📋 Tender Overview
Economics Minister Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut opened the innovation laboratory Urban Innovation Hub for retail in Heilbronn. The laboratory is intended to strengthen the performance of stationary retail.Economics Minister Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut opened on April 27 2023 together with the director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO Prof. Dr. Katharina Hlzle the Lord Mayor of Heilbronn Harry Mergel and the chairman of the Knowledge City Heilbronn eV Prof. Dr. Raul Zllner the Urban Innovation Hub - in short uih in downtown Heilbronn. Other representatives from companies business associations and science took part in the opening ceremony.The stationary retail trade and the inner city players have been faced with major challenges for some time. Our common goal is to maintain attractive and lively inner cities with efficient stationary retail. Creativity and innovation are the basis for this. Thats why we promote the transfer of knowledge from research to operational practice and support retailers in positioning themselves for the future said Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut Minister for Economy Labor and Tourism.Unique innovation project in Baden-WrttembergThat uh in Heilbronn is a unique innovation project in Baden-Wrttemberg A vacant retail space in Heilbronns pedestrian zone was expanded into an innovation laboratory and thus transformed into an attractive meeting and exchange place for business business-related research citizens and guests in the city center .As a lighthouse the uih should contribute to the attractiveness of Heilbronns city center and become the 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 experts to find out about new digital technologies and to try out the possible applications and test them in their own business summarized the Economics Minister of the State of Baden-Wrttemberg.The Urban Innovation Hub is funded by the Baden-Wrttemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs Labor and Tourism with around 1.3 million euros and by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation via the Knowledge City Heilbronn eV association. It creates the basis for brick-and-mortar retail and other inner-city players to work more closely with universities and research institutions in the development and application of digital innovations.70 percent of 16 to 75 year olds used online shopping in 2022Brick-and-mortar retail is one of the sectors most affected by the effects of digitization . The structural change in the city center and the strong growth in online trading have led to a loss of footfall falling sales and increasing vacancy rates in many places. The 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.The results of the current microcensus of the State Statistical Office PDF make you sit up and take notice 70 percent of 16 to 75 year olds in Baden-Wrttemberg took advantage of the opportunity to shop online in 2022. People with a high level of education people from the younger population group and those in employment make above-average use of online offers. Clothing and shoes were particularly popular with shoppers.The stationary retail trade wants to react to this and further develop its own business model in the long term. This requires inspiration and creativity as well as practical solutions and competent support from experts. The Economics Minister therefore called on small and medium-sized retail companies in Baden-Wrttemberg in particular to use the offers of the Urban Innovation Hub and the cooperation partner Smart Services Competence Center and to network with science.Driving the innovation ecosystem in HeilbronnThe involvement of different actors and expertise is an indispensable part of the development of innovations. However this exchange does not just happen it requires appropriate guidance and spaces for it - whether in the virtual or in the physical sense. That uh should be a driving force here and thus promote the emergence of an innovation ecosystem in Heilbronn said Prof. Dr. Katharina Hlzle at the opening ceremony.Against this background the Research and Innovation Center Cognitive Service Systems KODIS of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO together with the Furtwangen University the University of Konstanz the University of Heilbronn and the University of Siegen developed an innovation laboratory for the transformation process in stationary retail. The project is carried out in close cooperation with the Competence Center Smart Services.The Urban Innovation HubIn the first phase new digital solutions for stationary trade with various demonstrators and exhibits will be presented in the uih presented. In addition to the exhibition the laboratory enables other 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 them out and give valuable feedback. From April 27 to 29 2023 various events will take place at Slmerstrae 21 in Heilbronn. In changing formats the innovation laboratory offers trade visitors in the days after the opening Associations and science offer an exchange on various topics in the industry. The local offer in Heilbronn is supplemented by a mobile variant of the Urban Innovation Hub in order to bring digital solutions for retail to the regions of Baden-Wrttemberg. Konstanz University of Applied Sciences will be opening from Tuesday May 9th to Thursday May 11th 2023Pop-Up Urban Innovation Hub in downtown Constance.
