Found at: http://www.competitiveness.org/article/articleprint/900/-1/9/
German federal government recognizes Baden-Württemberg Connected e.V. cluster initiative as the competence network with best service.
The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) in Berlin awarded first place in its nationwide Competence Network 2008 competition to the Baden-Württemberg: Connected e.V. (bwcon) business initiative.
MFG Baden-Württemberg has organized and managed the cluster initiative for over ten years within the framework of a service agreement.
First prize in the Competence Network 2008 competition for the best German innovation network went to Baden-Württemberg Connected e.V. (bwcon), a Stuttgart-based business initiative managed by MFG Baden-Württemberg. The €15,000 prize was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) in Berlin to recognize the network’s innovative service and added value for its members.
Prof. Jörg Sydow, Chairman of the Competence Network Initiative, praised bwcon’s carefully balanced overall concept and tightly meshed services for startups and expanding technology enterprises during his presentation. According to Sydow, bwcon’s offerings and ties to networks in other industries and technological sectors are unique in their present form. “I’m very pleased to accept this prize in recognition of our years of successful networking. After celebrating our tenth anniversary last year, this is a further boost to our motivation for the future,” explained bwcon Chairman Alf Henryk Wulf.
Klaus Haasis, MFG Baden-Württemberg Managing Director and member of TCI Board of Directors, was also delighted by the prize: “This award also reflects the success of our quality strategy. Thanks to our ISO-certified processes, we have been able to continuously improve the organization of our community services for bwcon.”
In addition to bwcon, a range of other initiatives such as LiSoG (Linux Solutions Group e.V.), an open-source network with offices in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, also benefit from MFG’s services and around 10,000 technology relationships.
Baden-Württemberg: Connected was established eleven years ago with support from MFG Baden-Württemberg. It is thus one of the oldest and most renowned cluster initiatives in Germany. As one of the most successful technology networks in Europe, bwcon currently links over 400 companies and research institutions with over 4,400 “networkers”. In the creative industries, healthcare, information and communication technologies and connecting technologies fields, bwcon provides a solid foundation for crosssector technology application and interdisciplinary partnerships between vendors, users and investors. The business initiative also provides an extensive range of consultation services for startups and expanding enterprises with its Coach & Connect program and hosts the annual CyberOne high-tech award. bwcon places great value on reflecting the needs of its members with its offerings and addressing current trends, topics and issues.
More information:
www.bwcon.de
www.mfg-innovation.de