Brückenbildung

Best Practice

North Rhine-Westphalia makes use of resources from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to enhance its economy’s competitiveness. In so doing, it boosts innovation, research and technological development and also makes an important contribution to environmental and climate protection.

Innovations, entrepreneurship and a technological lead through outstanding research and internationally competitive small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) strengthen North Rhine-Westphalia’s economic position.

The following best-practice examples show how synergies can be achieved by dovetailing ERDF funds and world-class European research in the EU’s Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation and how the innovation skills and capacities built up can be used to advantage for North Rhine-Westphalia’s economy.

IMST GmbH
As developers and a centre of competence for high-frequency circuits, wireless modules and communication systems, with 145 employees IMST GmbH helps enterprises to transform new product ideas into reality – right through to series production. EU projects play an important role in expanding know-how and capacity for innovation.

ZBT Zentrum für BrennstoffzellenTechnik gGmbH
As an application-oriented development institute with over 100 employees, ZBT also utilises results from cutting-edge European research and supports industrial enterprises companies in the area of fuel cells and innovative energy technologies.