Innovation profiles for nine regions of North Rhine-Westphalia

Bioregions Facility on August 26, 2024

Nine regions of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, illustration

Twenty per cent of all start-ups in Germany are in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). This innovative and strong region is an example of dynamic innovators in the federal government and Europe.

NRW and the NRW.innovativ Competence Centre have developed innovation profiles for its nine regions of North Rhine-Westphalia; here, you can find a summary of each one:

Aachen region

The Aachen city region, located in the far west of North Rhine-Westphalia, is home to 1.3 million residents. It is a hub for technology, innovation, and knowledge and is supported by institutions such as RWTH Aachen, FH Aachen, and the Research Centre Jülich. The region has a technology-oriented corporate structure and a vibrant start-up culture developed in the university environment. Additionally, the Aachen Region Special Purpose Association promotes regional development and innovation.

Read the Aachen Regional innovation profile in German here.

The region has positive economic development, broad and innovative medium-sized businesses, a strong industrial sector, gross value-added growth above the state average, and outstanding research competencies.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Information and communications industry
  • Production technology materials
  • Mobility and logistics
  • Energy, water and waste management
  • Healthcare and life science
  • Education and research
  • Food and industry
  • Tourism

Bergisch region

Bergisch city triangle region, with approximately 625,300 residents, has a strong industrial sector characterising small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative start-ups. The industries here include metal processing, automotive, and electrical employment. In North Rhine-Westphalia, nearly 32% (250 out of 800) of the automotive suppliers are within this city triangle. The area has a high patent intensity, surpassing federal and state levels. Its research capabilities include climate, environment, energy, tools and materials, and medicine.

Read the Bergisch city triangle regional innovation profile in German here.

This region’s strengths include a well-established R&D infrastructure with the Wuppertal Institute and Bergische University Wuppertal, high patent intensity compared to national and state averages, and well-connected start-ups.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Automotive/New mobility
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Cutlery
  • Tools
  • Pharma/Chemistry
  • Health
  • Event
  • Digitalisation

Düsseldorf-Mettmann district region

Düsseldorf-Mettmann district region, home to 11.6 million residents and around 500,000 companies within a one-hour drive radius, forms a crucial part of the Rhineland metropolitan area. As one of the innovation hubs in North Rhine-Westphalia, the region stands out for its high patent intensity, technological networking, and product innovations. Start-ups have close ties to scientific institutions. Both large German and international corporations have established a presence here, making it a significant business zone. It has a strong academic landscape, with universities like Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) and Hochschule Düsseldorf (HSD) enhancing the educational environment.

Read the Düsseldorf-Mettmann regional innovation profile in German here.

The region has a diverse industry structure with developed competency sectors, is a start-up hotspot in NRW with a large share of digital entrepreneurs, and has a high qualification level with a high proportion of university graduates.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Biopharma
  • New materials and fabrics
  • Environmental medicine
  • Digital medicine
  • Bioeconomy
  • Energy systems of the future
  • Sustainable industry, Construction technology
  • Alternative drive technologies
  • New job

Cologne/Bonn region

Cologne/Bonn region is home to over 3.6 million people, a diverse industry structure with developed competence industries, and strong knowledge-intensive, business-related services. The region has a high employment rate in emerging fields. It features a strong landscape of research, science and higher education, including numerous universities and research institutions affiliated with all four major German research associations. One of the region’s key strengths is its start-up ecosystem, which is marked by high patent intensity and support from federal and state governments. The region is well-connected through various start-up and transfer institutions and extensive regional networks.

Read the Cologne/Bonn regional innovation profile in German here.

A broad industry structure with highly developed competence sectors, extensive research, science and university landscape, strong region for start-ups, and national and European funding acquisition per capita above average.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • New energies and hydrogen
  • Bioeconomy and resources
  • Biotechnology and health
  • Material and materials
  • AI, robotics and ICT,
  • Climate protection and environmental economy,
  • Digital and innovation

Ruhr metropolis

The Ruhr Metropolis, home to 5.0 million residents, is a pioneering region of structural change with a diverse industry structure and specialisations in growth sectors such as healthcare and logistics. The metropolis aims to set new standards in ecological transformation, wanting to become the greenest industrial region in the world. Its geothermal energy and hydrogen technology offer conditions for sustainable business (Wuppertal Institute, 2021). The region’s research capabilities are focused on information and communication technology, logistics, health, energy, and the environment, supported by a well-developed digital infrastructure.

Read the Ruhr metropolis regional innovation profile in German here.

Pioneering region of structural change with a diversified industry structure and specialisations in growth sectors such as healthcare and logistics, outstanding research competencies in fields such as information and communication technology, logistics, health, energy, and the environment, The cities of Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr are start-up hotspots with high start-up intensity in knowledge- and technology-intensive sectors. Numerous start-up and transfer institutions and existing regional networks and clusters in large parts of the region.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Green technology, hydrogen and circular economy
  • Urban transformation and smart city
  • New industry
  • IT services – cyber security and AI
  • Intelligent logistics
  • Health

Münsterland region

Home to almost 1.6 million people, Münsterland has a high economic performance, with above-average growth in gross value added and one of the lowest unemployment rates in North Rhine-Westphalia. The University of Münster, Westphalian University of Applied Sciences, Münster University of Applied Sciences, and other research institutions contribute to the region’s innovative strength in digital solutions, health and bioanalytics, engineering services and new materials.

Read the Münsterland regional innovation profile in German here.

Well-developed R&D infrastructure, strong GreenTech region (battery research, hydrogen companies and competence centres, pilot initiatives), strong digital banking and insurance sector, and numerous networks and clusters in fields of innovation competence are only some of the strengths of Münsterland.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Materials and surfaces
  • Sustainable eco
  • Digital solutions
  • Life science
  • Engineering pro

Lower Rhine region

The Lower Rhine region is home to two million people, with over 650,000 employees working in 120,000 companies, producing goods and services. The region’s economy is mainly commercial. For example, the core sectors are logistics, mechanical engineering, chemicals, energy, agribusiness, electrical engineering, textiles and clothing, and tourism. More than 20 of the 250 companies with the highest sales in North Rhine-Westphalia are based here. The export quota is over 50 per cent in the region.

Read the Lower Rhine regional innovation profile in German here.

The region has many strengths. Some of them include an above-average share of agricultural, forestry and nutritional science courses compared to North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), well-established R&D base infrastructure, high patent intensity in Rhein-Kreis Neuss, and a high export rate indicating strong foreign trade relations.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Agribusiness
  • Chemistry
  • Electrical engineering
  • Energy
  • Logistics
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Textile
  • Tourism

EastWestphaliaLippe region

EastWestphaliaLippe region (or OstWestfalenLippe, OWL) is home to over two million people and industries in mechanical engineering, furniture industry, metal processing and electrical industry, food industry, textile and clothing industry, healthcare industry and plastics processing industry. Over a million employees work in around 150,000 companies, and around 65,000 young adults study at 13 universities. The region is positioning itself nationwide as a top implementer for Industry 4.0 with its Intelligent Technical Systems OstWestfalenLippe cluster and with expertise in the field of intelligent technical systems. The work areas include regional marketing, regional development, the OWL cultural office, the Teutoburg Forest Tourism, the OWL regional agency and the OWL competence centre for women and careers.

Read the EastWestphaliaLippe regional innovation profile in German here.

Some of the region’s strengths are a broad industry mix in localised manufacturing, a stronger gross value added (GVA) than the state average, a high proportion of R&D personnel, a strong culture of cooperation and joint strategy development, and a high patent intensity compared to national and state levels, with a high digital patent intensity.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Mechanical engineering
  • Information technology
  • Automation technology
  • Energy
  • Leisure and tourism
  • Furniture and kitchen industry
  • Healthcare industry
  • Plastics
  • Textile and clothing industry
  • Groceries

South Westphalia region

With almost 1.4 million residents and over 150 world market leaders, South Westphalia is the youngest region in Germany. Counting the number of employees in the manufacturing sector subjected to social insurance contributions, the region is the third-strongest industrial region in Germany and the strongest industrial region in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its sectors include the automotive industry, metal and mechanical engineering, building technology and the healthcare industry. Education and research are covered by the University of Siegen, the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, the Siegen Business School, the Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Iserlohn and other private universities. In addition, more than 42 innovative and groundbreaking projects were implemented in South Westphalia in urban development, nature and tourism, rural life and business via REGIONALE 2013.

Read the South Westphalia regional innovation profile in German here.

The region has a strong educational and research environment, industries focusing on localised manufacturing, many SMEs and family-run businesses, numerous start-up and transfer institutions, existing networks and clusters in regional innovation fields, and advanced broadband expansion despite the semi-urban settlement structure in all areas.

Read the innovation profile report to learn more about the SWOT analysis.

  • Metal and mechanical engineering industry
  • Timber and forestry
  • Healthcare industry
  • Automotive
  • Building technology

Learn more about the nine regions of North Rhine-Westphalia

The content of this news article is sourced from the NRW.innovativ Regions page. Visit their site to explore this and much more about the nine regions of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Featured photo: AL-Travelpicture – Getty Image