"Aachen digitized!" Submits the application for DigitalHUB NRW

Aachen, October 03.06.2016nd, XNUMX. During a press conference at the headquarters of GRÜN Software AG On June 1, 2016, the application for the DigitalHUB NRW to the digitization officer of the state, Prof. Dr. Tobias Kollmann, presented.

In the six weeks until the application was submitted, initiators and supporters in a true business crime with passion and a convincing concept in the Aachen economy had for the digitalHUB Aachen advertised and received plenty of encouragement. “The specific commitments from companies and organizations to our digitalHUB Aachen are overwhelming,” he says happily Dr. Oliver Grün, CEO and board member of GRÜN Software AG, as co-initiator. "This shows that the region wants to digitize itself and is investing in its own digitization."

In addition to the GRÜN Software AG and the digital agency giftGRÜN the have helped around 100 digitization-ready companies from all industries from Aachen, Heinsberg, Düren and Euskirchen as well as the border triangle with their commitments to secure a place on the digital map for the Aachen region. “We don't want to react to digitization, but rather tackle the issue actively. With the digitalHUB Aachen, we are also promoting startups and digital business models in the region, ”explained Marcel Philipp, Lord Mayor of Aachen.

With the digitalHUB, a regional digitization center, the initiative is now applying to the public tender of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for the “Digital Economy North Rhine-Westphalia - Hubs”. Here, up to five regions in North Rhine-Westphalia are to be advertised as beacons for digitization, which promote cooperation in the cooperation of digital startups, medium-sized companies and industry. It is crucial that the regions themselves raise equity of 1,5 million euros. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia will then support the operation of the hub by increasing the funds to a total of 3 million euros through subsidies.

In addition to the Aachen region, the cities of Düsseldorf, Cologne, Bonn, Essen / Ruhr area, Münster and Paderborn are also applying as competitors for the tender. The unique selling point of the Aachen initiative is the broad support from all areas of the economy with many startups and medium-sized companies, so that digitization is driven from below - "bottom-up". "With the integration of the RWTH and FH Aachen into our concept of the digitalHUB, the creative energy of the universities with their innovative startups will be absorbed and anchored in the region" explains Prof. Dr. Malte Brettel, initiator of Aachen digitized and prorector for economy and industry of RWTH Aachen. "In this way we can promote the technical and digital skills of young people in our region even better."

"The joint commitment of business, science and politics is unique in this form for the region," said Michael F. Bayer, General Manager of the Aachen Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK). “The successful crowdfunding shows that Aachen stands for innovations not only in technology. The actors set out on their way together to spread digitization. ”The close connection with the transfer and start-up center of RWTH, IHK and the Aachen Start-up Region would mobilize, sensitize and optimally prepare start-ups at an early stage. The IHK Aachen, City of Aachen, CityRegion Aachen, Chamber of Crafts Aachen, the diocese and the FH Aachen are also co-initiators of the digitization initiative.

About "Aachen digitized!"

The “Aachen digitized!” Initiative is forging a coalition of business, science and politics to create an “Aachen Area” as a digital innovation country. To this end, the digitalHUB Aachen eV association is to be founded, the aim of which is to sustainably strengthen the region's future viability and to promote and enable the digitization of the economy.