State of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Ministry of Economy, Industry, Climate Action, and Energy (MWIKE)
ongoing
Imp3rove, Kearney, Fraunhofer ISI, Eurada, GiftGrün
The major transformation topics of our time – digitalisation, decarbonisation, and also demographic change – call for us to look even more thoroughly for new, sustainable solutions to address these future challenges. Innovations are key to this. The aim of the NRW.innovativ competence centre is to strengthen the innovative power of North Rhine-Westphalia with new and forward-looking approaches.
Flanked by the innovation strategy and its industrial policy model, North Rhine-Westphalia has initiated numerous measures to ensure successful industrial transformation. Prognos was commissioned by the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Economy, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy to set up and operate the “NRW.innovativ” competence centre. Among other things, this serves as a central interface for networking the relevant innovation stakeholders from all areas of society. It thus contributes to the operationalisation of NRW's innovation strategy. Prognos is working on this project with partners Imp3rove, Kearney, Fraunhofer ISI, Eurada, and the GiftGrün agency.
Prognos is responsible for key areas of work relating to the efficient networking of innovation stakeholders across the state, the strategic support of regional stakeholders, and the development of flagship projects for North Rhine-Westphalia as a centre of innovation.
Clusterdialog.NRW was established to further strengthen cooperation between the clusters and networks active in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This networking initiative serves to provide targeted support and coordination for the exchange of information and experience through a needs-based, bottom-up approach. The role of Clusterdialog.NRW is to act as a facilitator and networker between the individual stakeholders.
Furthermore, NRW.innovativ strengthens the regions in North Rhine-Westphalia as a central hub for networking the state-wide innovation landscape and through the participatory development of the regional innovation strategy. The following practice-oriented approaches are pursued in this regard:
In addition, the competence centre identifies and supports publicly funded projects that have the potential to make a significant contribution to the transformation of the North Rhine-Westphalia economic region through their innovative power. In doing so, NRW.innovativ aims to tap into untapped potential and support projects whose results have not yet been fully utilised.
In early 2024, Prognos established ClusterAllianz.NRW and has been providing expert support ever since. In addition, Prognos is supporting the process of developing the NRW Innovation Strategy 2028–2034 on behalf of the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy.
Such projects are identified by regularly screening public project databases for funding opportunities. In collaboration with various partners, we offer tailored support to assist these projects with their commercialisation. This includes both matchmaking with potential funders and financing partners, as well as facilitating relevant contacts.
Project website (nrwinnovativ.de)
Monitoring and evaluation of the North Rhine-Westphalian innovation strategy (RIS3)
Project team: Dr Olaf Arndt, Dr Jonathan Eberle, Felix Ginzinger, Tim Kaltenthaler, Dr Jan-Philipp Kramer, Paul Möhlmann, Christian Schoon
Last update: 11.05.2026
The dossier, which was created as part of the NRW.innovativ competence centre, highlights the role that cluster organisations play in the digital and green transformation in NRW.
The NRW Cluster Panorama defines five subject areas in which the greatest potential for the innovation ecosystem in NRW lies.
Der vom Kompetenzzentrum „NRW.innovativ“ organisierte Summit befasst sich mit dem Thema „Transformation durch Innovation – Chancen für den Innovationsstandort NRW aus der globalen Perspektive“.
Dr Jan-Philipp Kramer and Lennart Galdiga inform in Prague about the competence centre "NRW.innovativ" and represent the European Cluster Collaboration Platform.
Partner, Head of EU Services
Partner, Head of Region & Location
As part of ERDF funding 2021-2027, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has developed a regional innovation strategy (RIS3). Prognos is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the strategy.
The CCRI focuses on the implementation of a circular economy in European cities and regions. Prognos is supporting the initiative as a project partner in the associated Coordination and Support Office.
On behalf of the European Commission, we analysed the mechanisms for implementation and the challenges of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) at regional level.
Since 2016, Prognos’ management consulting team has been helping compile the Digital State trend report in cooperation with Behörden Spiegel. Each year the report is devoted to another forward-looking trend topic for public administration.
How do public IT service providers and public administrations work together? For the 2026 Trend Report, we examined the role IT service providers play in modernising public administration.
Europe has a strong research capabilities, but too little market success. The European Innovation Act aims to change this, remove structural barriers and thereby significantly strengthen innovation in the EU. Prognos and its partners are assisting with its development.
On behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Prognos compiled the Green Tech Atlas 2025. The atlas provides a comprehensive overview of the cross-sectional environmental technology and resource efficiency industries.
For DB Regio, we calculated three scenarios showing how autonomous driving technologies could impact public transport economically, ecologically and socially.
In recent years, Europe has maintained its strong position in the global market for clean energy technologies, but faces growing competition. On behalf of the European Commission, we examined the competitiveness of these technologies.
Prognos and its partners evaluated how effectively ERDF funding was used for research, technology, development and innovation in the 2014–2020 funding period.
We combine economic research and strategy consulting for sustainable decisions in politics, business and society. Our robust data, precise analyses and scientifically based findings enable fact-based progress – financially independent, politically neutral.
