business location’s future.
The establishment of new big/smart data technologies and
the development of intercompany online retail platforms, cloud
computing and social media have been the driving forces behind
ICT trends in the last few years. The use of information and
communications technology in all fields of human endeavor will
continue to grow in the future, particularly in conjunction with
digitization. New business models, which are significantly helping the state maintain its competitiveness as a business location, are currently emerging both in the ICT sector and in other
application areas in conjunction with the further penetration of
digital technologies into all spheres of life and the economy. The
FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe is
a Baden-Württemberg research asset that helps SMEs, in particular, to develop new products and adapt new technologies.
This center provides Baden-Württemberg companies with support in many areas, including the enhancement of technology,
security issues and service concepts.
The telecommunications industry has set up regional centers in
Stuttgart, Mannheim, Karlsruhe and Ulm. The sector has grown
tremendously in the state since the telecommunications market
was opened to competition. About 10 percent of telecommunications service providers based in Germany are headquartered
in Baden-Württemberg. The major telecommunications equipment suppliers like Ericsson and Alcatel Lucent as well as all
the major telecommunications network operators are represented in Baden-Württemberg.
The development of business software and related services is one of Baden-Württemberg’s particular strengths. SAP,
43
the global leader in standard business software, is based in
Walldorf, a town in north Baden near Heidelberg. In addition to
this global player, many dynamic small and midsized enterprises
offer high-tech products and services. About 5,000 software
companies in Baden-Württemberg develop, supply and maintain the digital tools and components needed by modern production processes to make internationally competitive products.
They specialize in such areas as the development of automation
applications, logistics and machine-control systems as well as
the programming of hardwired applications. Such programs and
modules are used in mechanical engineering, automaking and
electrical engineering.
Critical success factors for the important branch of business
software include intercompany dialogue, a direct relationship
between the scientific and business communities and networks
involving potential users. This is addressed by a wide range of
initiatives, clusters and networks. Playing an important role in
this regard is the statewide Baden-Württemberg Connected
(bw:con) business network and the regional CyberForum cluster initiative, which has more than 1,000 members. The state’s
new cross-industry Smart Home & Living Baden-Württemberg
initiative has also been established.
Lightweight design and construction
The development of weight-saving components is being promoted, especially in the automotive industry and transport sector. Yet lightweight design also helps to conserve energy resources, reduce CO2 emissions and simplify design engineering
and handling in the mechanical-engineering, production-technology, construction and power-plant-engineering sectors as
well. Through the use of lighter materials and material-conserving approaches to construction, lightweight design delivers competitive advantages in manufacturing and subsequent
usage. It is therefore regarded as a cross-sectoral goal of German industrial policy alongside electro-mobility and Industry 4.0.
Since 2011, Baden-Württemberg has invested or budgeted
well over 50 million Euro to boost the state as a lightweightdesign location. By establishing the Leichtbau BW GmbH
state agency in 2013, Baden-Württemberg has created
a statewide point of contact for the business and scientific communities as well as for established and emerging
skilled specialists. The state agency handles marketing of
Baden-Württemberg as a lightweight design location and
coordination of research as well as expansion of the state’s
qualification programs. On the basis of patent applications,
the agency was able to identify in 2014 a significant number
of lightweight-design activities in the following sectors: paper and wood, transport equipment, chemicals and machinery
for energy applications. Between 30 percent and 40 percent
of patent applications from throughout these sectors originated from Baden-Württemberg. That figure was between
20 percent and 30 percent for plastics and metals as well as
for mechanical engineering. According to the study “The Value-Creation Potential of Lightweight Design and Its Signif-
44
An incoming air unit
for gas turbines.
Source: Technologies
Freudenberg Gruppe.
were from Baden-Württemberg. According to the Fraunhofer
Institute SCS in its study “Logistics in Baden-Württemberg,”
the top three logistics companies in the state based on revenues generated in the 2013 fiscal year are: Weinheim-based
trans-o-flex Schnell-Lieferdienst GmbH, Reutlingen-based
Internationale Spedition Willi Betz and Heilbronn-based
Spedition Karl Schmidt.
Baden-Württemberg also boasts a concentration of intralogistics companies that is unique in the world. This segment
provides technology and IT systems to handle intracompany
logistics related to flows of material and information. New types
of machine parts and new control technology are revolutionizing
intracompany processes. The major players in the industry include providers of hoisting devices, conveyor and warehouse
equipment, logistics software, identification technologies,
services and complete systems. Baden-Württemberg is home
to around 800 primarily midsized intralogistics companies,
including several global market leaders.
icance for Baden-Württemberg” released by the Fraunhofer
Institute for System and Innovation Research (ISI) and other
partners, 35 percent of major companies and 22 percent of
SMEs in Germany use lightweight materials.
Logistics and intralogistics
Logistics is the most important cross-sectoral service industry
in Germany after the information-technology and communications industry. This industry is a fundamental starting point
for a smooth-running economy and for diversity in product
ranges. The logistics industry has grown to become one of
the largest sectors of the economy, boasting domestic-market revenues of 230 billion Euro (2013) and above-average
growth rates. These are the findings of the study “Logistics in
Baden-Württemberg” released by the Fraunhofer Center for
Applied Research on Supply Chain Services. Given this performance, Germany is by far Europe’s leading logistics location,
and Baden-Württemberg is one of the most important logistics
markets in the country.
With revenues of about 34 billion Euro and around 200,000 employees in 18,770 companies in the state, the core industry of
logistics ranks behind mechanical engineering, automaking and
the electronics industry in economic significance. The broader logistics sector employs more than 400,000 people. Small
and midsized logistics companies provide industry with both
the necessary transport services and added-value logistics
concepts. Among the top 100 that the Fraunhofer Institute
identified as part of a study on the German logistics sector, nine
Many logistics companies in Baden-Württemberg are involved
in industrial contract logistics—that is, they provide specialized,
contract-defined systems used in the supply of materials, production and replacement parts to industry. This includes JIT and
JIS services for freight and cargo. Some providers of logistics
services are also active in the submarket of consumer-goods
distribution and contract logistics. This covers logistics services related to procurement and distribution systems used in the
consumer-goods industry and retailing.
The statewide Logistics Network Baden-Württemberg (LogBW),
serves as an important collaborative network for the state’s
business community. LogBW connects the state’s logistics
players within Europe and represents Baden-Württemberg as a
logistics location at trade fairs in Germany and abroad. In addition, a large number of representatives from Baden-Württemberg’s business and scientific organizations have joined forces
to form Intralogistik-Netzwerk in Baden-Württemberg e.V. This
nonprofit organization pools activities to promote research and
development as well as education in Baden-Württemberg with
respect to the area of intralogistics.
Baden-Württemberg international (bw-i), the state’s
center of expertise for the internationalization of business,
science and research, also supports the logistics industry
through a wide range of activities. In one example of this
work, bw-i regularly involves logistics companies in activities to facilitate collaborative ventures with potential partners from Germany and abroad. In addition, companies,
institutions of higher learning and research organizations
from Baden-Württemberg’s logistics sector participate in
bw-i nonindustry-specific trade fairs, for example at the
Hannover Messe or Expo Real.
Aerospace industry
Baden-Württemberg is one of the European aerospace industry’s leading locations. Global leaders like Airbus Defence
and Space, Diehl, Tesat Spacecom and Thales are based
here. Leading suppliers from other segments of the mobility
industry, including MAHLE Industrial Thermal Systems and
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, have a track record of success in the
aerospace industry as well. A cross-section of all the relevant
fields of engineering and technology, including material development, microelectronics, communications and measurement
technology and special manufacturing processes, are represented in the state. More than 60 companies belong to the
aerospace industry. In Baden-Württemberg, these companies
employ more than 14,000 people and generate revenues of
more than 4.5 billion Euro. The Stuttgart Engineering Park
(STEP), a technology park developed by L-Bank that offers
more than 95,000 square meters of state-of-the-art office
space is home to several companies in the industry.
Networking high-performance research institutes with industryrelevant companies in Baden-Württemberg helps tap growth
potential. Businesses located in the state play major roles in
such international collaborative ventures as Airbus, Eurocopter and Eurofighter. In Stuttgart, the German Aerospace
Center maintains a number of institutes of applicationfocused oriented research that explore such areas as renewable
energies, combustion engineering, high-performance lasers,
construction and structural research, and air- and spacecraft
concepts. In Lampoldshausen, it operates Europe’s only test
center for rocket engines.
45
ners from industry, the services sector, research and academia. Baden-Württemberg is a leading location for the electrical-engineering industry. More than 20 percent of the people
employed in this sector throughout Germany work in the state.
This wide-ranging electronics and electrical-engineering sector
comprises the areas of industrial control systems, communications technology, components for electronics, microsystems and
electrical devices.
Global corporations like Siemens, Bosch and ABB conduct their
research and development as well as manufacture in the state.
Key mechatronics companies include Schuler and Festo. This
cross-sectoral industry is dominated by midsized companies. In
recent years, the electrical-engineering industry has seen the
internationalization of business relationships increase and European markets merge. The state’s electrical-engineering industry encompasses around 1,000 companies with major production expertise, according Baden-Württemberg’s State Statistics
Office. These companies employ more than 160,000 people and
generate revenues in excess of 35 billion Euro.
Media, culture and the creative industry
Mechatronics
The culture and creative industry is a broad-based sector of
the economy consisting of 11 market segments: music, books,
art, film, radio, performing arts, design, architecture, media,
advertising, and software and games. In Baden-Württemberg,
this sector is very well positioned compared with other states in
Germany. The state has particular strengths in the design, architecture, and software and games segments. The cultural and
creative industries are one of the strongest drivers of innovation
for the knowledge-based information industry both in Germany
and around the world.
Mechatronic systems interlink mechanical, electrical and
data-processing components. They complement and expand
mechanical systems through the use of sensors and microcomputers, enabling products and systems with partial intelligence to be created. Landesnetzwerk Mechatronik BW e.V. is
a continuously expanding alliance of high-performance part-
In Baden-Württemberg, several segments of the cultural and
creative industry have a long tradition. The spectrum ranges
from Musikpark Mannheim over the state’s diverse publishing
landscape, including books and magazines, the local book trade,
successful fine artists and galleries, academies, design clusters
and the architecture market to games developers. Today, this
Creation of gross value added
4.6 0.5
18.2
Industry, excluding the construction industry
Retail, hotel and restaurant industry and transportation
Financing, rental and business service providers
Construction industry
Public- and private-sector service providers
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
35.0
18.2
23.4
Share of sectors in gross value added, 2014, in %.
Source: Working Group on National Accounts Among Germany’s States.
46
industry is one of the leading sector’s of Baden-Württemberg’s
economy. Nearly 7 percent of companies operate and 4 percent
of employees in Baden-Württemberg work in the culture and
creative industry.
The Netzwerk Kreativwirtschaft Baden-Württemberg was established in order to interlink the 11 segments of the state’s
culture and creative industry even more. Under the leadership of
the Media and Film Society of Baden-Württemberg, more than
50 partners and 100 backers have joined forces in this network
of the cultural, creative and IT industries. They offer a broad
range of events, including networking opportunities, workshops
and seed money.
tions register the most industry-relevant patents in Germany.
The diagnostics division of the pharmaceuticals corporation
Roche is located in Mannheim. According to a European Union
analysis titled “European Cluster Observatory,” the Freiburg,
Karlsruhe and Tübingen regions are among the most important
medical-technology clusters in the EU. Biotechnology and medical technology profit tremendously from each other, thanks in
part to the assistance provided by the state agency, BIOPRO
Baden-Württemberg GmbH. Synergies form the basis for innovative research and development. Biomedical technology stands
for fast, targeted progress in medical research.
Microsystems and nanotechnology
Medical technology
Baden-Württemberg is one of Germany’s and Europe’s leading medical-technology locations. The companies in the
state generate about 23 percent of total industry revenues
in Germany, at 4.2 billion Euro. This total ranks BadenWürttemberg second among Germany’s 16 states in terms
of revenues. The state also has the largest share of employees working in the German medical-technology market, at
more than 19 percent. More than 45,000 employees work for
nearly 2,500 companies in the industry’s core segments.
Overall, about one-fifth of all medical-technology capacity
in Germany is concentrated in Baden-Württemberg. The
strength of Baden-Württemberg’s manufacturers is their innovativeness. They generate more than 50 percent of their
revenues with products that have been in the marketplace for
less than three years. The sector’s export volume of nearly
3 billion Euro demonstrates the global strength of medical
technology made in Baden-Württemberg.
Many highly respected research institutes in the state are
involved in medical technology. These include the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology as well as several Fraunhofer Institutes,
Max Planck Institutes, Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg institutes and research facilities at institutions of higher
learning. A total of 80 institutes and research and development
centers conduct work in the area of medical technology. Thanks
to the state’s exceptional research infrastructure, the highly regarded medical and technical departments at institutions
of higher learning, the variety of medical centers and the proximity to numerous companies in related high-tech industries,
Baden-Württemberg offers first-class business conditions for
medical-technology companies. The town of Tuttlingen has
the world’s highest concentration of endoscopy and surgicalinstrument companies. Global leaders like Aesculap, Karl Storz,
Gambro and Erbe are based here. Medical-technology companies are concentrated in the regional clusters of the Northern
Black Forest, Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg, Neckar-Alb and
Rhine-Neckar-Triangle.
Baden-Württemberg has a unique concentration of relevant
user industries for microsystems (MST). These include the
automotive industry, life sciences, medical technology, mechanical engineering and production engineering, and automation
and sensor technology. Microsystems engineering enables components to be made smaller and more efficient. This technology
is primarily represented by highly specialized research and development organizations as well as many innovative companies
working both in this field of technology as well as in an array
of different application areas. Roughly 25 percent of German
companies actively involved in this key technology are based
in Baden-Württemberg. These 3,600 companies generate more
than one-quarter of the entire industry’s revenues. The sector
employs about 75,000 people in the state and generates revenues of more than 13 billion Euro.
About 14 percent of patents issued for microsystem technology
worldwide originate from members of the MicroTEC Südwest
cluster. This cluster in Baden-Württemberg encompasses 360
companies, institutes, institutions of higher learning and research organizations with more than 1,200 scientists. According
to the MicroTEC Südwest fact sheet, 1,550 MST companies and
MST users are potentially represented in Baden-Württemberg,
of which nearly 93 percent are small and midsized enterprises.
The cluster focuses on the regions of Karlsruhe, Stuttgart,
Villingen-Schwenningen and Freiburg. With such global players as Bosch, Roche Diagnostics, Daimler, Festo, Zeiss, SICK,
Endress+Hauser and Balluff, as well as many innovative small
and midsized enterprises, the first-class cluster MicroTEC
Südwest forms a cross-industry base for future pioneering
innovations and new growth. Nanotechnology has also produced
growth among companies in Baden-Württemberg. About 120
companies are involved in nanoelectronics, nanobiotechnology,
nanoanalysis, MEMS (microelectro-mechanical systems) and
similar fields. Baden-Württemberg has assumed a leading position among Germany’s states in both areas, microsystems and
nanotechnologies.
New materials and surfaces
The Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region is a leading life-sciences
location. The German Cancer Research Center and the
chemicals corporation BASF are based here; both organiza-
A cross-sector topical area, new materials and surface characteristics, is becoming increasingly important for many technol-
ogy segments. The development of new materials and surfaces
as well as of the related technologies helps the industries concerned improve their competitive positions. The AFBW – Allianz
Faserbasierte Werkstoffe Baden-Württemberg network brings
together companies, research institutes, business organizations
and institutions of higher learning to address the interdisciplinary technology of fiber-based materials. These materials are
a fundamental driver of innovations in numerous industries and
at all levels of value creation, from thermoplastic elastomers to
functionalized plastics.
Pharmaceutical and chemical industries
The pharmaceutical industry is particularly well represented in
Baden-Württemberg. It is a leader in Germany both in terms of
revenue volume and employment, with a share of more than 20
percent in each case. Every fourth job in Germany’s pharmaceutical industry and every third of the 30 pharmaceutical locations
in Germany with the highest employment rates are located in the
state. The research infrastructure in companies, institutions of
higher learning and external research institutes is one factor in
the industry’s power to innovate. Especially midsized companies
continue to tap market niches through a combination of specialist know-how, a high degree of innovative power and enormous
flexibility.
The pharmaceutical industry employs about 40,000 people in the state, or about one-fifth of all industry employees in Germany. On the manufacturing side, there are about
140 companies that produce pharmaceutical products. The
number of companies represented in Baden-Württemberg is
equivalent to more than one-quarter of all German pharmaceuticals businesses. Thanks to the good business conditions
available to the health-care industry in the state, the pharmaceutical industry has ideal sales and growth potential in
Baden-Württemberg—a factor that prompts international
companies like Becton Dickinson to set up operations in the
state. Other leading pharmaceutical companies are based
here, including Roche Germany, ratiopharm GmbH, Boehringer
Ingelheim Pharma GmbH, Weleda AG and Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH operates
its largest international research and development center
in Biberach. The state is also home to Germany’s largest
pharmaceutical service provider, Pharmexx. In addition, such
natural-remedy companies as Schwabe, DHU and HEEL are
based in Baden-Württemberg. The world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, conduct
research and manufacture products in Baden-Württemberg.
Such industry heavyweights as Actelion, Novartis, Sanofi and
Takeda have branches in the state as well.
Baden-Württemberg’s pharmaceutical industry also includes a
large number of small companies and micro-enterprises. More
than 55 percent of pharmaceutical companies in the state have
fewer than 100 employees. Nine out of 10 employ up to 500
people and eight out of 10 up to 300. This exceptional research
landscape provides many benefits and an array of collabora-
47
HB TECHNOLOGIES AG, TÜBINGEN:
MANUFACTURING PEPTIDES ON AN
INDUSTRIAL SCALE
Medical science is continuously making progress as far
as treating tumors is concerned. In one reflection of this,
peptides—small proteins—are also eminently suitable for
use as therapeutic agents to combat tumors. As part of
immunotherapy treatment, patients are inoculated with
individually adapted peptides. The Tübingen-based biotechnology company HB Technologies has been performing
valuable development work on the automatic production
of peptides—peptide synthesis—since the beginning of the
1990s. The team headed by founder and board member Dr.
Steffen Hüttner develops and produces peptide-synthesis
equipment according to the principle of solid-phase synthesis. The company has stuck to this strategy since it was
founded in 1992: Business activity focuses on developing
software solutions for biotechnology and medical-technology applications. The Tübingen-based company was
awarded the 2014 Baden-Württemberg Innovation Award
for its MultiPep CF synthesizer. This device enables the
quality of peptide synthesis to be measured in real time.
In addition, peptide yield and purity were further increased
in comparison with previous devices. The automated and
targeted type of reaction-sequence analysis improves the
speed of synthesis and, above all, enhances the quality of
the products.
The company takes a two-pronged approach as far as engineering and production are concerned: While the parent
company fills the product pipeline with innovations, the
wholly owned subsidiary, INTAVIS Bioanalytical Instruments
AG, handles serial production and sales. “We export around
70 percent of the equipment we produce all around the
world,” Hüttner explains. “Our product lines are augmented
by custom solutions for specific users.” HB Technologies
measures itself against other players in the global market. “We are one of around 10 manufacturers of peptidesynthesis equipment that compete in the global market.”
While sales and distribution are strongly international,
research work is performed primarily in Baden-Württemberg. As a result, HB Technologies partners with, for example, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences. The plan
is to continue this approach in coming years. “We want to
enhance and expand our product range,” Hüttner says in
outlining the company’s goals for the future.
tion options to small and midsized enterprises in particular.
Baden-Württemberg offers a dynamic cluster and network
environment that generates ideas and momentum for companies. Baden-Württemberg’s attractive business-location profile for pharmaceutical companies is rounded out by
industry-specific professional support services delivered by
business-development programs.
48
POLYTEC GMBH, WALDBRONN: MEASURING
MICROVIBRATIONS
POLYTEC, based in Waldbronn near Karlsruhe, had its start
at the end of the 1960s as a laser-technology pioneer. Today, the company, which employs around 400 people, is the
global market leader in laser-based vibration-measurement
technology. It won the 2014 Innovation Award of the state
of Baden-Württemberg for its increasingly higher-resolution
measurement systems. This technology is used especially in
vehicle manufacturing, the aerospace industry and microsystems engineering. “Currently, the issue of autonomous
driving is one of our and our customers’ major focal points,”
relates Dr. Dietmar Gnaß, CEO of POLYTEC. “Sensors with
laser technology are also used in smartphones. They realign
the display depending on how the device is held.”
The basic requirement that the various industries have when
they approach POLYTEC is similar: They need to measure
vibrations in microsystems. For that reason, the company
develops standard instruments that can be custom modified upon request. Regular customers come from BadenWürttemberg, especially from the Stuttgart metropolitan
region. But POLYTEC is also a global player and exports
its products to the United States as well as to Japan and
China. Research and development take place primarily at
the company’s headquarters. There, the founding member
of Photonics BW, the innovation network for optical technologies, works with research institutes like KIT and Fraunhofer IOSB in Karlsruhe, the Institute of Applied Optics in
Stuttgart and Fraunhofer IPM in Freiburg. These network
partners are also jointly involved in research projects of
the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. So
there’s no end in sight for POLYTEC in terms of challenges,
assignments and orders. It’s a good thing then that the company has been able to more than adequately cover its needs
for skilled specialists so far. “We recruit a major portion of
our new employees from within the Mannheim-Heidelberg,
Freiburg and Stuttgart catchment areas,” Dietmar Gnaß
explains. Computer scientists, mechanical engineers and
physicists, in particular, are among those who commute to
Waldbronn. That means dependency on a reliable transportation infrastructure is correspondingly high. “As a midsized
company based in a rural area, we rely on traffic routes that
function properly,” Gnaß emphasizes.
The chemical industry plays a major role in some locations in
Baden-Württemberg. Among German states, Baden-Württemberg ranks fourth in terms of revenue generated by the chemical industry. With nearly 800 companies and about 120,000
employees, Baden-Württemberg is one of Germany’s leading
chemical-industry locations. With a total of about 10 percent in
total revenues, the chemical industry is one of the three-largest manufacturing-related industries in Baden-Württemberg.
The regional cluster focal point is the Rhine-Neckar region. This
is where Reckitt Benckiser’s German headquarters is located
as well as several of its plants. Other chemical companies are
located in the Freiburg-High Rhine region, the Stuttgart
metropolitan area and the Ulm-Biberach region. The chemical
industry in Baden-Württemberg primarily focuses on pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene, detergents, lacquers, paint and
building-protection products.
Photonics
More than 300 companies that specialize in the production
of optical and photographic equipment employ more than
8,000 people and generate revenues of nearly 1.5 billion Euro.
Companies from such industries as mechanical engineering;
production and process technology; measurement, control
and regulation technology, and medical technology are heavily
involved in optical technology as well.
The photonics cluster includes such well-known companies as
the optics corporation Carl Zeiss, the toolmaker and laser specialist Trumpf, the sensor manufacturer SICK, the endoscope
producers Karl Storz and Richard Wolf, and the measurement-device maker Polytec. All of these companies are market
leaders in their respective fields. This industry in Baden-Württemberg also includes numerous small and midsized enterprises
that offer innovative high-tech optical and optoelectronic products and services in international markets. In terms of customers, the state has the highest concentration of potential users
of optical technologies in Germany: the automotive industry,
mechanical engineering, renewable energies and environmental
technology as well as medical technology and biotechnology.
A subsector of the photonics industry involves measurement,
control and regulation technology. The centers of this sector
are located in the High Rhine and Heilbronn-Franconia regions. Many measurement-technology manufacturers are located in the High Rhine region because of its proximity to the
chemical-industry center of Basel and the chemical plants
in the High Rhine region. The chemical and pharmaceutical
industries are the sector’s main customers.
Production technology and mechanical engineering
Source: Polytec GmbH.
With more than 300,000 employees, mechanical engineering—
the core of the capital goods industry—is the largest industrial sector in Baden-Württemberg in terms of employment. With
revenues of approximately 71 billion Euro, the state accounts
49
for nearly one-third of the revenues generated by Germany’s
mechanical-engineering sector. Around 1,500 companies in
Baden-Württemberg operate in the mechanical- and plantengineering sector, which is equivalent to 32 percent of the
entire industry in Germany.
WEBO WERKZEUGBAU OBERSCHWABEN
GMBH: A HIDDEN CHAMPION WITHIN SEVEN
YEARS
One-third of Germany’s 30 largest mechanical-engineering
companies alone come from Baden-Württemberg. In addition
to such industry leaders as ZF Friedrichshafen, Heidelberger
Druckmaschinen, Voith, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, Trumpf
and Schuler, many small and midsized enterprises that compete successfully throughout the world are based in the state.
In addition to the Stuttgart metropolitan area, production engineering is concentrated in clusters located in the Lake Constance-Upper Swabia, Danube-Iller, Neckar-Alb, Rhine-Neckar
and southern High Rhine regions. The city of Esslingen outside
Stuttgart is Germany’s largest mechanical-engineering location
with approximately 20,000 employees. Toolmaking is the focal
point here. Such well-known companies as Index Werke, Eberspächer, Gebrüder Heller, Metabo and Thyssen-Krupp Aufzüge
are based in Esslingen County or in neighboring Stuttgart.
Mechanical engineering is a midsized enterprise business. Fifty percent of employees work in companies with fewer than
500 workers. Sixty percent of companies have fewer than 100
employees.
“There isn’t a manufacturer of automatic transmissions
any-where in the world that doesn’t work with us.” Anyone
who can assert that claim after just seven years of owning
an independent business, must have done many things right.
And experienced a few lucky breaks in dicey situations. One
such person is Axel Norbert Wittig, CEO of WEBO Werkzeugbau Oberschwaben. The company, based in Amtzell near
Ravensburg, has found its niche in the sheet-metal-forming
business. It develops transmission components and today
manufactures forming tools for disk carriers, the most difficult
and expensive transmission components to produce, for the
global market. “The idea of technically enhancing disk production had been on my mind for a long time,” Wittig relates. After
his previous employer had been acquired by a competitor in
2008, Wittig took the plunge into self-employment with four
of his colleagues who left the employer with him. The team
initially worked at two workstations in Wittig’s basement at
home. “Disk carriers have to be perfectly round for them to rotate cleanly,” the company founder explains. “This is where we
significantly improved the rolling process in the forming tool,
reducing development and production lead times considerably.
Metal-processing is another mainstay of the manufacturing industry in Baden-Württemberg. More than 1,500 companies are
involved in producing and processing metal as well as manufacturing metal products. The export share is about 36 percent.
Most companies are located in the major metropolitan areas
of the state. But such counties as Rastatt—with its metalprocessing cluster—as well as Böblingen and Tuttlingen are
preferred business locations.
Satellite navigation
In Baden-Württemberg, the main users and buyers of standard
satellite navigation systems come from the aerospace industry
and, increasingly, from the automotive industry. Of particular
relevance are also companies that have practical applications
for satellite navigation technology. Satellite navigation and mobile IT are key technologies and focal points of the state’s ICT
sector. Sustainable mobility concepts and logistics cannot, for
instance, function without these fundamental technologies.
Security technology
Security technology is a feature of several industries in
Baden-Württemberg and is rooted in various disciplines. The
broad-based and heterogeneous nature of security technologies
is evidenced by the fact that they incorporate sensor technology as well as identification- and access-control technologies
plus microsystems engineering, IT security and telecommunications. Security technology is a subsector of the measurement-,
control- and regulation-technology cluster. It is largely con-
Such innovations enabled to Wittig to land a contract worth
millions in the United States right at the start . And as the
banking crisis hit in 2008, Daimler’s award of a contract for
the series production of A-Class and B-Class gearshifts
came at just the right time. “Luckily, we have enjoyed good
professional reputations in the market. This enabled us to
gain customers and survive the start-up phase,” Wittig recounts. Since that point, WEBO’s sales and personnel have
increased by around 30 percent a year. That has required investing in infrastructure right from the beginning. The basement at home rapidly became too small, so a new greenfield
factory building, including machinery, was needed. Wittig and
his colleagues found a regional savings bank ready to listen
despite the crisis. In financing the building, WEBO was also
able to take advantage of funding provided by L-Bank’s development program called Rural Areas. To date, Wittig and
his colleagues have filed 12 patent applications and 10 other
applications are currently being processed. Growth in Upper
Swabia continues.
centrated in the regions of Hohenlohe-Schwäbisch Hall, Karlsruhe, Friedrichshafen, Freiburg and Black Forest–BaarHeuberg. Freiburg and Karlsruhe are the scientific and technological centers of the Future Urban Security innovation cluster.
This cluster has brought together six Fraunhofer institutes; the
universities of Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart and Tübingen; and
the Hahn Schickard Institute in Villingen-Schwenningen as well
as many companies and government agencies in order to form
Germany’s strongest alliance of application-focused security
research.
50
Measurement technology for energy systems.
Source: Endress+Hauser Messtechnik GmbH+Co. KG.
Environmental technology
Germany is the largest exporter of environmental technology
products. German manufacturers have a global market share
of 15 percent and an export share of 37 percent. A significant
share of exports can be attributed to equipment designed to
harness renewable energies like wind and solar power plants.
Here, Germany has a global market share of 13.2 percent and is
ranked second behind China. Baden-Württemberg has a global
market share of more than 2.5 percent and an export share of
31 percent in environmental-technology products.
Around 900 companies operating in the environmentaltechnology sector are located in Baden-Württemberg. The
industry in the state employs more than 15,000 people and
generates revenues of more than 3.6 billion Euro. As a result of the overlapping areas it shares with Baden-Württemberg’s leading industries—automaking, mechanical engineering,
electrical engineering, precision engineering and optics—the
sector represents a key technology with an interdisciplinary link
to micro- and nanotechnology that is producing new applications and products. Because the state has one of the world’s
highest concentrations of industry, with more than 50,000
industrial companies, Baden-Württemberg has a significant
sales and procurement market for environmental-technology
products and processes.
Given its high concentration of research institutes and companies, the state plays a leading role in the environmentaltechnology industry in Germany. A total of around 90 institutes
conduct environmental research in the state. The leading organizations include the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), various
Fraunhofer institutes and other nonuniversity research organizations. In addition to the many small, highly innovative providers
of environmental technology, numerous German and international
corporations are based in Baden-Württemberg, including Siemens, ABB and GEA Wiegand. The state is also an important
location for environmental biotechnology companies. The companies based in the state include IBL Umwelt und Biotechnik
GmbH, a Heidelberg-based specialist and leading provider of
services to prevent and eliminate environmental damage, and
Wehrle Werk AG, an environmental plant-engineering company
in Emmendingen.
The Landesagentur für Umwelttechnik und Ressourceneffizienz
(State Agency for Environmental technology and Resource Efficiency) was established in 2011 as part of the Umwelttechnik
BW – Technologie- und Innovationszentrum Umwelttechnik und
Ressourceneffizienz Baden-Württemberg initiative. Its objective
is to network all relevant information, activities and stakeholders from the business, scientific and political communities in
Baden-Württemberg.
Knowledge economy and company-related services
Statistics Office is forecasting real GDP growth of 2.3 percent
for the full year of 2015.
The service industry in Baden-Württemberg has grown dramatically in recent decades. The source of this growth can be found
in the state’s industrial structure. Premium services like business
consulting and marketing are in demand in places that conduct
research, provide financing, develop products and engage in
marketing. Service providers have a close relationship with industry and conduct important interdisciplinary functions. About
45,000 companies in the state are active in the service industry.
They can draw on a highly qualified pool of potential employees.
In total, more than 400,000 people work in a wide range of different service-industry segments. These segments include more
than 16,000 firms offering services in the areas of law, taxation
and business consulting as well as market and opinion-research
firms. About 12,000 architecture and engineering firms develop
and carry out projects for clients in Baden-Württemberg and all
parts of the world.
Of all the German states, Baden-Württemberg has the largest
share of value creation in the manufacturing industry. Nearly
one-third of economic output is produced in this area, while the
national average is just over one-fifth. Despite the slow economic recovery in the eurozone, the major sectors of industry
in Baden-Württemberg continued to grow in 2014. Companies
are also optimistic about 2015. They anticipate demand in Germany will have held up well and the export business will have
increased.
The economic recovery in key export markets benefited
Baden-Württemberg’s industry in 2014. Revenues from foreign
trade rose by 7.9 percent. In Germany, sales revenues increased
moderately by 1 percent following the declines of the previous two years. Specifically, overall sales revenues in mechanical engineering increased by 4.1 percent in 2014, while export
revenues increased by 4.9 percent. Vehicle-manufacturing sales
revenues increased overall by 10.3 percent and export revenues
by as much as 14.2 percent. As a result, these two leading sectors accounted for around 80 percent of revenue growth in the
manufacturing industry in 2014. The pharmaceutical industry, in
contrast, registered overall revenue growth of just 0.6 percent,
while its international sales declined by 3.9 percent.
3.3 ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND
DEVELOPMENT
Business performance and industry developments
Baden-Württemberg’s economic output grew more substantially
in 2014 than the German average. The state’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 2.4 percent in real terms, while
the German economy as a whole only grew by 1.6 percent. This
economic dynamism, however, increased over the course of the
year and provided the economy with major momentum for 2015.
After two years of weak growth in 2012 and 2013 (each 0.3
percent), particularly Baden-Württemberg’s industry was able to
fully exploit its strengths in the global marketplace. The State
The export of goods is a key cornerstone of Baden-Württemberg’s economy. At 41.4 percent, its share of GDP in 2014 was
the highest among Germany’s noncity states. Baden-Württemberg exported a total of around 181 billion Euro worth of goods
and services, setting a new record thanks to an increase of 4.7
percent compared with the previous year. Baden-Württemberg
was thus Germany’s leading exporter in terms of export sales
revenues. The state is particularly synonymous with premi-
Economic growth in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
7.5
Germany
6.1
3.7
0.3
1.2
3.9
4.1
3.3
0.6 0.7
4.8
3.6
2.4
0.3
1.1
0.3 0.4
0.3 0.1
2012
2013
1.6
2.3
–0.3 –0.7
–5.6
–9.0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
51
2008
2009
2010
2011
Changes in gross national product compared with the previous year, price adjusted, chain-linked, in %.
Sources: Working Group on National Accounts among Germany’s States, German Bundesbank, Baden-Württemberg Statistical Office.
2014
Forecast
2015
52
um-quality vehicles and machinery, its most sought-after export
products. These two product categories alone accounted for
around 46 percent of Baden-Württemberg’s total exports—and
for more than one-fifth of all German exports of these products. While vehicle exports grew substantially by 12.5 percent
in 2014, machinery sales abroad remained almost unchanged
compared with 2013. Another growth sector was pharmaceutical products, exports of which increased by 13.4 percent in
2014.
The construction industry accounts for about 5 percent of
Baden-Württemberg’s economic output. Its employees make
up about 5 percent of the state’s working population. In 2014,
the construction industry remained stable, with total revenues
rising by 5.6 percent. Baden-Württemberg’s crafts and trades
industry contributed strongly to employment and economic output through its involvement in the construction, manufacturing
and services sectors. Businesses in the crafts and trades industry employ more than 700,000 out of the working population of
approximately 6 million and generated revenues of well over 83
billion Euro.
Retail in Baden-Württemberg benefited in 2014 from positive
consumer sentiment and generated good revenues. Of the three
major trade segments—wholesaling, retailing and auto sales—
retailing, at an increase of just 1.2 percent, trailed behind the
other two segments (both +2.1 percent). The hospitality industry
includes the hotel and restaurant segments. In 2014, revenues
in the restaurant segment grew by 0.9 percent in real terms
compared with the previous year, and in the hotel segment by
2.0 percent. And the stable business situation had a positive
effect on employment: In 2014, the number of people employed
in the hotel segment rose 5.2 percent above the previous year’s
level. In the restaurant trade, this increase was 2.3 percent
Foreign trade partners
Around half of Baden-Württemberg’s exports go to other countries in the European Union. Exports to these markets grew substantially in 2014, growing by 4.2 percent after two weak years.
There was particularly strong demand for goods from BadenWürttemberg from non-eurozone countries, which bought
around one-third of all exported goods. In 2014, the leading customers in the EU were France, the Netherlands, the
United Kingdom and Austria. These four countries combined
bought one-quarter of Baden-Württemberg’s exported goods.
As an individual country, Switzerland, the state’s southern
neighbor, is now the fourth most important market for
Baden-Württemberg’s exports (over 7 percent) behind the
United States, China and France. The United States purchased
nearly 12 percent of Baden-Württemberg’s exports in 2014,
while China and France each purchased almost 8 percent.
Exports to the United States (+13.8 percent) and to China (+14.3
percent) in particular rose sharply in 2014. In contrast, exports
to Russia (–15.4 percent) took a nosedive, and Turkey (–5.0
percent) declined in importance as a market for BadenWürttemberg’s companies.
Job market
The working population in Baden-Württemberg set a new
record, with 6 million people in 2014. At the same time, the
average annual unemployment rate—4 percent—was again
below the previous year’s figure. Of all the German states,
only Bavaria had a lower unemployment rate, In particular,
Baden-Württemberg has already achieved success in integrating younger and older unemployed workers into the job market.
The youth unemployment rate (2.9 percent) and that for older
people (5.1 percent) is therefore lower than in all other states
in Germany.
At nearly 4.3 million, this growth in employment in 2014 was
attributed, in particular, to a 2.2 percent increase in regular
employment (jobs requiring payment into Germany’s social insurance programs). This category represents 71 percent of the
working population. Employment growth continued in the first
quarter of 2015 as well. In September 2015, Baden-Württemberg’s unemployment rate was 3.8 percent.
53
4 INVESTMENT-SUPPORT PROGRAMS
FOR COMPANIES
@ Baden-Württemberg is one of the only states in Germany that offers such a broad and effective
array of investment-support instruments and advisory services. L-Bank is a key player as far as these
investment-support activities are concerned. Working with other state institutions and companies’ own
relationship banks, it acts as the central point of contact for inquiries sent from both inside and outside
Germany. Its product portfolio offers something for every need.
4.1 CONTACT PARTNERS
Baden-Württemberg International (bw-i) is the state’s
business-development agency and therefore serves as the
central point of contact for all inquiries from domestic and
foreign investors and companies interested in BadenWürttemberg. Acting as a point of contact for initiating international business cooperation, bw-i
@ helps Baden-Württemberg companies enter markets around
the world;
@ champions Baden-Württemberg as a location for business,
science, research and higher education at home and abroad;
@ mentors international investors with their corporate investments in the state; and
@ carries out recruiting projects in selected target countries.
The House of Economics in Stuttgart.
Source: Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics.
In short, bw-i is the face of Baden-Württemberg in its relationships with the rest of the world and looks after companies and
investors.
w-punkt, an initiative of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of
Finance and Economics, supports companies, start-up entrepreneurs and investors by acting as a comprehensive guide to
the state’s business-development and investment-assistance
landscape. The range of information offered by the initiative
includes financial assistance, consulting services and other business-development issues. The w-punkt Internet portal,
www.w-punkt.de, includes the names of local, regional and
statewide contact persons who can answer questions about
business development and investment assistance. All of the
state’s programs for investors and companies are designed to
send one message: Baden-Württemberg offers support to those
interested in doing business in the state and provides a variety of financial-support options to augment business-related
expertise.
54

Business-support programs
Key contacts for investors:
Baden-Württemberg International – Gesellschaft für internationale wirtschaftliche und wissenschaftliche Zusammenarbeit mbH (bw-i) advises companies and investors
on all issues regarding Baden-Württemberg as a business
location.
Phone: +49 711 22787-0
E-mail: info@bw-i.de
Internet: www.bw-i.de, www.bw-invest.de
Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics,
Department of General Policies and Foreign Trade
Phone: +49 711 123-2096
E-mail: poststelle@mfw.bwl.de
Guide to investment-support programs provided by

the state of Baden-Württemberg
w-punkt
Haus der Wirtschaft
Willi-Bleicher-Str. 19
70174 Stuttgart
Germany
Phone: +49 1801 072004
E-mail: w-punkt@wm.bwl.de
Internet: http://wpunkt.de
In addition:
@ Investment-support officials in municipal authorities
@ Business-development offices in counties and regional
business-promotion initiatives
@ Contact persons in chambers of industry and commerce
@ Contact persons in chambers of crafts and trades
Business location questions
Baden-Württemberg is one of Europe’s most attractive business locations. By creating a favorable business environment,
the state has succeeded in preserving and expanding its aboveaverage level of employment and standard of living. Many
experts, studies and key figures attest to the exceptional
business successes that people and companies have achieved
in the state. Employers in Baden-Württemberg also rate their
business location highly. They are particularly impressed by
such business-related factors as the state’s:
@ Proximity to customers
@ Proximity to research and technology centers
@ The working relationship with government agencies
@ National transportation connections
@ Proximity to suppliers
@ The availability of commercial space
@ The quality of the skilled labor pool
@ The state’s attractiveness to employees
The Ministry of Finance and Economics is the central point of
contact for all individual business-support programs in
Baden-Württemberg. It coordinates the full range of businesssupport programs offered by the state. The state’s
business-development institutions—L-Bank, Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg and mbg Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg—handle the transacting associated with the financial-assistance programs.
Additional organizations oversee a range of other investment-support instruments. The investment-support programs offered by the Ministry of Finance and Economics
can be broken down into the following categories: general
investment-support programs, foreign trade, construction
and housing, vocational training, monument-preservation
support, the services industry, energy, business start-ups
and succession, innovation and technology, regional development, restoration and development, and tourism. The
Ministry of Finance and Economics is available to meet with
companies and investors to discuss ideas. Where crossgovernmental projects are involved, the ministry coordinates
the working relationships with other participating ministries.
The state also provides strategic consulting support to existing companies, assisting these companies on economic,
financial, technical and organizational matters related to
business management as well as on the adjustment process
involving the new competitive environment that is being experienced by the craft trades, midsized industrial enterprises and
service providers. Consulting and coaching services are
provided on such special issues as company succession,
company transfer, the environment, the EU, exports, innovation, demographic change and reduced energy consumption.
One major economic issue facing the state is the constant replenishment of the business population. The financial support
provided to business start-ups and assistance in matters of
company succession help ensure Baden-Württemberg’s economy remains flexible and dynamic. With the strategic and financial support provided by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry
of Finance and Economics’ Initiative for Business Start-Ups
and Company Succession (ifex), the state has developed a
diversified range of information, qualification and consulting
services. Numerous trade associations, business-development organizations and private initiatives have contributed
innovative ideas to this new start-up culture. They complement the core assistance provided by chambers of commerce
and investment-support banks and generally have a regional,
industry or target-group focus. The 12 chambers of industry
and commerce and the eight chambers of crafts and trades
play a major role, acting as central points of contact. With
the comprehensive business start-up support they offer, all
of Baden-Württemberg’s chambers serve as one-stop shops.
This means as many business start-up steps as possible can
be completed at a single location. They also offer an extensive
range of information as well as consulting and qualification
services.
Two major challenges for companies:
generational transition and climate change
 Contacts for business-related questions:
In particular, passing the baton on to the next generation of company leaders poses a major challenge the state has to address.
About 20,000 Baden-Württemberg companies employing more
than 300,000 people will have to address the issue of business
succession over the next four years. Increasingly, successors
must be sought outside business-owner families. At the turn of
the millennium, about three-quarters of successors came from
families that ran the businesses. Today, however, that figure has
dropped to about 40 percent, recent studies show.
Baden-Württemberg: Connected (bwcon)
Phone: +49 711 90715-500
E-mail: info@bwcon.de
Internet: www.bwcon.de
In addition to the numerous cases of business succession that
family-owned companies face, the global innovation competition is a key issue for many businesses. Baden-Württemberg’s
economy has been successful on the global market for decades by providing technically excellent products, processes and
services. To create competitive advantages, companies need
to continuously innovate and then successfully launch their innovations. This requires a major commitment to research and
development. The aim is to effectively and quickly apply technological knowledge in new, marketable solutions in all industries and business segments. To maintain its leadership in terms
of patent applications within Germany, Baden Württemberg
has a contact person at the Patent Information Center in the
Stuttgart Regional Authority who is available to answer any
questions about this issue.
BWHM Beratungs- und Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft
für Handwerk und Mittelstand mbH
Phone: +49 711 263709-0
E-mail: info@handwerk-bw.de
Internet: www.handwerk-bw.de
For years, the technology policies of Baden-Württemberg have
been characterized by a close working relationship between the
academic, business and political communities. Innovations are
created within a network of partners. The basis for such advances is a culture of innovation that, among other aspects, improves companies’ willingness and ability to innovate, strengthens the population’s interest in technology and helps remove
barriers to innovation. One condition necessary for innovation
is the existence of highly productive research organizations and
institutes that act as sources of technology to produce new
transferable knowledge for and in partnership with the business
community. As a result, one of the state government’s main responsibilities is to sustain Baden-Württemberg’s highly effective
network of business-related research institutes and to facilitate
the effective transfer of technology, particularly in small and
midsized enterprises.
In addition, the growing complexity of technical problem-solving
and the general realization that partnerships are both stronger
and more efficient make it necessary to intensify research relationships, including within the context of joint research activities
or through the formation of networks of expertise among universities, research organizations and companies. This extends
all the way to technology- and sector-focused clusters that
also include partners along the entire value chain. Businessdevelopment officials in Baden-Württemberg’s counties and in
the state’s regional investment-support initiatives stand ready
to advise companies, people seeking to start their own companies and investors.
55
RKW Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Phone: +49 711 22998-0
E-mail: info@rkw-bw.de
Internet: www.rkw-bw.de
Gesellschaft für Beratungen und Beteiligungen mbH
(GfBB)
Phone: +49 721 133-7330
E-mail: info@wirtschaftsstiftung.de
Internet: www.gfbb-ka.de
Steinbeis Consulting Center Business Coaching
Phone +49 711 1839-5
E-mail: stw@stw.de
Internet: www.stw.de/transfer
Stuttgart Regional Authority – Patent Information Center
Phone: +49 711 123-2558
E-mail: info@patente-stuttgart.de
Internet: www.patente-stuttgart.de
In addition:
@ Investment-support officials in municipal authorities
@ Regional investment-support officials in Baden-Württemberg’s counties and in regional investment assistance initiatives
@ Contact persons in chambers of industry and commerce
@ Contact persons in chambers of crafts and trades
@ Contact persons in trade associations
@ Contact persons in other initiatives
The Steinbeis Europe Center helps small and midsized companies, in particular, gain access to the European Union’s research
and technology programs. It also assists them in their search for
business partners and serves as a source of information to answer all questions involving European technology transfer. The
Steinbeis Europe Center is also the consortium partner for the
Enterprise-Europe-Network Baden-Württemberg.
The major challenges facing us today include climate change
and the increasing shortage of such important natural resources
as oil, coal and natural gas. These challenges are forcing companies to make substantial changes. The shortage of key nat-
Loan-guarantee
program
InnovFin
Loan
guarantees
L-EA fund for small and
midsized enterprises
4
Seed-money fund
Baden-Württemberg
4
Mezzanine financing
(Mezzafin)
ERP capital for business start-ups (KfW)
Equity and equity-type financing
Silent participation
(MBG)
Investment financing
Liquidity loans
Technology financing
4
Innovation financing
4
Energy-efficiency
financing SME
4
Short- and
mid-range
financing
Regional financing
4
Growth financing
Start-up financing
Mid- and long-range financing
Start-up financing 80
Programs
Investmentsupport
instruments
Rural Development
Program (ELR)
56
4
4
Start-ups
Acquisitions/
investment
4
Company
development
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
ural resources coupled with recent volatile global demand and
the temporarily increasing supply resulting from new extraction
methods entail commodity price fluctuations that are tough to
calculate and create increased price uncertainty from a business point of view.
At the same time, strategies aimed at checking climate change
and facilitating environmentally sustainable growth are being devised on all political levels. In this regard, Germany has
launched an energy revolution. The objective is to create a
new type of energy-supply system that is primarily based
on renewable energy sources. The energy revolution is to be
managed by the long-term EU Energy Roadmap 2050 and the
midrange EU Energy Efficiency Directive, which are designed
to reduce EU emissions of greenhouse gases to at least 80
percent below 1990 levels by 2050 as well as improve energy
efficiency by 20 percent through 2020. These improvements
are to be primarily achieved through a so-called decarbonization of electricity production—that is, through a substantial
increase in renewable energies and through improved energy efficiency. Germany has committed itself to cutting CO2
emissions by 40 percent through 2020. This objective is being
ratcheted up—especially in comparison with the EU Energy
Roadmap 2050—thanks to the country’s pullout from nuclear
energy announced in 2011, which is set to be completed by
2022 when all nuclear power plants operating in the country
will be shut down.
The essence of Germany’s energy revolution is a complete reversal of the way energy is produced and supplied today. This
means the use of renewable energies will have to expand and
energy efficiency improve. For this reason, the energy revolution
will trigger sweeping economic, political and social change. The
state of Baden-Württemberg plans to take action in this area
and become the leading energy and climate-protection region.
The Energy Revolution Targets 50-80-90 constitute the state
government’s benchmark here: A 50 percent reduction in energy
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
consumption, a share of renewable energies totaling 80 percent
and a 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gases (all targets relate to the base year of 1990).
To achieve these targets, extensive investments must be made
at all levels—that is, by private individuals, municipalities and
companies. Baden-Württemberg plans to develop an environment for sustainable growth and development that will benefit both state residents and businesses. For this reason, the
state has launched a far-ranging investment-support initiative that creates incentives for individuals and companies to
act in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner by conserving resources and improving efficiency over the
long run. Businesses, in particular, can profit in many ways
from the energy-efficiency initiatives. The state’s infrastructure will be modernized and the competitiveness of the entire
WEBSITES OF INVESTMENT-SUPPORT
ORGANIZATIONS
L-Bank: www.l-bank.de
Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg:
www.buergschaftsbank.de
Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft
Baden-Württemberg: www.mbg.de
Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW):
www.kfw-mittelstandsbank.de
gruendung-bw.de: www.gruendung-bw.de
Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics:
www.mfw.baden-wuerttemberg.de
business location improved by offering incentives for resourceconserving innovations that extend beyond energy savings. In
this way, Baden-Württemberg will become even more attractive
to businesses in the future.
4.2 INVESTMENT-SUPPORT PROGRAMS
The public investment-support programs offered by Germany
and, particularly, Baden-Württemberg set international standards. The country’s European neighbors view them as a blueprint for the enhancement of their own investment-support
structures. L-Bank, acting as the state’s development bank,
plays a key role here. With its broad range of services and total
assets of around 70 billion Euro, it is one of Europe’s largest development banks. As a government-owned bank, L-Bank plays
a major role in Baden-Württemberg’s business-development
and investment-support activities. Its mission can be succinctly
stated as follows: be on hand where and when needed and address key issues.
One of L-Bank’s main responsibilities is to support the state’s
business community, municipalities and residents. The investment-support programs are designed especially with small and
midsized enterprises in mind. This assistance is directed at
start-ups as well as investment and modernization projects. A
broad spectrum of financing instruments is employed to achieve
this goal. L-Bank does not compete against other banks and
savings banks. On the contrary: the investment-support programs are generally provided through relationship banks (relationship bank principle). The good working relationship between
L-Bank and relationship banks has paid off, especially during
the recent global financial and economic crisis. These banks
are familiar with local companies and the regional business
environment.
This collaborative principle also ensures that the extensive
range of programs gains wide acceptance among companies.
Investment-support statistics from recent years demonstrate
this point: In the past 10 years, L-Bank alone has issued about
26 billion Euro into Baden-Württemberg’s economy. These statistics also make one other point: Investment-support applications are efficiently and effectively processed. This is the only
way to ensure that the funds being provided are being used to
meet specific needs. The economy benefits from this important
stimulus.
L-Bank’s assistance to businesses begins with the planning
phase. The aim here is to find the best form of financing for
a particular project. The experts at L-Bank communicate this
knowledge during financing conferences, start-up seminars and
workshops, which are to some extent organized in partnership
with chambers of industry and commerce or directly by phone
over the Business Development Hotline. In addition, events
like the L-Bank Business Forum and business start-up trade
fairs enable L-Bank’s experts to provide answers to financing
questions.
57
ENERGY-EFFICIENCY FINANCING:
A CASE STUDY
A steel construction company launches an environmental
management system on the basis of the European EMAS
standard in order to continuously improve its environmental
track record. The company is also planning to purchase an
energy-efficient CNC lathe and milling center. To optimize
resource efficiency, the company switches to using preformed blanks.
Investment plan
EUR
Process innovation: “preformed
blanks”
250,000
Lathe and milling
center
200,000
EMAS
certification
Total
50,000
Financing plan
EUR
500,000
Resource
efficiency
financing—
Program
component B
500,000 Total
1,000,000
2,500,000
500,000
5,150,000
The use of perfectly preformed blanks instead of bulk material could save up to 50 percent in wasted material. In
addition, lower machining forces are at play, thereby reducing tool wear. Another efficiency gain is generated by shortening machining times by upstreaming production stages.
In addition to the energy savings over standard industry
machinery, the new CNC machinery makes it possible to
achieve a significant reduction in the consumption of cutting fluid.
All costs for investing in resource efficiency and environmental technology are covered by component B of the Resource Efficiency Financing investment-support program.
There are no specific stipulations as to the level of savings
that need to be achieved. The important point is resource
consumption or environmental pollution is actually reduced.
This program enables small and midsized companies that
put resource efficiency into practice to benefit from attractive end-borrower conditions, a loan-arrangement year
without having to pay a commitment fee and streamlined
handling. An assessment carried out by a specialist is not
compulsory, however it is recommended that companies obtain free advice from the experts at the Steinbeis-Stiftung
für Wirtschaftsförderung or RKW Baden-Württemberg.
Projects eligible for funding include, for example, steps to
achieve resource and material savings, to optimize production processes, to increase the use of renewable resources
or to reduce water and air pollution.
Small and midsized enterprises form the backbone of
Baden-Württemberg’s economy. These companies need effective support and flexibility to go into business, invest in their
operations, overcome liquidity logjams, upgrade their facilities or expand their activities. L-Bank offers a number of in-
58
vestment-support programs to address their needs—also in
conjunction with other development banks. These
investment-support instruments include:
In addition to its own investment-support programs, L-Bank
plays an active role in the state’s investment-support and
business-development efforts—for example, the awarding of
funding from the European Social Fund. The economic support
focuses on small and midsized enterprises (SMEs).
and contribute to environmental protection. Companies acting in a sustainable manner have an opportunity to take out
business-development loans at very low interest rates. And
these rates apply to the entire term of the loan, up to a
maximum of 10 years. As supplemental support, applicants
can seek risk relief from such institutions as Bürgschaftsbank
Baden-Württemberg as part of a streamlined process or—in
cases involving large sums of money—directly from L-Bank.
The key condition for this assistance provided by L-Bank in
conjunction with the KfW Bank Group is a certain level of
energy- and material-saving potential from which both the
environment and the company will profit over the long term.
This savings potential is validated by RKW or the Steinbeis
Foundation free of charge to applicants.
Besides L-Bank, Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg and
Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg
(MGB) are important contacts for company financing. The
federal government’s own Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau
(KfW) acts as a refinancing partner for the investment-support
services provided by L-Bank and as an independent businessdevelopment and investment-support organization. Given their
range of products and services for business start-ups, company acquisitions and investments, all of these investmentsupport institutions meet the needs of new investors. With their
business-development services, they can also support the
growth of existing businesses. The overview on page 56 matches
possible projects with selected investment-support programs.
In cooperation with KfW, L-Bank has supported small and
midsized businesses particularly active in research and development by providing Innovation Financing (InnoFin) since 2015.
The program helps finance the innovation or enhancement
of products, production processes and services in BadenWürttemberg. While the terms and conditions are similar to
Resource Efficiency Financing, this form of investment assistance requires submission of a free-of-charge innovation assessment from a certified expert such as RKW or the Steinbeis
Foundation. Thanks to a new framework agreement between
L-Bank and the European Investment Fund (EIF), innovation
financing can be customized by adding an inexpensive
InnovFin loan guarantee.
4.2.1 E XTERNAL FINANCING
4.2.2 E QUITY AND EQUITY-TYPE FINANCING
(MEZZANINE FINANCING)
@ Low interest loans
@ Subsidies
@ Loan guarantees
@ Venture capital
The Start-Up Financing 80 and Start-Up Financing programs
are the central investment-support instruments for new businesses in Baden-Württemberg. The support is provided to
people starting new businesses as well as to new small and
midsized enterprises for a maximum of five years after establishment. The standard program offered to SMEs that have
been in business for more than five years is Growth Funding for
Investment Financing. If capital equipment needs to be financed
rather than investments, SME needs can be covered by start-up
and growth financing. For investors who don’t meet the SME
criterion, liquidity loans are the main option for funding capital
equipment. This type of loan appeals to investors who have a
short- and midterm need for financing in connection with the
acquisition of an existing company or who do not meet the SME
criterion. You will find other investment-support options, including for special business-development purposes, in the overview
of the publication and on the websites of the investment-support
organizations. Program parameters are also provided there.
Resource Efficiency Financing is the core program for special business-development purposes (see the information box
on page 57). In 2015, L-Bank extended its Energy-Efficiency
Financing program for SMEs by adding another component
designed to promote resource efficiency and environmental
technology. This program enables L-Bank to support SMEs
that invest in improving their energy and resource efficiency
Over the last few years, the state of Baden-Württemberg has
championed the effort to enhance equity financing for new,
innovative companies. L-Bank’s MidSized Enterprise Fund
and Venture Capital Portfolio play an important role here. The
MidSized Enterprise Fund itself provides equity or equity-type
financing directly to established midsized businesses. Its stake
in STAUFEN AG enables the MidSized Enterprise Fund to also
benefit from lean-management consulting expertise. Around
272 million Euro have been invested since the fund was established in 2002. L-Bank also plays an indirect role in this segment through its stakeholdings in MBG and BWK.
Thanks to its Venture Capital Portfolio, L-Bank stands ready
to assist when companies expand. The portfolio focuses on
technology-intensive companies, particularly those from the information and communication technology sector. Through the
end of 2014, 38 million Euro has been invested. The resources
in this subportfolio within the MidSized Enterprise Fund were
boosted from 50 million Euro to 100 million Euro to be able to even
more effectively support companies during their critical growth
phases. With their focus on technology companies, IT and
Internet businesses, L-Bank’s venture-capital activities are
hallmarked by a long-term investment view, a high degree of
flexibility and substantial industry expertise that facilitates an
entrepreneurial investment philosophy.
FINANCING CONFERENCES FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND PEOPLE SEEKING TO START UP OR ACQUIRE
THEIR OWN COMPANIES
L-Bank acts as a central point of contact for companies and
entrepreneurs regarding financial assistance with business
start-ups, company succession and growth. It provides assistance at its consulting centers in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe and at consulting conferences held at local chambers of
industry and commerce and chambers of crafts and trades.
The latest dates and venues can be found on the websites of
regional chambers overseeing the events or the information
can be obtained over the phone. Participants must register for
the conferences held at the chambers.
Freiburg Chamber of Crafts and Trades
Bismarckallee 6, 79098 Freiburg
Internet: www.hwk-freiburg.de
Phone: +49 761 21800-100
Heilbronn-Franken Chamber of Crafts and Trades
Allee 76, 74072 Heilbronn
Internet: www.hwk-heilbronn.de
Phone: +49 7131 791-171
Karlsruhe Chamber of Crafts and Trades
Friedrichsplatz 4–5, 76133 Karlsruhe
Internet: www.hwk-karlsruhe.de
Phone: +49 721 1600-166
Konstanz Chamber of Crafts and Trades
Webersteig 3, 78462 Konstanz
Internet: www.hwk-konstanz.de
Phone: +49 7531 205-373
Mannheim Rhein-Neckar-Odenwald Chamber of Crafts and
Trades, B1, 1–2, 68159 Mannheim
Internet: www.hwk-mannheim.de
Phone: +49 621 18002-0
Heilbronn-Franken Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Ferdinand-Braun-Straße 20, 74074 Heilbronn
Internet: www.heilbronn.ihk.de
Phone: +49 7131 9677-112
Hochrhein-Bodensee Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Schützenstraße 8, 78462 Konstanz
Internet: www.konstanz.ihk.de
Phone: +49 7531 2860-135
Karlsruhe Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Lammstraße 13–17, 76133 Karlsruhe
Internet: www.karlsruhe.ihk.de
Phone: +49 721 174-138
Ostwürttemberg Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Ludwig-Erhard-Straße 1, 89520 Heidenheim
Internet: www.ostwuerttemberg.ihk.de
Phone: +49 7321 324-182
Stuttgart Region Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Jägerstraße 30, 70174 Stuttgart
Internet: www.stuttgart.ihk24.de
Phone: +49 711 2005-444
Reutlingen Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Hindenburgstraße 54, 72762 Reutlingen
Internet: www.reutlingen.ihk.de
Phone: +49 7121 201-125
Rhein-Neckar Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Hans-Böckler-Straße 4, 69115 Heidelberg
Internet: www.rhein-neckar.ihk24.de
Phone: +49 6221 9017-688
Reutlingen Chamber of Crafts and Trades
Hindenburgstraße 58, 72762 Reutlingen
Internet: www.hwk-reutlingen.de
Phone: +49 7121 2412-131
Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg Chamber of Industry &
Commerce
Romäusring 4, 78050 Villingen-Schwenningen
Internet: www.sbh-online.de
Phone: +49 7721 922-121
Ulm Chamber of Crafts and Trades
Syrlinstraße. 38, 89073 Ulm
Internet: www.hk-ulm.de
Phone: +49 731 1425-351
Südlicher Oberrhein Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Schnewlinstraße 11–13, 79098 Freiburg
Internet: www.suedlicher-oberrhein.ihk.de
Phone: +49 761 3858-131
Bodensee-Oberschwaben Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Lindenstraße 2, 88250 Weingarten
Internet: www.weingarten.ihk.de
Phone: +49 751 409-169
Ulm Chamber of Industry & Commerce
Olgastraße 97, 89073 Ulm
Internet: www.ulm.ihk24.de
Phone: +49 731 173-250
59
60
IMPORTANT TERMS
Loan-guarantee program: Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg and L-Bank may issue a default guarantee of between
50 percent and 80 percent of the loan volume under their
loan-guarantee programs in order to reduce the risks borne by
relationship banks when financing business start-ups and acquisitions. Bürgschaftsbank covers up to 2.5 million Euro for new
loans. Higher loan guarantees are provided by L-Bank (from 2.5
million to 5 million Euro) and the state of Baden-Württemberg
(loan guarantees above 5 million Euro). Applications for loan
guarantees are made through the applicant’s relationship bank.
makes a refinancing commitment to the relationship bank. The
relationship bank then concludes a loan agreement with the
customer, ensures that the loan is paid out and provides
evidence to L-Bank of the correct use of funds once the
investment project has been completed.
Business start-ups: Establishment of an independent business by means of setting up a new company or acquiring a
company or purchasing a stake in such a business constitutes
a business start-up. The business start-up assistance provided by L-Bank requires commercial or professional exercise
of self-employment as a primary or secondary occupation.
Start-Up Financing 80 can be requested for up to three years
and start-up financing can be requested for up to five years
following start-up or the commencement of self-employment.
Mezzanine financing: This type of financing includes profit-sharing certificates, silent participations and subordinated
loans that include elements of equity and debt capital. Many
banks recognize mezzanine financing as equity, which can improve the equity ratio and rating of the company in question.
Relationship bank procedure: Applications for public
investment-assistance loans can be submitted only through
a relationship bank. The bank examines the economic
viability of the application by means of a rating and evaluates the available collateral. If the issuance of a loan is considered to be justifiable, the relationship bank forwards the
application to L-Bank. L-Bank then reviews the support
terms and conditions and, if a positive decision is made,
A comprehensive range of venture financing options for
fast-growing start-up businesses has been established in collaboration with various partners, and it is one of the best in
Germany. This dovetailed system makes it possible to support
companies at different stages of their development. L-Bank
plays an important role in this process either directly or indirectly as a stakeholder in financing partners. As a result, the
system involving the state of Baden-Württemberg together with
the Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft (MBG), LBBW
Venture Capital and L-Bank’s 2009-initiated Seedfonds BW is
active as a co-investment fund for early-phase investments of
the High-Tech Start-Up Fund. During the start-up phase, the
MBG-managed VC-Fonds Baden-Württemberg takes effect.
L-EA, the equity agency of L-Bank, enables small and midsized enterprises to draw on the agency’s SME fund as a way
of covering their additional capital needs. L-EA has stakes in
established small and midsized enterprises in all industries that
have financing needs. Companies must demonstrate they have
a strong market position, attractive growth and earnings potential, skilled management, a clearly structured niche position
and a focused overall strategy. Other investment-support options can be found in the overview and on the websites of the
business-development organizations.
SME: The EU-wide definition of small and midsized enterprises is based on workforce (fewer than 250 employees),
annual revenue (a maximum of 50 million Euro) or total assets
(a maximum of 43 million Euro).
Active stakeholding: This type of business start-up is characterized by active business co-management in terms of an
assumption of management responsibilities vis-à-vis third
parties. Such a stakeholding requires the ability to influence
business decisions by exercising voting rights (at least 10 percent) at the general shareholders’ meeting.
Acquisition: An acquisition is a change in a company’s ownership through the purchase of business stakeholdings (share
deal) or business assets (asset deal). As a form of business
start-up, company takeovers may draw on several of the
L-Bank investment-assistance programs.
4.2.3 L OAN GUARANTEES
A lack of collateral can be offset by L-Bank or Bürgschaftsbank. In this process, the bank providing a loan receives a letter
of indemnity covering a portion of the financing risk. This letter
covers the loss of capital up to a set maximum amount after
deduction of income generated by the sale of collateral. The
guarantees apply to both individual loans and credit lines. You
will find more detailed information about the program and its
terms on the websites of the business-development organizations.
61
5OVERVIEW OF COMPANY LAW AND
BUSINESS TAXES
Corporations
Legal form
Private limited company (GmbH)
Business enterprise with limited
liability (UG—Unterrnehmergesellschaft [haftungsbeschränkt])
Stock corporation (AG)
Limited partnership with shares
(KGaA)
Features
The most common type of company. A private limited company
is an incorporated enterprise with
its own legal personality in which
legal or natural persons may invest capital.
This is not a separate legal form,
but a variant of the GmbH.
A stock corporation is an incorporated company with its own legal
personality and capital stock of at
least 50,000 Euro that is divided
into shares of stock. Stockholders
hold a stake in the company and
acquire rights, including a voting
right at the general shareholders’
meeting.
The limited partnership with
shares is a company with its own
legal personality that is run by one
or more general partners who are
personally liable.
Establishment
At least one person is required
in order for a GmbH to be established. Generally, though, at
least two owners set up a GmbH.
All founding shareholders must
conclude a contract that requires
notarization. The GmbH must be
entered into the Commercial Register. A GmbH is legally required
to have at least 25,000 Euro in
equity capital.
It is established by at least one
stakeholder. Common capital stock
is a minimum of 1 Euro.
One or more people can be part of
the AG’s establishment, receiving
shares of stock in exchange for
their investment. The articles of
association must be notarized and
must include certain information.
A limited partnership with shares
can be established by one or more
persons.
Function and
organ structure
As a legal entity, the GmbH can
act only through its organs (the
managing director, the general
shareholders’ meeting or the
supervisory board).
The CEO(s) represent(s) the
limited-liability
business
enterprise.
The organs of the company are
the general shareholders’
meeting, the management board
and the supervisory board. A
general shareholders’ meeting
must be held once a year. The
management board consists of
one or more individuals, depending
on the capital stock and the size
of the workforce.
The entire capital consists of the
investments made by the partners
and the capital stock (at least
50,000 Euro, divided into shares).
In principle, the partnership shareholders have the same rights and
obligations as stockholders in a corporation. The general shareholders’
meeting is the organ of a limited
partnership with shares.
Legal status of
owners
Each owner is entitled to ownership and decision-making rights
that correspond to his or her stake
in the company.
The rights and responsibilities of
stakeholders include participating in profit sharing proportional
to their common capital stock and
deciding on the appropriation of
profits as well as appointing, dismissing and approving the actions
of the CEO.
Stockholders have decisionmaking and asset rights.
At least one partner has personal,
unrestricted liability for obligations.
The limited liability shareholders
have stakes in the company’s
capital stock and have the same
membership rights. But they are not
personally liable for the company’s
obligations.
Liability
The liability risk of the GmbH is
limited to the assets of the GmbH.
The partners assume no personal
liability with their personal assets.
The liability provisions of the German Limited-Liability Companies
Act apply. The limited-liability
business enterprise is, as a rule,
only liable to its creditors in the
amount of the company‘s assets.
As a rule, stakeholders are not
liable in the sense of their private
assets being at risk.
The company, not the stockholders,
is liable with its assets for its
obligations to creditors.
The limited partnership with
shares can be listed on the stock
exchange. This makes it the appropriate legal form for small and
midsized enterprises that want to
expand their financial base on the
capital markets. Unlike the AG, it
enables a more personal form of
management.
Accounting
An annual report consisting of a
financial statement, profit and
loss statement, notes that explain
specific points in the financial
statement and the profit and loss
statement as well as a management report must be prepared.
The stipulations of the German
Commercial Code apply to the
limited-liability business enterprise
as a variant of the GmbH. This
form of company has a statutory
accounting obligation (doubleentry accounting including annual
financial statement).
The company is required to keep
financial records and follow the
balance-sheet requirements
contained in the German Stock
Corporation Act. The company’s
annual financial statements are
prepared under IFRS.
The partnership with limited
shares is subject to the
regulations that cover stock
companies.
62
Partnerships
Features
Individual
proprietorship
Partnership under
the German Civil Code
(GbR)
Limited partnership (KG)
General commercial
partnership (OHG)
Partnership based on
the Act Governing Partnerships for Members of
the Professions (PartGG)
The individual proprietorship involves the
opening of a business by
a person without a new
legal personality being
created. The individual
proprietor is liable with
both the company’s and
his or her own private
assets. No mandatory
amount of capital is
required. The individual
proprietorship does not
have to be entered into
the Commercial Register.
This form is designed for
business partnerships
(exception: mercantile
trade). The purpose of
the business is defined
in an agreement, which
does not have to take a
specific form. The owners
have extensive leeway in
composing the framework
of the agreement. A minimum amount of capital
is also not required. Every
owner bears personal and
unlimited liability for the
partnership’s obligations.
The limited partnership
has at least one general
partner who bears full
liability—including with
his or her private assets—
and at least one limited
partner whose liability is
restricted to the amount
of his or her investment.
Only the general partners
are authorized to manage
the business. The limited
partners are granted no
right to influence the
operation of the company. The law requires
no minimum amount of
capital investment.
The general commercial
partnership includes at
least two owners who
have unlimited liability
with their business and
personal assets. Each
owner manages the
company internally and
represents it externally.
No minimum amount of
capital stock is required.
Professionals form a
partnership in order to
practice their profession
on their own. The regulations for a partnership are
generally based on those
of the partnership under
the German Civil Code
and the general commercial partnership. For the
partnership’s f inancial obligations, the partners act
as codebtors in addition to
the partnership’s assets.
The partnership and the
acting partner assume
liability for mistakes made
in the performance of the
business by individual
partners. No minimum
capital investment is
required.
Partnership GmbH & Co. KG
–Features
This is a special form of the limited partnership with a GmbH that acts as a personally liable partner.
This organizational form combines the strengths of partnerships and joint-stock companies.
–Establishment
The GmbH & Co. KG is created by a business contract that governs the relationship and rights of the owners.
It can be flexibly written.
– Functions and organ structure
It is represented by the general partner GmbH. It may be managed by a third party.
Limited partners do not have the authority to manage or represent the GmbH & Co. KG.
–Legal status of the limited partners
Each limited partner is required to make an investment that will correspond at least to the liability share that must be entered into the Commercial Register.
The limited partners have a right to the payment of their profit share as well as monitoring and information rights.
–Liability
The general partner GmbH bears unlimited liability for the obligations of the GmbH & Co. KG up to the liability share entered into the Commercial Register.
–Accounting
The same regulations that apply to a joint-stock company apply in terms of the annual financial statements and the management report.
The limited partnership and the general partner GmbH must issue separate financial statements.
Branch offices
Foreign investors can establish a branch office of their company in Germany. This unit, geographically separate from the company‘s main branch or headquarters, is particularly suitable for market entry. A branch office is legally and organizationally a part of the company where it is domiciled and is therefore not
a separate legal entity. It conducts similar business as the company‘s main branch or headquarters, although the main branch or headquarters is liable for the
branch office‘s commitments and liabilities. Two forms exist in Germany:
– Independent branch office
Foreign commercial businesses can establish an independent branch office once they are listed in a foreign commercial register. Although in terms of internal
organization the branch office is a dependency of the main branch or headquarters, it has independent business dealings and can also transact business,
upon conclusion of which the foreign parent company assumes liability.
– Nonindependent branch office
This kind of branch office is regarded as a subordinate department of the main branch or headquarters, has no autonomy and may not have general business
dealings independent of the parent company.
63
European legal developments
Legal form
European Stock Corporation
(Societas Europaea, SE)
European Cooperative Society
(Societas Cooperativa Europaea, SCE)
European Economic Interest
Grouping (EEIG)
Features
A European Stock Corporation can be established in any EU member state. Companylaw principles are governed by an EU Regulation that gives national legislatures a degree
of latitude on implementation. National stockcorporation law in the relevant country where
the SE is established as well as the rules of
incorporation relating to the national stockcorporation law apply to SEs. The European
Stock Corporation is especially suitable for
companies with operations in various locations and that want to have their activities
under the control of a single holding company.
A European Stock Corporation can relocate
to another EU country without closing its previous headquarters.
The EU supports the development of crossborder activities carried out by cooperative
societies and enables individuals or legal
entities to establish cooperative societies at
a European level. The same rules of competition apply to cooperative societies and
corporations. Put in simple terms, an SCE can
be established by
– at least five individuals or legal entities,
–a
n amalgamation of cooperative societies
or
– conversion into a cooperative society.
An EEIG is a partnership established on
the basis of EU law with the objective of
promoting the business aims of its members
and facilitating business activities by pooling
resources, activities and experience. The EEIG
must consist of at least two members from
different EU member states.
Business taxes
Type of tax
Features
Income taxes
Income tax
The income of natural persons is taxed. For trade companies and partnerships, the tax is based on the enterprise’s
profits.
Flat-rate withholding tax
A tax on capital gains deducted at the source.
Corporate tax
A special type of income tax that applies to legal persons, other associations of individuals and assets.
Income forms the basis for taxation.
Solidarity surcharge
Surcharge on income and corporate taxes to finance German unification.
Local trade tax
Tax on domestic businesses based on operating income, which is often the profit.
Taxes on assets
Property tax
Tax applied to domestic property.
Estate and gift tax
Tax applied to the inheritance of individual heirs or other individuals. The gift tax is a supplement to the estate tax.
Transaction and consumer tax
Sales tax
Tax on deliveries and other services that a company provides within Germany for compensation.
Real-estate transfer tax
Tax applied to the purchase of domestic property.
64
6 CONTACT ADDRESSES
A) GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND BANKS
Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics
Neues Schloss, Schlossplatz 4, 70173 Stuttgart
Phone: + 49 711 123-0
Fax: + 49 711 123-4791
E-mail: poststelle@mfw.bwl.de
Internet: www.mfw.baden-wuerttemberg.de
Baden-Württemberg International – Gesellschaft für
internationale wirtschaftliche und wissenschaftliche
Zusammenarbeit mbH (bw-i; Baden-Württemberg
International Agency for International Economic and
Scientific Cooperation)
Haus der Wirtschaft, Willi-Bleicher-Straße 19
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: + 49 711 22787-0
Fax: + 49 711 22787-22
E-mail: info@bw-i.de
Internet: www.bw-i.de, www.bw-invest.de
Steinbeis-Stiftung für Wirtschaftsförderung
(Steinbeis Foundation for Business Promotion)
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: + 49 711 1839-5
Fax: + 49 711 1839-700
E-mail: stw@stw.de
Internet: www.steinbeis.de
Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart Informationszentrum Patente
(Regional Council of Stuttgart—Information Center on Patents)
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 123-2558
Fax: +49 711 123-2560
E-mail: info@patente-stuttgart.de
Internet: www.patente-stuttgart.de
L-Bank (Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg –
Förderbank; L-Bank, State Development Bank
Baden-Württemberg)
Schlossplatz 10
76113 Karlsruhe
Phone: +49 721 150-0
Fax: +49 721 150-1001
Börsenplatz 1
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 122-0
Fax: +49 711 122-2112
E-mail: info@l-bank.de
Internet: www.l-bank.de
Bürgschaftsbank Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Werastraße 13–17
70182 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 1645-6
Fax: +49 711 1645-777
E-mail: info@buergschaftsbank.de
Internet: www.buergschaftsbank.de
MBG Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft
Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Werastraße 13–17
70182 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 1645-6
Fax: +49 711 1645-777
E-mail: info@mbg.de
Internet: www.mbg.de
RKW Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Königstraße 49
70173 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 22998-0
Fax: +49 711 22998-10
E-mail: info@rkw-bw.de
Internet: www.rkw-bw.de
B) TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
Baden-Württembergischer Industrie- und
Handelskammertag e. V.
Jägerstraße 40
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 225500-60
Fax: + 49 711 225500-77
E-mail: info@bw.ihk.de
Internet: www.bw.ihk.de
Baden-Württembergischer Handwerkstag e. V.
Heilbronner Straße 43
70191 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 263709-0
Fax: +49 711 263709-100
E-mail: info@handwerk-bw.de
Internet: www.handwerk-bw.de
Landesverband der Baden-Württembergischen
Industrie e. V. (LVI)
Gerhard-Koch-Straße 2–4
73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhauser Park
Phone: +49 711 327325-0
Fax: +49 711 327325-69
E-mail: info@lvi.de
Internet: www.lvi-online.de
Wirtschaftsverband Industrieller Unternehmen Baden e. V.
Merzhauser Straße 118
79100 Freiburg
Phone: +49 761 4567-0
Fax: +49 761 4567-599
E-mail: info@wvib.de
Internet: www.wvib.de
Leichtbau BW GmbH Landesagentur für Leichtbau
Baden-Württemberg
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 123-3000
Fax: +49 711 123-2145
E-mail: info@leichtbau-bw.de
Internet: www.leichtbau-bw.de
MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft
Baden-Württemberg mbH
Breitscheidstraße 4
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 90715-300
Fax: +49 711 90715-350
E-mail: info@mfg.de
Internet: www.mfg.de
Umwelttechnik BW Technologie- und Innovationszentrum Umwelttechnik und Ressourceneffizienz
Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Bahnhofspassage 2
71034 Böblingen
Phone: +49 7031 20398-10
Fax: +49 7031 20398-21
E-mail: info@umwelttechnik-bw.de
Internet: www.umwelttechnik-bw.de
D) R EGIONAL BUSINESS-DEVELOPMENT
SUPPORT
C) S
TATE BUSINESS-INVESTMENT
SUPPORT GROUPS
Alb-Donau-Kreis Wirtschaftsförderung
Schillerstraße 30
89077 Ulm
Phone: +49 731 185-0
Fax: +49 731 185-1304
E-mail: wirtschaft@alb-donau-kreis.de
Internet: www.alb-donau-kreis.eu
BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Breitscheidstraße 10
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 218185-00
Fax: +49 711 218185-02
E-mail: info@bio-pro.de
Internet: www.bio-pro.de
Landkreis Biberach Wirtschaftsförderung
Rollinstraße 9
88400 Biberach
Phone: +49 7351 52-0
Fax: +49 7351 52-350
E-mail: info@biberach.de
Internet: www.biberach.de
e-mobil BW GmbH
Leuschnerstraße 45
70176 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 892385-0
Fax: +49 711 892385-49
E-mail: info@e-mobilbw.de
Internet: www.e-mobilbw.de
Bodensee Standort Marketing GmbH
Max-Stromeyer-Straße 116
78467 Constance
Phone: +49 7531 800-1145
Fax: +49 7531 800-1146
E-mail: info@b-sm.com.de
Internet: www.bodensee-standortmarketing.com
65
66
Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH
N7, 5–6
68161 Mannheim
Phone: +49 621 12987-0
Fax: +49 621 12987-50
E-mail: info@m-r-n.com
Internet: www.m-r-n.com
Standortagentur Tübingen – Reutlingen – Zollernalb GmbH
Hindenburgstraße 54
72762 Reutlingen
Phone: +49 7121 201262
Fax: +49 7121 2014262
E-mail: info@neckaralb.de
Internet: www.neckaralb.de
TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe GbR
Rathaus, Marktplatz
76133 Karlsruhe
Phone: +49 721 133-1873
Fax: +49 721 133-1879
E-mail: info@technologieregion-karlsruhe.de
Internet: www.technologieregion-karlsruhe.de
WiR GmbH Landkreis Ravensburg
Kuppelnaustraße 8
88212 Ravensburg
Phone: +49 751 35906-60
Fax: +49 751 35906-70
E-mail: info@wir-rv.de
Internet: www.wir-rv.de
Wirtschaftsförderung Bodenseekreis GmbH
Leutholdstraße 30
88045 Friedrichshafen
Phone: +49 7541 38588-0
Fax: +49 7541 38588-33
E-mail: info@wf-bodenseekreis.de
Internet: www.wf-bodenseekreis.de
Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH
Friedrichstraße 10
70174 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 711 22835-0
Fax: +49 711 22835-55
E-mail: info@region-stuttgart.de
Internet: www.region-stuttgart.de
Wirtschaftsförderung Zukunftsregion
Nordschwarzwald GmbH
Blücherstraße 32
75177 Pforzheim
Phone: +49 7231 154369-0
Fax: +49 7231 154369-1
E-mail: info@nordschwarzwald.de
Internet: www.nordschwarzwald.de
Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH
Region Ostwürttemberg WiRO
Universitätspark 1
73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd
Phone: +49 7171 92753-0
Fax: +49 7171 92753-33
E-mail: wiro@ostwuerttemberg.de
Internet: www.ostwuerttemberg.de
Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft
Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg mbH
Marienstraße 10
78054 Villingen-Schwenningen
Phone: +49 7720 660-4400
Fax: +49 7720 660-4409
E-mail: info@wifoeg-sbh.de
Internet: www.gewinnerregion.de,
www.wirtschaftsfoerderung-sbh.de
Wirtschaftsregion Heilbronn-Franken GmbH Gesellschaft
für Standortmarketing, regionale Wirtschaftsförderung und
Tourismus
Weipertstraße 8–10
74076 Heilbronn
Phone: +49 7131 76698-60
Fax: +49 7131 76698-69
E-mail: info@heilbronn-franken.com
Internet: www.heilbronn-franken.com
Wirtschaftsregion Offenburg/Ortenau (WRO GmbH)
In der Spöck 10
77656 Offenburg
Phone: +49 781 96867-33
Fax: +49 781 96867-50
E-mail: info@wro.de
Internet: www.wro.de
Wirtschaftsregion Südwest GmbH
Marie-Curie-Straße 8
79539 Lörrach
Phone: +49 7621 5500-150
Fax: +49 7621 5500-155
E-mail: info@wsw.eu
Internet: www.wsw.eu
Wirtschaftsregion Freiburg e. V.
Rathausgasse 33
79098 Freiburg
Phone: +49 761 3881-1210
Fax: +49 761 3881-1299
E-mail: info@wrf-freiburg.de
Internet: www.wrf-freiburg.de
Contact partners:
L-Bank
Cordula Bräuninger
Schlossplatz 10
76113 Karlsruhe
Phone: +49 721 150-1284
Fax: +49 721 150-1260
E-mail: cordula.braeuninger@l-bank.de
FRANKFURT BUSINESS MEDIA GmbH –
Der F.A.Z.-Fachverlag
Dr. Guido Birkner
Frankenallee 68–72
60327 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: +49 69 7591-3251
Fax: +49 69 7591-803251
E-mail: guido.birkner@frankfurt-bm.com
Imprint
Date: October 2015
Disclaimer: All information contained in this guide has been carefully
researched and compiled. The editors and publishers assume no responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the investment guide or for any
changes that may occur after its publication.
© 2015 FRANKFURT BUSINESS MEDIA GmbH – Der F.A.Z.-Fachverlag,
Frankenallee 68–72, 60327 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
(Management: Torsten Bardohn, Dr. André Hülsbömer, Bastian Frien)
L-Bank,
Schlossplatz 10, 76113 Karlsruhe
and
Börsenplatz 1, 70174 Stuttgart,
Germany
All rights reserved, including the rights of photomechanical reproduction and
storage on electronic media.
Editor: Dr. Guido Birkner, Gunther Schilling (chapter 3)
Translation: Leinhäuser Language Services GmbH
Design: Jung von Matt/Neckar
Layout: FRANKFURT BUSINESS MEDIA – Der F.A.Z.-Fachverlag
Printing: Boschen Offsetdruck GmbH, Alpenroder Straße 14,
65936 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, www.boschendruck.de
STILL GOING
FROM STRENGTH
TO STRENGTH
@ As the state development agency, we continue to support one of Europe’s strongest regions:
Baden-Württemberg. Information at www.l-bank.de/ir

investment guide - L-Bank

Transcription

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