Innovation laboratory Urban Innovation Hub opened

Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut opened on April 27, 2023 together with the institute manager of the Fraunhofer-Institut for Working and Organization IAO , Prof. Dr. Katharina Hölzle, the Mayor of Heilbronn Harry Mergel and the chairman of the Wissensstadt Heilbronn e.V. , Prof. Dr. Raul Zöllner, The "Urban Innovation Hub" -short! - in the city center of Heilbronn. Other representatives from companies, business associations and science took part in the ceremonial opening.

"Inpatient retailers and the inner city actors have been presented with great challenges for some time. Our common goal is to maintain attractive and lively inner cities with a powerful inpatient retail. Creativity and innovation are the basis for this. That is why we promote knowledge transfer from research into operational practice and support the dealers in making themselves future -proof," said Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economics, Work and Tourism.

unique innovation project in Baden-Württemberg

that uih! So far, a unique innovation project in Baden-Württemberg is in Heilbronn: An empty retail area in the Heilbronn pedestrian zone has been expanded into an innovation laboratory and thus transformed into an attractive place of encounter and exchange for business, business-related research, citizens and guests of the city center.

"The UIH should contribute to the attractiveness of the Heilbronn city center as a lighthouse and become a nucleus for a creative network between research, education and companies. Small and medium -sized companies find ideal conditions in the Urban Innovation Hub to develop new ideas together with specialist experts, to find out more about new digital technologies and to try out and test the possible business", took the business minister of the country Baden-Württemberg together.

The "Urban Innovation Hub" is the Baden-Württemberg with around 1.3 million euros and the association of knowledge city Heilbronn e.V. from the Dieter Schwarz Foundation funded. It creates the basis for inpatient retail as well as for other actors in the city center to work more with universities and research institutions when developing and using digital innovations.

70 percent of 16- to 75-year-olds used 2022 online shopping

Inpatient retail is one of the industries that are most affected by the effects of digitization. The structural change in the city center and the strong growth of online trading led to frequency losses, sales declines and sometimes growing vacancies in many places. Corona pandemic and the generally deteriorated consumer climate as a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have increased the pressure on the industry.

So leave the Results of the Statistical Statistical Office (PDF) Subject: 70 percent of 16- to 75-year-olds in Baden-Württemberg used the opportunity to shop online in 2022. People with a high level of education, people of the younger population group and employed people use online offers above average. Clothing and shoes were particularly popular with buyers.

Inpatient retailers want to react to this and develop its own business model sustainably. This requires inspiration and creativity as well as practical solutions and competent support from experts. The Economic Minister therefore called in particular the small and medium-sized retail companies in Baden-Württemberg to offer the offers of the Urban Innovation Hub and the cooperation partner Competence Center Smart Services to use and network with science.

innovation eco system in Heilbronn

"The integration of different actors and expertise is an indispensable part in the development of innovations. However, this exchange does not simply take place, but it needs appropriate instructions and 'spaces' for it - whether in the virtual or physical sense. The UIH! Should be a driving force here and thus promotes the emergence of an innovation ecosystem in Heilbronn," said Prof. Dr. Katharina Hölzle at the ceremonial opening event.

Against this background, the Research and Innovation Center Kognitive Service Systems (Kodis) of the Fraunhofer Institute for Working Management and Organization (iao) Together with the Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences, the Constance University of Applied Sciences, the Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences and the University of Siegen, an innovation laboratory for the transformation process in inpatient trade. The project is carried out in close cooperation with the "Competence Center Smart Services".

The Urban Innovation Hub

In the first phase, new (digital) solutions for stationary trade in various demonstrators and exhibits in UIH will be used! presented. In addition to the exhibition, the laboratory enables further transfer formats such as events, workshops and a platform for joint project activities. In the open innovation laboratory, retailers, trainees and students as well as the interested public can find out about digital technologies in retail, try it out and give valuable feedback. From April 27th to April 29, 2023, 21 various events take place in Heilbronner Sülmerstrasse. In changing formats, the innovation laboratory offers an exchange on various topics in the industry in the days after the opening of trade, associations and science. The local offer in Heilbronn is complemented by a mobile variant of the Urban Innovation Hub to bring digital solutions for trade in the Baden-Württemberg regions. The Konstanz University of Applied Sciences opens the pop-up urban innovation Hub in the city center of Constance.

Urban Innovation Hub